Sri Lankan 4th ARMOURED REGIMENT - Foreign Military Studies ...

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Realizing the need to train crews, andhaving no directions from Colomboconcerning dangerous and sensitiveissues, decisions were made by thecommand team to conduct task-orientedtraining as realistically as possible.Firing on the move or fire andmovement drills were not done due toextreme danger and movementrestrictions. Basic troop battle drillswere conducted in an open groundadjacent to Monkey Bridge Camp, butsquadron movements were confined tosand model.While basic training wasprogressing, instructions were receivedto deploy tanks for operations by earlyDecember 1991. I disagreed on thegrounds that crews were not adequatelytrained and troop leaders lackedexperience to command tank troops incombat. These concerns were conveyedin a detailed and lengthy letter addressedto Regimental Headquarters, Colombo,with recommendations for advancetraining before undertaking operationalduties. My letter created unexpectedanger in the higher echelons of the Armyand the Ministry of Defense (MoD) andI was immediately summoned toColombo. The feeling in Colombo wasthat the Commanding Officer had notonly resisted deploying tanks but hadgone a step further and asked for moretraining prior to deployment. In themilitary it was tantamount toinsubordination.I was directed to report toGeneral Waidyaratne, the ArmyCommander. He was furious at the start,but gave a patient and concerned hearingwhen I explained the complexities ofindividual training, marrying up tankcrews, tank commander training, andprogressing to collective troop andsquadron training. None of which had26
een done at the time. I was directed tomeet the Secretary Defense, GeneralRanatunga, accompanied by RegimentalCommander Brigadier Paranagama. Iwas placed on the cross-hairs, criticizedand questioned at length for seekingmore training time and for writing acontroversial letter. I argued politely andcautiously but did not compromise theneed for more training prior todeployment.For the first time in my militarycareer I was confronting three of myformer 1st Recce RegimentCommanding Officers – General CyrilRanatunga, General Cycil Waidyaratne,and Brigadier Tilak Paranagama underwhose guidance I learnt the finer pointsof officering in the Armoured Corps.They were my mentors, but on thatfateful day I had to face the wrath ofthree Generals who grilled me to thecore. They would have been understrong Government pressure to deploytanks on operations as early as possible.After strong reasoning and muchpersuasion, a three month advancedtraining package was authorized. At onepoint under intense pressure Irespectfully offered to step down ascommanding officer unless myrecommendations were accepted. Thesesenior officers who were my one timementors would have realized that I wasstanding up for my convictions in theinterest of the regiment and the men Icommanded and was not mitigating forpersonal gain. They knew the higherpicture.After investing a colossal sum ofmoney to procure tanks, the Governmentwas simply not willing to commitadditionally money. I argued on thepoint that the entire investment would belost if untrained troops with unfamiliarequipment were launched into battle.27
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Page 3 and 4: tracked vehicles. A reluctance toin
Page 5 and 6: influence and became an independent
Page 7 and 8: Classic Sri Lankan hospitalityand b
Page 9 and 10: making the final decision. He arriv
Page 11 and 12: II. Field Marshall BernardMontgomme
Page 13 and 14: with buildings, jetties and sheds.
Page 15 and 16: “WE NEVER WAVERED BECAUSE, IN THE
Page 17 and 18: It was a challenge thrown at me and
Page 19 and 20: trailers to camp. They contained ta
Page 21 and 22: eportedly used in twenty-threecount
Page 23 and 24: The Commander of the Army Lieutenan
Page 25: conditioning was an area that drewr
Page 29 and 30: In late December 1991 after sixweek
Page 31 and 32: egiment they were adorned with aspe
Page 33: Brigadier C S N B Mudannayake RWP U

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