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by Zoltan Horvath, 12 October 2024See also:
This army flag of Sri Lanka has been in use since 1972. Older versions are
shown below.
Janith Leanage, 11 October 2002
"The dark blue signifies dignity, positive ideals and royalty while the dark
orange yellowish colour symbolizes righteousness, self-restraint, prosperity,
ancient heritage and discipline. In the centre of the orange patch lies a scroll
which has inscribed the words 'Sri Lanka Army' in Sinhala characters, the pommel
ornamentation of the Lion's Head at the termination of the Guard with the
'Serapendiya' or mythical animals standing at the base of the quillon on
superimposed and crossed 'Kastanas' or glittering Ornamental Swords, embedded
with golden hilts, inlaid with diamonds and rubies, on which 'Dhammachakka' or
the Wheel of the Doctrine with the Heraldic Lion of Sri Lanka within six
'Palapethi Vataya' or the Lotus petal borders has been placed, ear of corn
signifying prosperity, discipline, righteousness, self-sufficiency and eternity
while the Sun in splendour and the Moon on the right and left respectively. The
Army Flag carries armorial ensigns of the Republic of Sri Lanka, embodied with
'Punkalasa' or the filled ornamental vessel with the heraldic Lion of Sri Lanka
within the 'Palapethi Vataya' or the Lotus petal border."
Source:
https://www.army.lk/amry-flag-and-crest
Images of the flag:
https://www.colombotimes.net
https://www.adaderana.lk/news.php?nid=82918
Zoltan Horvath, 12 October 2024
image by
Eugene Ipavec, 2 February 2009
based on an image at http://www.semana.com/home.aspx
A black flag with two vertical green stripes, and a golden emblem. The yellow
number 1 on the top right corner of the flag means it is the 1st Battalion's
flag.
Esteban Rivera, 1 February 2009
image by
Eugene Ipavec, 2 February 2009
On the Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence official website there's a link entitled
"LTTE underwater vehicles found - Mullaittivu" (http://www.defence.lk/picturegallery/picc.asp?tfile=Boats&cat=ACHI),
where several pictures are published of Sri Lankan Military personnel capturing
terrorist LTTE hardware (mainly semi submersibles). On some of these pictures
(7h and 8th row from top to bottom) one can see the flag of the 4th Sri Lanka
Light Infantry (see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Lanka_Light_Infantry).
Esteban Rivera,
2 February 2009
Blue flag with a white hunting horn tied with a blue-red knotted cord to
the feathers of the Prince of Wales in the crest - apparently some colonial-era
symbols remain in use.
Eugene Ipavec, 2 February 2009
Former British colonial units generally preserve as much continuity as they can
with their forebears. What is not acceptable is the continuation of British
royal insignia when a country becomes a republic and no longer recognises the
British Sovereign as their head of state. So the three ostrich feathers known as
"The Plume of the Prince Wales" were no longer acceptable in the Sri Lanka Light
Infantry insignia when the country became a republic in 1972. The plume of the
Prince of Wales was replaced with three sheaves of paddy configured to look
almost exactly like the previous plume. The horn symbolising light infantry has
nothing to do with royalty and thus was preserved.
T.F. Mills, 3
February 2009
The 57th Infantry Division flag is seen here:
http://www.defence.lk/img/20090105_01WarHeroes.jpg (top right flag).
Esteban Rivera, 25 October 2009
image by
Eugene Ipavec, 2 February 2009
There's a link on the Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence (http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20090204_08)
entitled "58 Div overruns largest LTTE suicide bomber training facility-
Mullaittivu". There's a picture there that might be the flag of the 58 Division
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/58_Division_(Sri_Lanka)).
More images of this can be seen here as well:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/7867798.stm
Esteban Rivera,
4 February 2009
Clearly modeled on the Sri Lankan national flag. Yellow
border, then a thinner red border containing a white box, the fly 2/3 or so
of it occupied by a second,
red box. The free hoist part of the white box contains an uncertain number of
blue objects; arrows? clubs? shooting stars? while there is evidently an
emblem in the red box, and a line of white text below it, both not clearly
visible (not that I could reproduce the latter in any case.)
Eugene Ipavec,
5 February 2009
image
located by Esteban
Rivera, 24 April 2010
On April 20, on the official website of the Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence,
the "Sri Lanka Artillery Marks its 122nd Regimental Anniversary with Commander
as Chief Guest" (http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20100420_07).
One can see the flag here:
http://www.defence.lk/img/20100420_A04.jpg and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:SLA_Artillery_RM70_rocket_launcher.JPG
(vertical variant).
The flag is a horizontal red over blue flag, with the
insignia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:SLA-1.png)
of the Sri Lanka Artillery.
The Sri Lanka Artillery is made up of 7
regular regiments and 2 volunteer (reserve) regiments. Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Lanka_Artillery#Units.
