Country Sri Lanka Type Rifles Size 24 battalions | Branch Sri Lanka Army Role Infantry/Light Role | |
Active 1 October 1956 - Present | ||
The Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment (SLSR) is the first rifle regiment in the Sri Lanka Army and the second oldest infantry regiment in the army. It is made up of seven regular battalions, five volunteer battalions and a headquarters battalion at the Ambepussa Camp.
Contents
History
Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment was the first rifle regiment of the Sri Lanka Army and was formed on 1 October 1956 at the Imperial camp at Diyatalawa. The first battalion primarily consisted of 60 officers and other ranks from the Ceylon Light Infantry with Lt Col R.D. Jayathilaka MBE as the first commanding officer.
The D company of the volunteer Ceylon Light Infantry was transformed into the Rajarata Rifles under the leadership of Lt Col (later Colonel) S.D. Ratwatte, and went on to become the 2nd Volunteer Battalion of the Sinha Regiment on 1 October 1956. On 1 October 1969 the 3rd Volunteer Battalion of the Sinha Regiment was formed at Hill School in Nuwara Eliya.
The regiment first saw action during the 1971 Insurrection and underwent an expansion with escalation of the Sri Lankan Civil War. With the expansion of the regiment the Regimental Centre of Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment was established on 9 May 1988 at Diyatalawa at the same location where the 1st Battalion of the Sinha Regiment was raised. Brig D Wijesingha was the fist regimental commander. Later, on 21 October 1989 the Regimental Centre was relocated to Ambepussa Camp where the 1st Battalion of the Sinha Regiment was at that time. The regiment distinguished itself greatly during the Sri Lankan Civil War including having two Parama Weera Vibhushanaya and one Weerodara Vibhushanaya recipients. In 1990 the elements of the 6th Battalion successfully held the old Dutch fort of Jaffna for two months while surrounded and under siege until it was relieved by the subsequent Operation Thrividha Balaya. July 1991 the 6th Battalion garrisoned Elephant Pass base when it came under siege with the LTTE launching a massive attack on the base. The battalion held out what was termed the battle of all battles until it was relieved following Operation Balavegaya 18 days later.
On 3 May 2005 a contingent of troops from the regiment took part in the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti.
The Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment is the only regiment in the history of the Sri Lanka Army to produce an army commander holding the rank of a full general (four star) and later a Field Marshal as indicated in the notable members area.
As a rifle regiment it marches in 180 steps a minute during parade when it is involved, together with the regimental band - the only Sri Lanka Army regiment to do so.