Ceylon Artillery
| Sri Lanka Artillery | |
|---|---|
| Active | 12 April 1888 - Present |
| Country | Sri Lanka |
| Branch | Sri Lanka Army |
| Type | Artillery |
| Role | Artillery, Target Acquisition, Ceremonial |
| Size | 12 regular regiments, 2 volunteer regiments |
| Part of | Artillery Brigade |
| Regimental Headquarters | Panagoda Cantonment, Panagoda. |
| Nickname(s) | SLA |
| March | The British Grenadiers |
| Anniversaries | 12 April |
| Engagements |
World War I World War II 1971 Insurrection Insurrection 1987-89 Sri Lankan Civil War |
| Commanders | |
| Centre Commandant | Col A S Hewawitharana IG |
| Colonel-Commandant | Maj Gen J.C.Rambukpotha RSP USP ndc IG |
| Notable commanders |
Colonel F. C. de Saram OBE |
The Sri Lanka Artillery (SLA) is the artillery arm of the Sri Lanka Army. It is made up of 12 regular regiments and 2 volunteer (reserve) regiments. The SLA is headquartered at Panagoda Cantonment, Panagoda.
The roots of the Sri Lanka Artillery goes back to 1888, when on 12 April 1888 the Ceylon Artillery Volunteers was formed as a gun battery under the command of Capt. C.E.H Symons of the Royal Artillery. During World War I the Ceylon Artillery Volunteers were mobilised, along with the Town Guard Artillery of Colombo, for the defence of Colombo. In 1918 the Ceylon Garrison Artillery was formed by amalgamating the Ceylon Artillery Volunteers and the Town Guard Artillery, coming under the Ceylon Defence Force. During the colonial period the main responsibility of the Ceylon Garrison Artillery was the coastal defence of Ceylon, by manning Coastal artillery batteries.
During World War II, as well as defending Ceylon the CGA was deployed overseas to support the Allied and Commonwealth forces in the Indian Ocean. Equipped with 6 inch Guns, the CGA was deployed in defence of the Seychelles and the Cocos Islands. Within Ceylon the CGA expanded in size, with the 1st Coast Regiment raising one field and four coast batteries and the formation of the 2nd Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, headquartered in Trincomalee, and the 3rd Searchlight/Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment based in Colombo. These formations defended Colombo and Trincomalee during the air attacks occurred as part of the Indian Ocean raid by the Imperial Japanese Navy.
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Wikipedia