The
Gemunu Watch (GW) ("King Dutugemunu's Own") was formed with troops from the
Ceylon Light InfantryThe Sri Lanka Light Infantry is the oldest regiment in the Sri Lanka Army and the oldest infantry regiment in the army. It is made up of ten regular battalions, five volunteer battalions. Headquartered at Panagoda Cantonment, Panagoda...
and the
Ceylon Sinha RegimentThe Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment 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 headquarter battalion...
in 1962. It has been deployed in many major operations against the LTTE. It is made up of 9 regular units and 4
volunteerA military reserve force is a military organization composed of citizens of a country who combine a military role or career with a civilian career. They are not normally kept under arms and their main role is be available to fight when a nation mobilizes for total war or to defend against invasion...
units. Headquartered at
Kuruwita Army CampKuruwitha Army Camp is a military base located in Kuruwita close to the town of Ratnapura in the Sabaragamuwa Province of Sri Lanka. It serves as the regimental headquarters of the Gemunu Watch of Sri Lanka Army....
,
RatnapuraRatnapura is the name of the provincial capital of Sabaragamuwa Province of Sri Lanka and the Ratnapura District in which the town is situated...
. It is named after one of the most famous Lankan Kings,
KingKing may be a title for a head of state.King may also refer to:-Places:* King, Ontario, Canada* King, Indiana, United States* King, North Carolina, United States* King, Lincoln County, Wisconsin, United States...
Dutugemunu.
The regiment was formed in December 7, 1962, in
DiyatalawaDiyatalawa is a garrison town in the central highlands of Sri Lanka, in the Badulla District of Uva Province. It is at an altitude of 1,499 m and has become a popular destination for local holiday makers...
at HMCyS Rangalla (former HMS Uva Camp) that had been used as a holiday station by the
Royal NavyThe Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of HM Armed Forces . From the beginning of the 18th century until well into the 20th century, it was the most powerful navy in the world, playing a key part in establishing the British Empire as the dominant world power from 1815 until the early...
prier to its transfer to the Royal Ceylon Navy.
The
Gemunu Watch (GW) ("King Dutugemunu's Own") was formed with troops from the
Ceylon Light InfantryThe Sri Lanka Light Infantry is the oldest regiment in the Sri Lanka Army and the oldest infantry regiment in the army. It is made up of ten regular battalions, five volunteer battalions. Headquartered at Panagoda Cantonment, Panagoda...
and the
Ceylon Sinha RegimentThe Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment 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 headquarter battalion...
in 1962. It has been deployed in many major operations against the LTTE. It is made up of 9 regular units and 4
volunteerA military reserve force is a military organization composed of citizens of a country who combine a military role or career with a civilian career. They are not normally kept under arms and their main role is be available to fight when a nation mobilizes for total war or to defend against invasion...
units. Headquartered at
Kuruwita Army CampKuruwitha Army Camp is a military base located in Kuruwita close to the town of Ratnapura in the Sabaragamuwa Province of Sri Lanka. It serves as the regimental headquarters of the Gemunu Watch of Sri Lanka Army....
,
RatnapuraRatnapura is the name of the provincial capital of Sabaragamuwa Province of Sri Lanka and the Ratnapura District in which the town is situated...
. It is named after one of the most famous Lankan Kings,
KingKing may be a title for a head of state.King may also refer to:-Places:* King, Ontario, Canada* King, Indiana, United States* King, North Carolina, United States* King, Lincoln County, Wisconsin, United States...
Dutugemunu.
History
The regiment was formed in December 7, 1962, in
DiyatalawaDiyatalawa is a garrison town in the central highlands of Sri Lanka, in the Badulla District of Uva Province. It is at an altitude of 1,499 m and has become a popular destination for local holiday makers...
at HMCyS Rangalla (former HMS Uva Camp) that had been used as a holiday station by the
Royal NavyThe Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of HM Armed Forces . From the beginning of the 18th century until well into the 20th century, it was the most powerful navy in the world, playing a key part in establishing the British Empire as the dominant world power from 1815 until the early...