Esteban
Rivera, 24 April 2010
image
located by Esteban Rivera, 17 May 2009
On May 17th, I spotted in the Sri Lankan Army website a military unit flag, most
likely the 20 Gajaba Regiment of the Sri Lankan Army. I came to this conclusion
after watching footage, captioned as follows:
"Army recovered a haul of LTTE
weapons including artillery, mortar, ZPU-4 (paddle gun), ammunition, explosives
and vehicles from Puthukudirippu area during the first week of April. Troops
also captured a T-55 main battle tank from the LTTE"
In the video one can see
that on the captured military weapons, the initials 20 GR is seen in white. For
more on the Gajaba Regiment please refer to
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gajaba_Regiment.
Source:
http://www.army.lk/vgallery.php?galid=18 (official Sri Lankan Army video),
footage taken during the first week of April, 2009, probably on April 5/6, by
troops of the 58 Division according to several sources (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T-55,
http://www.island.lk/2009/04/12/defence1.html,
http://www.army.lk/image_gallery/original/20090407_g_15.jpg (Sri Lankan Army
official website) Picture taken on April 7, 2009, according to file name.)
Esteban Rivera, 17 May 2009
The flag is red, with a white disc containing an emblem, maybe the badge at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:GR.png, plus a curved inscription below it
and the usual dikul leaves in the corners, all gold.
Eugene Ipavec,
19 May 2009
Several Gajaba Regiment flags are displayed during a ceremony held today
reported on the official Sri Lankan Army and Secretary of Defence websites:
http://www.army.lk/detailed.php?NewsId=650
http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20090605_10
Esteban Rivera, 7
June 2009
image by
Eugene Ipavec, 23 July 2009
There's an article on the Sri Lankan Army showing the flag of this military
unit, the 22nd Battalion of the Gajaba Regiment Unit flag. Article:
http://www.army.lk/detailed.php?NewsId=968
For further information
please refer to:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gajaba_Regiment
Esteban Rivera, 23
July 2009
image by
Eugene Ipavec, 19 May 2009
I found yesterday, May 17, a link on the BBC website showing the victorious Sri
Lankan troops inside the last LTTE stronghold. There they show a picture of
several military flags:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8054826.stm. The flags seem to be from
left to right: - Any Unit (Battalion) of the Regular of Volunteers Sri Lanka
Light Infantry Regiment (
lk^army.html#4slli ),
Sri Lanka flag, Sri Lanka Armoured Corps flag. For more info on the Sri
Lanka Armoured Corps please see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Lanka_Armoured_Corps.
Esteban Rivera,
17 May 2009
Tricolor of black (?), white, red, with emblem from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:SLAC-1-.png centered.
Eugene Ipavec,
19 May 2009
image by
Eugene Ipavec, 23 July 2009
The Sri Lankan Army official website shows the flag (more likely a banner) of
Seva Vanitha Army Branch (SVAB), which is a welfare and relief organization
inside the Sri Lankan Army for its military personnel. Here's the link:
http://www.army.lk/detailed.php?NewsId=967
Esteban Rivera, 23
July 2009
I believe the flag shown at
http://www.army.lk/image_gallery/normal/mir_comd_4.jpg is the one of the
Mechanized Infantry Regiment of the Sri Lankan Army. It is shown on the webpage
at
http://www.army.lk/detailed.php?NewsId=1152. Notice on the image the Army
flag and the
Mechanized Infantry
Regiment on the right. Now, judging from that picture, I believe the Army
flag is more yellow than the orange one can see in the Army flag in the
middle stripe.
For more information on the Mechanized Infantry Regiment
of the Sri Lankan Army, please look at:
http://www.army.lk/detailed.php?NewsId=1152 (Official Sri Lankan Army article),
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mechanized_Infantry_Regiment (Wikipedia)
and http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20080128_10 (Official Sri Lankan
Ministry
of Defence article).
For the correct Order of Precedence of Sri Lankan
Units, please refer to:
http://www.army.lk/estab.php (Official Sri Lankan
Army website)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Lanka_Army_Order_of_Precedence
(Wikipedia)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Lankan_Army#Regiments_.26_Corps
(Wikipedia)
Esteban Rivera, 31 August 2009
On March 15, Commando "saluted their fallen comrades in a befitting style
Monday (15) evening at its Ganemulla Regimental Headquarters. The day’s
elaborate arrangements that also marked the Regiment's 30th Anniversary took
place in two phases; (1) opening of CR War Hero Memorial and (2) Award of
felicitation certificates to disable CR War Heroes (Ranaviru Upahara) and family
members of fallen War Heroes. The occasion was graced by none other than Mr
Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Secretary Defence and Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya,
Commander of the Army and a host of other guests. Lieutenant General Jagath
Jayasuriya and Mrs Manjulika Jayasuriya greeted Mr Rajapaksa and Mrs Ioma
Rajapaksa on arrival at the entrance to the Regimental Headquarters in the
company of senior Army officers."
