Sri Lanka Army General Service Corps
Encyclopedia
The Sri Lanka Army General Service Corps (SLAGSC) a corps of the Sri Lanka Army. The corps carries out much of the administrative work of the army. The role of the Corps is to provide logistic backing to Regular and Volunteer units by performing pay duties, legal services, running of agriculture projects and farms etc. Therefore it is made up of legal officers
, accountants, data processing officers
and other ranks specialized in these fields. It is made up of a regular unit and a volunteer (reserve
) unit and is headquartered at its Regiment Center at the Panagoda Cantonment
, Panagoda.
, ED
as first Commanding Officer. The unit was then administered by the headquarters company of the Army HQ
. The Pay and Records Wing which was established on 14 October 1949 and the Education Branch were amalgamated in 1954. The Army Education Branch was instrumental in translating army forms, preparation of a comprehensive Sinhala vocabulary and teaching Sinhala to those who were yet conversant in the language.
The Army Band
was formed on 22 June 1950 with Lt (Quarter Master) George Perry, a seconded officer form the British Army
and 28 local bandsmen. In 1955 the then Acting Commander of the Army
Col. H.W.G Wijekoon, OBE, ED
, CLI (later Major General) initiated the forming of the Hewisi Band along with Lt C.T Caldera, CLI
and Mr Lional Edirisinghe who was one of Sri Lanka’s foremost musicians. S/Sgt Wickramasinghe D. was the first Bandmaster. The cultural troupe of the National Service Regiment
(NSR) under Capt. Clarence Delwela was absorbed into the SLAGSC when the NSR was disbanded in 1977. Today, the regiment has three bands which take part in all military ceremonials in the country and a cultural troupe.
In 1956 a small farm was established at Panagoda
which was the beginning of the farm projects in the Army. Maj. R Wijesinghe (later Colonel) was the pioneer agriculturist and the main figure behind the successful farm projects in the Army. Since then the army farms are also a part of the corps responsibility and they provide most of their produce to the Service Corps
.
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, accountants, data processing officers
Data processing
Computer data processing is any process that a computer program does to enter data and summarise, analyse or otherwise convert data into usable information. The process may be automated and run on a computer. It involves recording, analysing, sorting, summarising, calculating, disseminating and...
and other ranks specialized in these fields. It is made up of a regular unit and a volunteer (reserve
Military reserve
A military reserve, tactical reserve, or strategic reserve is a group of military personnel or units which are initially not committed to a battle by their commander so that they are available to address unforeseen situations or exploit suddenly developing...
) unit and is headquartered at its Regiment Center at the Panagoda Cantonment
Panagoda Cantonment
Panagoda Cantonment is a cantonment located in the western Western Province of Sri Lanka. It serves as the regimental headquarters of many regiments of the Sri Lanka Army and is an arsenal. The 11 Division of the Sri Lanka Army is based at the Panagoda cantonment...
, Panagoda.
Directorates and Branches
- Directorate of Pay & Records.
- Education Branch.
- Legal Branch.
- IT Branch.
- Army BandMilitary bandA military band originally was a group of personnel that performs musical duties for military functions, usually for the armed forces. A typical military band consists mostly of wind and percussion instruments. The conductor of a band commonly bears the title of Bandmaster or Director of Music...
and cultural troupe. - Finance/Accounting Branch.
History
The Ceylon Army General Service Corps was raised on 14 December 1951 with Lt. Col B.J Wijemanne, MBEMBE
MBE can stand for:* Mail Boxes Etc.* Management by exception* Master of Bioethics* Master of Bioscience Enterprise* Master of Business Engineering* Master of Business Economics* Mean Biased Error...