prier to its transfer to the Royal Ceylon Navy. The regiment was formed as part of the reorganization of the army and rest of the armed services following the
attempted military coupAn attempted military coup of 1962 in Sri Lanka a failed one was planned by several Christian senior military and police officers which tried to topple the democratically elected government of Prime Minister Mrs.Sirimavo Bandaranaike...
early that year, Troops from the 1st battalions of the
CLIThe Sri Lanka Light Infantry is the oldest regiment in the Sri Lanka Army and the oldest infantry regiment in the army. It is made up of ten regular battalions, five volunteer battalions. Headquartered at Panagoda Cantonment, Panagoda...
and
CSRThe Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment 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 headquarter battalion...
formed the core of the new regiment with world war 2 veteran Lt. Col. (later Brigadier) J.F. Halangode as Commanding Officer. It was the third infantry regiment of the army.
Shortly 2
volunteerA military reserve force is a military organization composed of citizens of a country who combine a military role or career with a civilian career. They are not normally kept under arms and their main role is be available to fight when a nation mobilizes for total war or to defend against invasion...
units ever formed the 2nd (V) Gemunu Watch in
GalleGalle is a town situated on the southwestern tip of Sri Lanka, 119 km from Colombo...
and the 3rd(V) Gemunu Watch in
MataraMatara can refer to:* Matara, Eritrea* Matara, Sri Lanka* Matará, Cangallo Province, Peru...
. These were made up of troops form the
Ruhunu RegimentThe Ruhunu Regiment was a former Military reserve force of the Ceylon Army. The regiment was raised in 1954 in Galle with a detachment in Matara. It was disbanded in 1956 when S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike became prime minister as he considered the unit to be loyal to the opposition. Its personnel made up...
that was disband in 1956 and supplemented by officers of the CSR, who had established a new voluntee unit as the 1st Battalion Gemunu Regiment.
Soon after it was deployed in Mannar sector on TAFII (Task Force Anti-Illicit Immigration) duties in early 1963 and later in the Jaffna sector too.
During the 1971 JVP Insurrection the 1st Gemunu Watch was the first unit to be deployed to counter it in Wellawaya, while the volunteer units were deployed in counter-insurgency operations in Galle and Matara.
The regiment was awarded President's and Regimental Colours by H.E. President J.R. Jayawardena on August 15, 1980, in
GalleGalle is a town situated on the southwestern tip of Sri Lanka, 119 km from Colombo...
.
Gemunu Watch units played a pivotal role in the
Sri Lankan Civil WarThe Sri Lankan Civil War was a conflict fought on the island of Sri Lanka. Beginning on July 23, 1983, there was an on-and-off insurgency against the government by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam , a separatist militant organization which fought to create an independent Tamil state named Tamil...
. Notably during the
Vadamarachchi OperationThe Operation Liberation or Vadamarachchi Operation, the military offensive carried out by the Sri Lankan military during May to June 1987, to re-gain the territory of Vadamarachchi in Jaffna peninsula from the LTTE control...
in 1987 when the 1st Gemunu Watch was apart of the 1st Brigade group that lead the way during the operation. In July 1991, 5th and 6th Gemunu Watch were part of the two Brigades that carried out a amphibious landing during
Operation BalavegayaOperation Balavegaya was a combined military operation launched by the Sri Lankan Military in Jaffna. It was the largest amphibious assault launched by the Sri Lankan Military in its history. Operation Balavegaya was launched in response to siege of Elephant Pass by the LTTE terrorists...
to successfully break the
siege of Elephant PassThe First Battle of Elephant Pass was a battle fought in July 1991 for the control of the Sri Lankan military base of Elephant Pass, which was of strategic importance as it linked the northern mainland known as Wanni with the Jaffna Peninsula.-The Battle:...
by the LTTE terrorists. In July 1995 4th Gemunu Watch successfully defeated an LTTE attack on a Weli-oya settlement in the North-East of Sri Lanka, killing over 350 LTTE cadres.
