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| Sunday, 4 July 2004 |
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A highly decorated and gallant soldier as new Army Commander by Maj. Gen. H.V. Athukorale Lieut. General S.H.S. Kottegoda WWV, RWP, RSP, VSP, ndc assumed duties as the Commander of the Army on 1st July, 2004. He is the 17th Commander since the Army was formed on 10th October 1949. His name is studded with an array of very important Post Nominals for Decorations, Medals and other military qualifications earned over a period of 34 years of unblemished and distinguished service. The appointments he has held over this period is too numerous to mention. The media has given sufficient publicity and hence I do not propose a repetition. He joined the Sri Lanka Army in February, 1970 at a time when I was the Commanding Officer of the 1st Bn CLI. Besides others who applied to join the Sri Lanka Army he came before a Board of Officers presided over by me to face a series of tests designed to judge the Officer like qualities they possessed. I remember very clearly to this day that he was classified above average in all the tests that he faced. After his initial training he was commissioned in the Ceylon Light Infantry and posted to the 1st Bn in June, 1971 when I was still in command of the 1st Bn. His talents and capabilities were spotted very early in his career when he was appointed Intelligence Officer of the Battalion. From then onwards he has performed duties in a series of varied and important appointments culminating in his appointment as the Chief of Staff of the Army. General Kottegoda's operational skills and track record places him as one of the best Infantrymen in the Army who had either led or participated in most of the operations launched against the Tiger guerillas. One of his main achievements was regaining control of the Pooneryn Area after it fell to the LTTE in 1993. As the Brigade Comd. he displayed admirable qualities of leadership. One of his Battalion Commanders Lieut. Col. T.T.R. de Silva (now Maj. Gen.) was promoted to the rank of Colonel in the field for the heroic role he displayed in regaining control of Pooneryn. The Weera Wickrema Vibhushanaya. Among the Post Nominals appearing after General Kottegoda's name is the WWV which is conferred for individual acts of gallantry and conspicuous bravery of a Military nature of a high order in the face of the enemy performed voluntarily whilst on active service without regard for his own security with the objective of safeguarding thereby the lives of his Comrades or facilitating the operational aim of his force. The act of gallantry shall be witnessed by no less than three persons. The Weera Wickrama Vibhushanaya is the equivalent of the Military Cross in the UK and is next in precedence to the Parama Weera Vibushanaya and its equivalent the Victorian Cross in UK. On a personal note Maj. Gen. Kottegoda's promotion to Lieut. General and his appointment as Comd. of the Army is a matter of immense happiness and joy to all those past and present Members of Sri Lanka Light Infantry for more than one reason. |
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