, ED
Efficiency Decoration
The Efficiency Decoration is a defunct medal of Britain and the Commonwealth awarded for long service in the Territorial Army of the UK, the Indian Volunteer Forces and Colonial Auxiliary Forces....
as first Commanding Officer. The unit was then administered by the headquarters company of the Army HQ
Army Headquarters (Sri Lanka)
Army Headquarters refers to the military headquarters complex of the Sri Lanka Army. Situated next to Galle Face Green and long the Lower Lake Road, this complex also includes the Ministry of Defence. Apart from operational and administrative offices, it contains the regimental centers of several...
. The Pay and Records Wing which was established on 14 October 1949 and the Education Branch were amalgamated in 1954. The Army Education Branch was instrumental in translating army forms, preparation of a comprehensive Sinhala vocabulary and teaching Sinhala to those who were yet conversant in the language.
The Army Band
Military band
A military band originally was a group of personnel that performs musical duties for military functions, usually for the armed forces. A typical military band consists mostly of wind and percussion instruments. The conductor of a band commonly bears the title of Bandmaster or Director of Music...
was formed on 22 June 1950 with Lt (Quarter Master) George Perry, a seconded officer form the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
and 28 local bandsmen. In 1955 the then Acting Commander of the Army
Commander of the Army (Sri Lanka)
Commander 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...
Col. H.W.G Wijekoon, OBE, ED
Efficiency Decoration
The Efficiency Decoration is a defunct medal of Britain and the Commonwealth awarded for long service in the Territorial Army of the UK, the Indian Volunteer Forces and Colonial Auxiliary Forces....
, CLI (later Major General) initiated the forming of the Hewisi Band along with Lt C.T Caldera, CLI
Sri Lanka Light Infantry
The 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 Mr Lional Edirisinghe who was one of Sri Lanka’s foremost musicians. S/Sgt Wickramasinghe D. was the first Bandmaster. The cultural troupe of the National Service Regiment
National Service Regiment
The National Service Regiment was a former general service regiment of the Ceylon Army. The regiment was raised in 1963 following the attempted military coup the year before, with officers and men loyal to the government from the 2nd Regiment of the Ceylon Signals Corps. The regiment saw action...
(NSR) under Capt. Clarence Delwela was absorbed into the SLAGSC when the NSR was disbanded in 1977. Today, the regiment has three bands which take part in all military ceremonials in the country and a cultural troupe.
In 1956 a small farm was established at Panagoda
Panagoda Cantonment
Panagoda Cantonment is a cantonment located in the western Western Province of Sri Lanka. It serves as the regimental headquarters of many regiments of the Sri Lanka Army and is an arsenal. The 11 Division of the Sri Lanka Army is based at the Panagoda cantonment...
which was the beginning of the farm projects in the Army. Maj. R Wijesinghe (later Colonel) was the pioneer agriculturist and the main figure behind the successful farm projects in the Army. Since then the army farms are also a part of the corps responsibility and they provide most of their produce to the Service Corps
Sri Lanka Army Service Corps
The Sri Lanka Army Service Corps is a Combat Support corps of the Sri Lanka Army. The role of the corps is to carry supplies to the soldier where he is, and run an efficient organization for the provision of transport, fuel, oil and lubricants which are the 'life blood of an army’...
.
Regular Army
- 1st Sri Lanka Army General Service Corps
- 3rd Sri Lanka Army General Service Corps
- 4th Sri Lanka Army General Service Corps
- SriLanka Army General Service Corps. School
Notable members
- Lt. Colonel Daya PereraDaya PereraLt. Colonel Daya Perera, PC is a Sri Lankan diplomat and lawyer, who was the former Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Canada and former Ambassador to the United Nations in New York.-Education:...
, PCPresident's Counsel (Sri Lanka)President's Counsel is a professional rank, as their status is conferred by the president, recognised by the courts and wear silk gowns of a special design...
- Sri Lankan High CommissionerHigh CommissionerHigh Commissioner is the title of various high-ranking, special executive positions held by a commission of appointment.The English term is also used to render various equivalent titles in other languages.-Bilateral diplomacy:...
to Canada and former AmbassadorAmbassadorAn ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
to the United Nations in New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...