In October 1995
Operation RiviresaOperation Riviresa was a combined military operation launched by the Sri Lankan Military in Jaffna. Starting on the 17 October 1995 the primary objective of the operation was the capture of the town of Jaffna and rest of the Jaffna peninsula from the LTTE...
was launched to liberate the Jaffna peninsular where the 7th Gemunu Watch played a major role in the recapture of Jaffna Fort, Chavakachcheri, Point Pedro and VVT. In all 1GW, 5GW, 6GW, 8GW and 9GW were involved in the Operation Riviresa. 6GW, 7GW and 9GW were involved in the Operation Sathjaya and GW, 4GW, 5GW, 8GW and 11 GW tool part in the
Operation JayasikuruiOperation Jayasikurui was a Sri Lankan military operation launched on May 13, 1997, and lasted until it was called off in 1999...
. Many Gemunu Watch units were involved in the operations in the East and Wanni regions during the last stages of the
Sri Lankan Civil WarThe Sri Lankan Civil War was a conflict fought on the island of Sri Lanka. Beginning on July 23, 1983, there was an on-and-off insurgency against the government by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam , a separatist militant organization which fought to create an independent Tamil state named Tamil...
in 2007 and 2008.
Regular army
- 1st/9th Gemunu Watch
- 4th/12th Gemunu Watch
- 5th/7th Gemunu Watch
- 6th/8th Gemunu Watch
- 11th Gemunu Watch
- HQ BN Gemunu Watch
Volunteers
- 2nd(v) Gemunu Watch
- 3rd(v) Gemunu Watch
- 10th(v) Gemunu Watch
- 14th(v) Gemunu Watch
- 15th(v) Gemunu Watch
Notable members
- General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank. The term or equivalent is used by nearly every country in the world. General can be used as a generic term for all grades of general officer, or it can specifically refer to a single rank that is simply called general.-All general officer...
T. I. Weerathunga, VSVThe Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya medal and bar are presented to Sri Lankan senior military officers of three services, given that their loyal service is of not less than 25 years and possess a perfectly flawless record of moral and military conduct, will be appropriate for the award...
, GW - Former Commander of the ArmyCommander of the Army is the title of the professional head of the Sri Lanka Army. The current Commander of the Army is Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya...
& High Commissioner to Canada
- General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank. The term or equivalent is used by nearly every country in the world. General can be used as a generic term for all grades of general officer, or it can specifically refer to a single rank that is simply called general.-All general officer...
G.H. De Silva, RWPThe Rana Wickrama Padakkama medal and bar are presented to Sri Lankan military officers and other ranks as a reward for individual or allied acts of heroism in facing the enemy and performed of their own accord.-How medal awarded:It is ordained that the decoration shall be granted to all ranks of...
, VSVThe Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya medal and bar are presented to Sri Lankan senior military officers of three services, given that their loyal service is of not less than 25 years and possess a perfectly flawless record of moral and military conduct, will be appropriate for the award...
,USPThe Uttama Seva Padakkama is presented to all ranks of the Regular Forces of the Sri Lankan military for valuable service and dedication to duty with the outstanding ability, merit and excellent conduct, given that they count not less than 15 years continuous and uninterrupted service and possess...
, GW - Former Commander of the ArmyCommander of the Army is the title of the professional head of the Sri Lanka Army. The current Commander of the Army is Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya...
& High Commissioner to Pakistan
- Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
Parami KulatungaLieutenant General Parami Sugandika Bandara Kulatunga RSP, VSV, USP, GW was Deputy Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army, its third highest ranking officer....
, RSPRSP can refer to:* Reality signal processor, a component of the Nintendo 64* Resource Specialist Program* Rail Settlement Plan, provider of revenue allocation and support services to Britain's Train Operating Companies...
,USPUSP may refer to:* Heckler & Koch USP pistol.* USP DI, an online medical database provided by EBSCO Publishing* NUS University Scholars Programme* Ultraspiracle protein, a part of the ecdysone receptor* Unique selling proposition...
, GW - Former Deputy Chief of Staff of the Army
- Major General
Major General or Major-General is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of Sergeant Major General. A Major General is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of Lieutenant General and senior to the ranks of Brigadier and Brigadier General...
Vijaya WimalaratneMajor General Vijaya Wimalaratne RWP, RSP, VSV, USP, psc, GR was a Sri Lankan army officer and one of the most distinguished generals in Sri Lanka.-Education:...
, RWPRWP can refer to:*Radicalization Watch Project, an independent weekly broadcast focusing on radical network activities worldwide*Rana Wickrama Padakkama, a military decoration Sri Lanka...
