Legendary war hero Lt. Gen. Denzil Kobbekaduwa and other war heroes remembered

The 24th death anniversary of Lieutenant General Denzil Kobbekaduwa and several other military war heroes, who sacrificed their lives for the country took place this week amid honours at Anuradhapura town in the presence of LalyKobbekaduwa, family members and a host of military officers.

The main commemorationoccurred near the statue of the late Lieutenant General Kobbekaduwain the heart of Anuradhapura town where Mrs.Kobbekaduwa, the Chief Guest at the occasion, laid floral wreaths and troops from the Sri Lanka Armoured Corps (SLAC) presented honours in Kobbekaduwa’smemory.

The late Lieutenant General Kobbekaduwa’s two daughters and son, together with Colonel Commandant of the Regiment,Sri Lanka Armoured Corps (SLAC), Major General SathyapriyaLiyanage,General Officer Commanding, 21 Division Major General Ruwan Silva, Centre Commandant, SLAC, Brigadier G.D.Sooriyabandara,Director Plans, Brigadier Duminda Gamage,211 Brigade Commander Colonel Tharaka Rathnasekara, Colonel R.Pathiravithana,Colonel General Staff, Security ForceHeadquarters - Kilinochchi (SFHQ-KLN), Commandant,Armoured Corps Training CentreLieutenant Colonel Priyantha Kariyawasam and commanding officers of the 3,7,8SLAC Units participated in the event.

The monks, attached to theLankaramayain Anuradhapura,took part in religious observances and delivered a brief oration (Anusasana), recalling the heroic acts of the late Lieutenant General Kobbekaduwa, Major General Wijaya Wimalaratne and others who sacrificed their live at Araly.

Lieutenant General Kobbekaduwa, one of the finest warriors ever produced by the Army in the country’s contemporary history, died on 8August 1992 alongside fellow military veterans and soldiers, Major General Wijaya Wimalarathne, Rear Admiral Mohan Jayamaha, Lieutenant Colonel H.R. Stephen, Lieutenant Colonel G.H.Ariyarathne, Lieutenant Colonel Y.N.Palipana, Commander Asanga Lankathilaka, Lieutenant Colonel Nalin de Alwis, Lieutenant Commander C.B.Wijepura and Private W.J. Wickremasinghe while they were on a military assignment in Araly Point, Kayts, Jaffna.

Lieutenant General Kobbekaduwa, an old Trinitian, joined the Sri Lanka Army on 25 May 1960. After basic military training at the Army Training centre, he left for Sandhurst in the UK to receive further training at the prestigious Royal Military Academy before he was commissioned to the Sri Lanka Armoured Corps as a Second Lieutenant on 3 August 1962.

The laying of a floral wreath and the Last Post sounding brought the day’s commemorative event to an end. A large gathering of grateful civilians and retired military personnel were present at the occasion. An almsgiving for monks at Lankaramaya brought the day’s commemorative event to an end.