Allegiance Sri Lanka Died Australia Battles and wars Sri Lankan Civil War | Battles/wars Sri Lankan Civil War, Education Nalanda College, Colombo Rank Major general | |
Commands held General Officer Commanding 53 Division (Sri Lanka). Other work Defence Attache in the Sri Lanka Embassy in Washington D.C Service/branch Sri Lanka Army Commando Regiment Awards Rana Sura Padakkama, Uttama Seva Padakkama | ||
Major General Samantha Sooriyabandara RSP, USP was a Sri Lankan Army Major general and diplomat who commanded the 53 Division. He was the Defence Attache in the Sri Lanka Embassy in Washington D.C.
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Early life and education
Major General Samantha was educated at Nalanda College Colombo. He was a Senior Cadet at the school Cadet core. Samantha‘s father was not only an officer of the Army , but he was the first recruit soldier of the Sri Lanka Army after the whites left being a proud soldier with No. 0001 as his SL Army registration Number.
Military career
Major General Samantha Sooriyabandara was an expert parachutist attached to the Sri Lanka Army Commando Regiment as a Commando.
Sooriyabandara ‘died’ many a times fighting the war bravely for his country demonstrating his true patriotism. During the Operation Jayasikurui war operations, the helicopter in which Samantha was traveling was shot at by the LTTE. The helicopter crashed and was destroyed and all its inmates except Soriyabandara died tragically.It was the Tamil fisher folks who had helped him to save his life. In gratitude, he had gifted his gold chain to them, and had also never forgotten them ever after.
Major General Samantha Sooriyabandara was the Commander of the 53 Division (Sri Lanka) regiment during the final phase of the victorious war. He was earlier in charge of the personal security of the Army Commander of Sri Lanka.
He was also an active memebr of Sri Lanka Ex-service and Police Association Australia Inc.