A patriot all the way

Nilma Dole

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Prelude - The P465 was the vessel protecting the passenger ship ‘Pride of South’ vessel that carried soldiers from KKS (Kankasanthure) to PPD (Point Pedro). However, P465 was surrounded by LTTE gunboats from all sides and was in dire need of help. P472 commanded by Lt. Com. T. P. Halaldeen was one of the FACs that joined the battle as reinforcements.

Time: 0300hrs
Date: 16th September 2001
Location: North of Mullaitivu

Commander T.P. Halaldeen was the OIC (Officer in Command) aboard the P472 who came to help the P465 when they called ‘May Day’. Commander Halaldeen who was then stationed at the KKS harbour, rushed to the scene.

At that moment, the battle was taking place near the shores off Mullaitivu was turning intense with the LTTE also calling for reinforcements to secure their end. Meanwhile FACs that came from the Trincomalee harbour were trying their best to keep things from falling apart.

Says Lt.Com Halaldeen “When P472 arrived, it was as if the P465 - protecting the ‘Pride of South’ - would have been overwhelmed by the LTTE boats but the rest of the FACs somehow had to take charge of the situation”.

Once the P472 closed in on the now disabled P465, the LTTE boats had difficulty in keeping the momentum of fire. They were on a mission to save P465. Together the Lt.Com. the team of reinforcements was very strong with Lt.Com. Hewavitarana on the other FAC also leading his men towards the vessel in need of help.

The LTTE were using maximum firepower and bringing in their reinforcements which amounted to nearly 20 boats. This compelled Commander Halaldeen to think of a different strategy.

“The OIC of P465, Lt.Com. G. D. S. Priyantha who was in need of assistance because the vessel had been hit from the left and most of his men were injured. He said that he implemented an ‘Extended Line’ formation which was the manoeuvre for defending their craft side as well as saving their men onboard the sinking FAC.

“The LTTE boats were in hot pursuit of P465 and we were right behind the LTTE boats so we formed a line behind the LTTE boat and opened fire. My craft was in the middle of the line. As we started firing, the LTTE boats started retreating,” said the Lt.Com. Halaldeen. P472 overtook the fleet of LTTE boats and went alongside P465, all the while firing at them.

However, when the Commander came close to the P465, he noticed that only the Lt. Com. Priyantha and one seaman who fell overboard and was drowning in the waters were the only men visible. They saved the seaman and then got the OIC onboard their vessel.

“It takes real patience and quick-thinking to devise a brilliant plan to neutralise the enemy. Also, mathematical calculations are required because the firepower needed

depends on the distance of the enemy,” he said. Fighting alongside the other reinforcements made them secure their victory at this battle.

Lt.Com. Halaldeen is a Sri Lankan Malay by birth who is a born patriot. His ancestors came from Java were entrusted with the task of liberating the country during the British era. He was born in Galle and attended Ananda College, Kottawa and Vidayakara College, Maharagama which used to be a mixed school before.

He is the youngest of a family of three brothers and two sisters. Lt.Com. Halaldeen says “I always had this desire to join the armed forces particularly the navy because I wanted to help my country and also because my cousin was also in the Navy”.

His first breath of navy insight was at the Kotelawela Defence Academy and he joined the navy thereafter for rigorous training after his Advanced Levels. “I joined the navy as a navy service cadet which took me through the drill for one year and then I underwent the soft training aspects”, he says.

At the final year of being commissioned to join navy, he studied 25 subjects and finally obtained the PSD (Defence Studies) in Electronics and Engineering with Telecommunications.

Commander Halaldeen has travelled all over the world to assist the navy in acquiring new battle ships because of his knowledge in specialised communications and telecommunications with a strong emphasis on electronics.

He is grateful to his gurus who taught him the ABCs of fighting - Commander Manoj Jayasuriya and Commanding Officer V. J. Berugoda. Commander Halaldeen’s advice is “You can’t be a navy OIC overnight and possessing skills and expertise is essential in order to be a good Commander”.

Lt.Com. Halaldeen was promoted to the rank of Commander. He has been awarded the WWV (Weera Wickrama Vibushana) and two RSP medals. He says that he is willing to fight for his country with his heart and soul to help secure the nation’s victory in the waters. Commander Halaldeen says that the navy is better equipped to protect Sri Lanka.