,RSPRSP can refer to:* Reality signal processor, a component of the Nintendo 64* Resource Specialist Program* Rail Settlement Plan, provider of revenue allocation and support services to Britain's Train Operating Companies...
,VSPVSP is a three letter acronym for:*VSP, very secret person*In eyecare VSP represents Vision Service Plan*Volume Server Product, a commercial offering from Sun Microsystems...
,USPUSP may refer to:* Heckler & Koch USP pistol.* USP DI, an online medical database provided by EBSCO Publishing* NUS University Scholars Programme* Ultraspiracle protein, a part of the ecdysone receptor* Unique selling proposition...
, GR- Was transferred to the Gajaba RegimentThe Gajaba Regiment was formed when 1st Battalion the Rajarata Rifles and 1st Battalion the Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment were amalgamated in 1983 to counter the threat from the LTTE. It is made up of six regular battalions and five volunteer battalions. Headquartered at Saliyapura Camp, Anuradhapura...
as its 1st commanding officer when it was formed.
- Major General
Major General or Major-General is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of Sergeant Major General. A Major General is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of Lieutenant General and senior to the ranks of Brigadier and Brigadier General...
Lalin T Fernando - former Commander Security Forces Headquarters - JaffnaSecurity Forces Headquarters - Jaffna is a regional command of the Sri Lanka Army, that is responsible for the operational deployment and command all army units stationed in and around the Jaffna Peninsula in the Northern Province, this includes several divisions and the independent brigades...
(SF HQ (J))
- Brigadier
Brigadier is a military rank, the meaning of which has a considerable variation.-Officer rank:In many countries, especially those formerly part of the former British Empire, a Brigadier is either the highest field rank or most junior General appointment, nominally commanding a brigade...
John F. Halangode, GW - first commanding officer & Commander Colombo Force
- Brigadier
Brigadier is a military rank, the meaning of which has a considerable variation.-Officer rank:In many countries, especially those formerly part of the former British Empire, a Brigadier is either the highest field rank or most junior General appointment, nominally commanding a brigade...
Hiran Halangode, RWPRWP can refer to:*Radicalization Watch Project, an independent weekly broadcast focusing on radical network activities worldwide*Rana Wickrama Padakkama, a military decoration Sri Lanka...
,RSPRSP can refer to:* Reality signal processor, a component of the Nintendo 64* Resource Specialist Program* Rail Settlement Plan, provider of revenue allocation and support services to Britain's Train Operating Companies...
, USPUSP may refer to:* Heckler & Koch USP pistol.* USP DI, an online medical database provided by EBSCO Publishing* NUS University Scholars Programme* Ultraspiracle protein, a part of the ecdysone receptor* Unique selling proposition...
, GW - Brigade Commander, 12th Brigade and Air Mobile Brigade
- Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
Srimal Mendis, RWP, GW - commanding officer, 1GW Gemunu Watch, KIA in Velvettiturai.
- Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
Sumith Perera RWPRWP can refer to:*Radicalization Watch Project, an independent weekly broadcast focusing on radical network activities worldwide*Rana Wickrama Padakkama, a military decoration Sri Lanka...
,RSPRSP can refer to:* Reality signal processor, a component of the Nintendo 64* Resource Specialist Program* Rail Settlement Plan, provider of revenue allocation and support services to Britain's Train Operating Companies...
,GW - Defended Kiran Army camp At the beginning of Eelam war II
- Major Ajith Uduge, RWP,GW(KIA)- commanding officer, 1GW Gemunu Watch, in Vadamarachchi Operation phase I, KIA in Atchuvely during Vadamarachchi Operation phase II.
- Major
In many European languages, the term Major is a military rank, implying seniority at one of usually various levels of rank. For example:*"General-Major" or "Major-General", denoting a senior ranking general officer....
W Wimaladasa - Asian games (TehranTehran is the capital and largest city of Iran, and the administrative center of Tehran Province. Tehran is a sprawling city at the foot of the Tochal mountain range with an immense network of highways unparalleled in Western Asia...
) 400 metres gold medalist.
Order of Precedence
External links and sources