General Shavendra Silva, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and Commander of the Army, expressing the solidarity of Sri Lankan Armed Forces with the High Commissions of Australia and New Zealand, graced the Dawn Service at the joint invitation of HE David Holly, High Commissioner for Australia and HE Michael Appleton, High Commissioner for New Zealand.
General Shavendra Silva, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and Commander of the Army on behalf of all Tri Services was afterwards invited by Australian and New Zealand High Commissioners to lay a floral wreath at the flag mast. He paid the highest respect to the memory ANZACs representing Sri Lankan Armed Forces.
The Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) Day is commemorated every year on 25th April since the year 1916 after many Australian soldiers of the Allied Forces (ANZAC) laid their lives during the war with Turkey before Allied Forces were evacuated from Gallipoli in Turkey towards the end of the year 1915, having left a memorable and powerful legacy.
The distinguished gathering during this ‘Dawn Service’ holding candles in honour of the unfailing 107th year remembrance paid their solemn tribute to the immortal memory of the fallen in the war and other conflicts, symbolizing the highest regard, respect and appreciation all three Nations, attach to the sacrifices of those gallant soldiers during the memorial service.
HE David Holly, High Commissioner for Australia, the host of the day’s commemoration in a brief talk to the occasion recalled memories of those fallen ANZAC War Heroes and the significance of the event for all nations, including Sri Lanka until Allied Forces were evacuated towards the end of the year 1915. His speech also mentioned about a contingent of then ‘Ceylonese’ soldiers stood shoulder to shoulder with the Allied Forces in Gallipoli.
HE Michael Appleton, High Commissioner for New Zealand and HE Rakibe Demet Sekercioglu, Ambassador for Turkey in Sri Lanka also delivered brief addresses to the commemorative occasion.
General Shavendra Silva also shared a few views with High Commissioners, Ambassadors, diplomats and invitees to the occasion.
According to the publication, ‘100 Years since Gallipoli,’ a group of the then Ceylon Planters' Rifle Corps, a Volunteer Regiment from Kandy made up of tea and rubber planters sailed to Egypt in the autumn of 1914 during World War I, and afterwards in April 1915, another contingent of the Ceylon Planters' Rifle Corps had reportedly joined the 1st ANZAC in Turkey and stayed near Ari Burnu Beach Head which was afterwards renamed as ANZAC Cove.
SL Army