Source:
http://www.army.lk/detailed.php?NewsId=1962 (official Army website)
In the article, published the next day (March 16) one can see the flag of this
Military Unit in the following pictures:
http://www.army.lk/html/images/image/Photo%20story/CR_4.jpg
http://www.army.lk/html/images/image/Photo%20story/CR_1.jpg
http://www.defence.lk/img/20090603_B04.jpg
The flag is a plain
horizontal maroon flag with the insignia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:SLCR.png)
on the middle.
"The Sri Lanka Army Commando Regiment (CR) is an elite
special operations unit which is a Regiment of the Sri Lanka army. Within one of
the four Army Commando Regiments there is a 140-man counter-terrorist unit that
provides the primary Counter-Terrorism response for Sri Lanka. This unit was
created in 1980 and is based in Ganemulla, a suburb of Colombo".
Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Lanka_Army_Commando_Regiment
Esteban
Rivera, 20 March 2010
Yesterday in a declared National Holiday by the President of Sri Lanka,
Mahinda Rajapaksa (also known as Percy Mahendra Rajapaksa), a Military Victory
Parade was held in the towns of Velllamullivaikkal, Puthumatalan and
Nanthikandal Lagoon, the last LTTE held territory:
"Mullaittivu: Fluttering
Division, Brigade and Unit flags of the Sri Lanka Army in Velllamullivaikkal,
Puthumatalan showered their cool breeze on the entire Nanthikandal Lagoon and
the Mother Sri Lanka alike when thousands of Army troops who toiled day and
night for liberation of this tiny Nation in the past few months formally ceased
their fire Wednesday (20) afternoon at 14.30 hrs during a military ceremony,
headed by Major General Jagath Jayasuriya, Commander Security Forces Wanni,
General Officers Commanding, Brigade Commanders, Senior Officers and all ground
commanders.
Today’s military event, designed for official declaration of
Silencing of Military Guns is unprecedented in the history of Sri Lanka, giving
a humiliating blow to the world’s traditional myth that “Terrorism cannot be
militarily defeated” as taught in military academia worldwide.
A two-minute
silence was observed by all as a mark of respect to their fallen War Heroes
before commencement of the day’s proceedings and it turned out to be an
emotional moment of burst to some of those soldiers who lost their
fellow-troopers in action. The brief ceremony came to a close after all soldiers
together with their superiors posed for a group photo, one that would bring
immortal memories for generations.
On the direct supervision of the
Commander of the Army General Sarath Fonseka, Major General Jagath Jayasuriya,
Commander Security Forcers Wanni, 53 Division Commander Major General Kamal
Gunarathna, 55 Division Commander Brigadier Prasanna Silva, 56 Division
Commander Major General H.C.P. Gunathilake, 57 Division Commanders Major General
Jagath Dias and Major General S. Sooriya Bandara, 58 Division Commander
Brigadier Shavendra Silva, 59 Division Commanders Major General Nandana Udawatta
and Brigadier C.P. Gallage, Task Force - 2 Commander Brigadier P.M.R. Bandara,
Task Force - 3 Commander Brigadier S.D.T. Liyanage, Task Force - 4 Commander
Colonel N.D. Wanniarachchi, Task Force - 5 Commander Colonel G.J.A.W. Galagamage,
Task Force - 6 Commander Colonel K.A.C.H. Kodithuwakku, Task Force - 7 Commander
Colonel A.W.M.P.R. Senevirathna, Task Force - 8 Commander Colonel G.V. Ravipriya,
Area Headquarters Commander (Mannar) Colonel T.J. Nanayakkara, Area Headquarters
Commander (Welioya) Colonel D.A.R Ranawaka and a host of Brigade Commanders,
Unit Commanders and thousands of War Heroes in above Regiments actively
contributed to the successful completion of the terrorist menace once for all."
Source:
http://www.army.lk/detailed.php?NewsId=511
NOTICE: The units
mentioned above are likely to be the ones represented by their waving flags in
these pictures (Official Sri Lanka Army website):
http://www.army.lk/image_gallery/original/20lastfire3.jpg
http://www.army.lk/image_gallery/original/20lastfire16.jpg
http://www.army.lk/image_gallery/original/20lastfire9.jpg
http://www.army.lk/image_gallery/original/20lastfire13.jpg
http://www.army.lk/image_gallery/normal/20lastfire15.jpg
Esteban
Rivera, 21 May 2009
by Miles Li
The flag of the (then) Ceylon Army Commander. HMSO 1958
gave the size as 9 inches to 12 inches (i.e. proportions 3:4).
Miles Li, 26 July 2004
image located by
Glen Hodgins, 24 April 2013
Here is an article (with an appropriate image) of the Presidential Colour recently awarded to the Sri Lanka Army Artillery Regiment: http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=SLA_Artillery_Regiment_Honoured_with_President_Colours_20130423_03
"In parallel to its 125th anniversary celebrations, the Sri Lanka Artillery
Regiment was honoured with the President's and Regimental Colours by
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, His Excellency the President Mahinda
Rajapaksa today (23rd April) at at a special ceremony held at the Regimental
Headquarters premises in Panagoda."
Glen Hodgins, 24 April 2013
by Janith Leanage
by Janith Leanage
