- Sri Lanka Army Pioneer Corps
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Sri Lanka Army Pioneer Corps 
Cap badge of the Sri Lanka Army Pioneer CorpsActive 5 July 1959 - Present Country Sri Lanka Branch Sri Lanka Army Type Pioneer Role Support Service Part of Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force Nickname SLAPC Engagements 1971 Insurrection
Insurrection 1987-89
Sri Lankan Civil WarCommanders Centre Commandant Col K.W.Y. Jayathilake The Sri Lanka Army Pioneer Corps (SLAPC) is a (reserve) regiment of the Sri Lanka Army. Established as manpower reserve to be utilized in times of strikes and union action to maintain the functionality of essential services and other state functions, other such units that existed then and has since been disband include the Post and Telegraph Signals (PTS) and the Ceylon Railway Engineer Corps (CREC). With the escalation of the Sri Lankan Civil War the regiment has taken up combat duties including that of Assault Pioneers.
Contents
History
The Ceylon Army Pioneer Corps was raised on 5 July 1959 with a large strength of 14,000 men. The unit is part of the Volunteer Force and was based on the Royal Pioneer Corps. Lt Col M.W.F. Abayakoon of the Cadet Corps was appointed its Commanding Officer. The main reason to raise this unit with a large strength was the frequent breakdown of essential services at that time due to workers unrest, strikes etc. Members of the corps used to handled harbour duties and driving of public transport. The Pioneer Corps was able to bring back normalcy in the harbour and other establishments, and the country was saved from starvation as foreign ships were threatening to bypass the Colombo harbor due to delays in unloading as a result of constant trade union action. When the workers’ unrest in the city was settled, in 1962 the Pioneers were employed in the Kantale Sugar Corporation to perform duties when the workers their went on strike.
In 1964 the pioneers assisted the field engineers of the Sri Lanka Engineers in constructing the Dambulla – Galewela Road and Katunayake Airport Road.
Since 1971 the Pioneers have also been employed in internal security duties all over the Island.
Units
Volunteers
- Sri Lanka Army Pioneer Corps (v)
Order of precedence
Preceded by
Sri Lanka Rifle CorpsOrder of Precedence Succeeded by
Sri Lanka National GuardSee also
External links and sources
Armed Forces of Sri Lanka Regiments and corps of the Sri Lanka Army Combat Arms Armoured Corps · Light Infantry · Sinha Regiment · Gemunu Watch · Gajaba Regiment · Vijayabahu Regiment · Mechanized Infantry · President's Guard · Commandos · Special Forces · Rifle Corps · National GuardSupport Arms Support Services Disbanded Ceylon Mounted Rifles · Ceylon Planters Rifle · Ceylon Railway Engineer · Ceylon Rifle · Colombo Town Guard · National Service Regiment · Post and Telegraph Signals · Rajarata Rifles · Ruhunu RegimentCategories:- Regiments of the Sri Lankan Army
- Reserve forces of Sri Lanka
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