TRIBUTE TO A BRAVE SKYDIVER - BY ADMIRAL RAVINDRA C WIJEGUNARATNE, WV, RWP AND BAR, RSP, VSV, USP, NI(M), NDC, PSN, MPHIL
"Once you have tasted the taste of Sky, you will forever look up†- Leonardo da Vinci
On 4th January 2018, one month before our Independence Day celebrations, my Chief of Staff, Major General Nirmal Dharmaratne approached me "Sir, we request your approval for BASE jumps on Independence Day Parachute Jumping Displayâ€. "What is BASE jump?†I asked.
Sir, we have three base jumpers in the Army now. They all are qualified in BASE jumping in Austria. Sir, they will jump from the Shangri-La hotel 53rd floor. "That 's less than 1000 feet I said. "No time to open the reserve parachute in case of emergency?.â€
"Yes Sir. They will jump without a reserve parachute. It 's bit risky, but they have done enough BASE jumps and very competent.†(To qualify as a BASE jumper, you should have more than 500 free fall jumps done.)
My Chief of Staff Nirmal is a decorated Army Special Forces Officer and the senior most Skydiver in the Army. He was due to lead the sky diving team on the 70th Independence Day celebrations by jumping from 10,000 feet with more than 30 Army, Navy, Air Force and Police (STF) Skydivers. I thought "these guys are mad!â€. I learnt ‘BASE ' means Building, Antenna, Span and Earth.
Nirmal started giving more details. "Sir! This is the 70th Independence Day Celebrations of our beloved country. We will do something unique.†I reluctantly agreed to do BASE jumps on Independence Day celebrations at Galle Face on 4th February 2018. Three BASE jumpers were Major Nalin Kulathunga, Corporal A L A Premalal of Commando Regiment and Warrant Officer II H K S Kumarasiri of Special Forces Regiment.
I had briefed HE the President and Commander-in-Chief of Armed Forces on Independence Day parade procedures on 3rd Feb 2018. I briefed him on these BASE jumps also. His usual answer to me - "if you are competent, go ahead Raviâ€.
I should confess, I went through two stressful days thanks to Nirmal and his BASE jumpers. These personnel were "Bravest of the Braveâ€. I was so worried of any injury to them. Being a victim of a bad jump in my basic parachute course which ended up in fractures in both my legs, I very well knew the seriousness of this BASE jumps.
Everything went well on Independence Day and the whole country hailed our three BASE jumpers and video recordings of them leaping out from top floor of Shangri-La hotel showed repeatedly on all TV channels. My friend Bandula Jayasekara invited them to morning talk show PATHIKADA. Bravest of the Brave of our armed forces! We were so proud of them.
Next day on 5th Feb 2018, I called them to my office and presented them with Commendation letters. That 's how I met WO II Kumarasiri. I still remember smile on his face when I presented the Chief of Defence Staff Commendation letter to him.
He was in his ceremonial dress with "spit and polished†boots shining like a mirror. I knew Commando and Special Forces personnel very randomly get a chance to wear their "ceremonialsâ€.
During our brief conversation, WO Kumarasiri mentioned that he has taken part in ‘Exercise Balance Style ' conducted jointly by US Navy SEALs and SLN Special Boat Squadron (SBS) when I was the Commanding Officer SBS in year 2000. He was a Corporal in the Special Forces that time. I "read his chest†silently (Naval term we use to identity medals and badges worn on our uniforms). All three Gallantry medals a living Armed Forces person can get for valor and bravery, namely Weera Wickrama Vibushanaya (WWV), Rana Wickrama Padakkama (RWP) and Rana Soora Padakkama (RSP) on his left side with other service medals. ‘WWV ' closest to his heart.
Most difficult and respected badge on left side, the LRRP badge (Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol - most feared Special Forces Unit of our Army) followed by the Sniper badge, Basic Parachute badge, Special Forces badge, Physical Training Instructor badge, Free Fall Parachutist badge and Mountain Climber badge. What an impressive Military Service!.
He said he is completing his 22 years of service soon and want to retire and start an organic farm in his village Puhulwella, Kamburupitiya. I wished him good luck and advised him to use his vast knowledge and experience to train next generation of Army Soldiers. That was the last time I met him.
Sri Lanka Army Skydivers were training in Ampara last month as preparations for Cormorant Strike, the annual multi-national exercise due to start from 3rd September 2019. WO Kumarasiri leaped out of a Y-12 SLAF Aircraft at an altitude of 10,000 feet with trainee skydivers. As per his jumping log, this was his 681st free fall jump. On that day, these parachutists were prepared to perform a Canopy Formation, which is done by multiple parachutists making a ‘Ladder formation ' by holding each other 's parachutes in the air. This is a stunt which has a huge risk of parachutes getting entangled. For this, they have to open their parachutes very close to each other 's at a very high altitude as high as 10,000 feet.
Seconds after they opened their parachutes, something unexpected happened. Kumarasiri 's parachute entangled with one of the trainee Skydiver 's parachute.
"Do not panic - try to cut down the lines entangled and use your reserve parachute if required. I will be fineâ€
Those were the last words of Kumarasiri to his trainee.
Keeping the highest traditions of Special Forces, his last intention was to save the life of his buddy. His action at 10,000 feet height to save his trainee, while gaining speed every second with gravitational force, qualified him to be awarded with Weerodhra Vibushanaya (WV) posthumously, the Gallantry medal awarded for conspicuous bravery of non-military nature of most exceptional order.
Bravery and valor - Traditions of Sri Lanka Army Special Forces. We will never forget WO I H K S Kumarasiri. One of the gallant Special Forces LRRP member and skydiving instructor Sri Lanka Army ever produced. Mother Lanka lost one of her bravest sons.
May he attain supreme bliss of Nibbana !
