 The
cheerful team player
Private Dayaratne:
Prelude:
During the latter part of August Private P. K. Dayaratne and a
five-man team went on a reccee and ambush mission in the Nagarkovil, FDL,
to gather intelligence on terrorist activities. Pte. Dayaratne was on
the RPG.
They got caught up in an LTTE ambush, and two were injured but were
able to fight back thanks to the zeal of soldiers like Pte. Dayaratne.
Against recommendations he charged, launching his first RPG, in a
successful attempt to confuse the LTTE cadres, thereby creating a window
of opportunity for his team to withdraw.
Due to his experience he was repeatedly chosen to take part in
various operations. Hailing from Anuradhapura, he was born in April 14,
1974. He attended Dhathusena Maha Vidyalaya.
Pte. Dayaratne joined the Army Volunteer Force as a recruit in 1992
and received his training at the Gemunu Regiment Training Centre,
Diyatalawa. Later he became a member of the Third Volunteer Battalion
Gemunu Watch. In January 2, 1996 he was enlisted in the First Battalion
Gemunu Watch.
After a two month reccee mission in the Nagarkovil FDL, in order to
collect intelligence information. Plans were drawn and the orders given
to attack the FDL on September 29.
Date: September 29, 2007
Time: 0530 hours
Location: FDL, Nagarkovil
|
Private P. K. Dayaratne |
The soldiers cleaned their guns and got ready to set off on a major
mission - a platoon attack on the Frontlines of the LTTE. The distance
from the FDL and the frontlines of the enemy was 600 metres. A platoon
of 27 men in total - grouped into three teams - departed from the FDL of
Nagarkovil at 1800 hours.
Pte. Dayaratne, Pte. A.R.D. Karunaratne and nine others made up the
assault team. Pte. A.R.D. Karunaratne joined the Army on August 2, 1999
as a recruit and was trained at the Diyatalawa Training Centre Gemunu
Regiment.
Two other teams - nine in each - acted as flanks from either side of
the assault team. Pte. Dayaratne, as usual was on the RPG. During
briefings, he often gave early orders to his juniors - as to what
targets he would take, what targets the others were to take and in which
direction the firing should be done - according to the information
gathered by the reccee missions, testifying to his seniority of
experience.
“The particular area of Nagarkovil was made up of several bays. The
terrain was sandy and dotted with dwarf trees, providing little cover
for our platoon,” said Pte. A.R.D. Karunaratne. At 40 metres from the
frontlines, the platoon commenced their assault. As they broke through
the first line of defence the platoon also underwent heavy attack by the
LTTE. Some Army personnel were injured by anti-personnel mines and
traps, but pressed on.
Pte. Dayaratne fired his first RPG, at a bunker 72 metres ahead. It
was a direct hit and the whole bunker was engulfed in flames, as all
LTTE cadres inside were killed. By now the platoon had moved to only 20
metres away from the frontlines of the LTTE. Pte. Dayaratne was
preparing to take a second target with his RPG when he was shot in the
head with a T 56.
|
A demolidshed LTTE bunker in Nagarkovil |
In spite of a gunshot to the head, he kept asking his fellow soldiers
to leave him behind if it meant saving the rest of the team. But they
didn’t, unfortunately to no avail. Pte. P.K. Dayaratne died while they
were withdrawing.
Pte. P.K. Dayaratne was awarded a number of medals before this
particular act of courage, such as the Purna Bhumi, North and East
Operations Medal, Riviresa, 50th Anniversary Medal of the Army and the
Deshaputhra, awarded to soldiers injured in the line of duty and was
posthumously promoted to the position of Lance Corporal. He was a father
of two. His wife was pregnant with his second child when he laid down
his life.
“Private Dayaratne had a remarkable personality which easily won over
his superiors and batch mates. When on duty there was nothing that could
take his concentration off his aim, while on the other hand he was a man
who liked to lead his life in a cheerful manner,” said Pte. A.R.D.
Karunaratne remembering Pte. Dayaratne. He was always referred to as a
good team player by all who knew him.
This week’s Heroes Forever is dedicated to Private P.K. Dayaratne for
his act of heroism throughout his career in Sri Lanka Army and
ultimately sacrificing his life in the line of duty for the good of our
country.
Certain names have been changed to withhold identity. |
