FALLEN WAR HEROES WERE COMMEMORATED

The commemorative ceremony of the fallen War Heroes alias World Poppy Day organized by the Sri Lanka Ex-Servicemen Association in collaboration of the Office of the Chief of Defence Staff (OCDS) and the Tri Services with the guidance of the Ministry of Defence was held yesterday evening (11 November) at the Cenotaph of the Vihara Maha Devi Park, Colombo. His Excellency the President and Commander-in-Chief Ranil Wickremasinghe graced the annual event as the chief guest.

At the invitation of the President, Poppy Committee of Sri Lanka Ex-Servicemen’s Association, Major General Upul Perera (Retd), the Chief of Defence Staff General Shavendra Silva WWV RWP RSP VSV USP ndc psc MPhil attended the event. During the evening, he took time to share the past memories with the senior military personalities present.

Making this year’s ceremony more unique, President Ranil Wickremasinghe unveiled a special centenary commemorative plaque of the War Heroes Memorial. During the commemorative ceremony, a special commemorative stamp and first-day cover released on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Cenotaph were presented to the President by the State Minister of Mass Media Hon Shantha Bandara and Postmaster General Mr Ruwan Satkumara.

At the outset a two-minute silence was observed in honour of the war heroes and venerable Maha Sangha conducted religious observances transferring merits on the members of the armed forces who killed in action and invoked the blessings on the differently abled war veterans. Thereupon, His Excellency the President, followed by the Senior Military Officers, family members of war heroes and distinguished guests offered floral tributes in memory of all the brave souls who paid the supreme sacrifice in the defence of the motherland.

The evening was also attended by National Security Advisor Mr Sagala Ratnayaka, State Minister of Defence, Hon Premitha Bandara Tennakoon, State Minister of Mass Media Hon Shantha Bandara, Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Commander of the Sri Lanka Army, Chief of Staffs of Sri Lanka Navy and Air Force, Serving and retired Tri Service Senior Military officers, and many invited guests. The members of the Sri Lanka Ex-Servicemen Association, war heroes who were wounded in action and family members of the fallen war heroes were among the core participants of the evening.