Father of Gemunu Watch - Brigadier J F  Halangoda

Regimental Song The  Gemunu Watch

History Of 2 ND BN The Gemunu Watch

2 [V] GW originated in Galle. The Unit is located within the historic and picturesque Galle Fort. For centuries throughout the recorded history of Sri Lanka, Galle has figured prominently. With the arrival of the Portuguese in 1505, followed by the Dutch and British, the influence of these foreign powers manifested itself quite significantly on Sri Lankan society. Each of these maritime powers occupied the Country for approximately a century and a half, in time.

The military of the Portuguese and Dutch were structured to cater to their strategic interests. The Galle Fort is an imposing monument that dominates this southern capital City. The Fort was initially built by the Portuguese and converted by the Dutch into a magnificent and secure enclave of maritime administration.

In 1883, history records that a Volunteer Force detachment of the British Royal Infantry Company was deployed in Galle. Ten years later in 1893, a similar Infantry Detachment was raised in Matara. These Detachments had seen action in World War 1 & II as part of the Royal Infantry Regiment. The 13th. Company of the Lanka Infantry Regiment had been deployed in Galle under the command of Capt. P.E.D. de Silva. Subsequently under the command of Lieut. Colonel. McCleod, the 15th. Company was established in Galle. These Detachments from Galle and Matara later combined to form “B” Company of the 2nd. Ceylon Light Infantry Regiment.

In 1950, Lieut Colonel. C. A. Dharmapala was appointed the Commanding Officer of the Ruhuna Regiment which was deployed in Galle and Matara. In 1956, the Ruhuna Regiment was disbanded because the Unit did not find favour politically with the incumbent Government. The Officers  were de –commissioned and the Other Ranks were absorbed into “B” Company of  the 2nd. Ceylon Light Infantry Regiment. During the communal riots of 1958 that affected the entire Country these soldiers were deployed under command of Officers of other Units in Colombo as and when required. Subsequently they were moved to Kandy under command of 2 [V] SR for duties in the Plantation Sector

In 1959, troops of the disbanded Ruhunu Reagiment were absorbed into “C” Company of 2 [V] SR. On 23rd. November 1959, “C” Company of 2[V] SR was re-named as the Volunteer Gemunu Regiment and deployed in Galle under the command of Capt. D.S. Amarasooriya who was appointed as the Acting Commanding Officer. He had a staff of two Second Lieutenants and an Adjutant to assist him at its inception. This was the beginning of the Unit. It had a Detachment in Matara  that comprised of 05 Officers and 110 Other Ranks. At this juncture, the Volunteer Gemunu Regiment did not have a Regular counterpart and continued to wear the uniform and insignia of         2 [V] SR. However, after 1 GW was formed on 7th. December 1962 the Gemunu Regiment was re-named the 2nd. Volunteer Battalion of the Gemunu Watch on 1st October 1964.

By 1st. October 1964, the Unit comprised of 12 Officers and 624 Other Ranks and was commanded by Lieut. Colonel. D.S. Amarasooriya. The new Unit was initially deployed on Anti-Illicit Immigration and Anti-Smuggling duties in the North. They also indulged in Shramadana activities in Nindana and Batapola. The action resulted in a saving of  a considerable amount of money for the Government Agent of the Galle District allocated for the clearing of Irrigation channels and the construction of reservoir dams. In March 1971, 01 Officer and 40 Other Ranks were deployed on security duties in Boossa as there was a build up of JVP activity in the Galle area.

During the JVP Insurrection which commenced on 5th. April 1971 the Unit was deployed to suppress the insurgency, initially, in the Galle District and subsequently in the North Central Province. They succeeded in suppressing insurgent activities and destroyed JVP hideouts in Rajanganaya, Otthappuwa and Wilpattu. Until the Civil Administration that was disrupted was restored to normality, the Unit was engaged in maintaining the flow of Essential Services to the Polity. Sergeant. Piyasena B.M. was the 1st. soldier of the Unit to be killed-in-action in Elpitiya on 8th. April 1971 and Lance Corporal Weeraperma was KIA in Anuradhapura one month later on 8th. May 1971.

In recognition of the Unit’s outstanding, loyal and distinguished service to the Nation since its inception, the President’s Colour and Regimental Colours were awarded to 2 [V] GW by His Excellency the President Hon. J.R.Jayawardena on 15th. August 1980 at the Galle Esplanade in the presence of a large and distinguished gathering.

In 1987, two Companies were deployed for combat operations in the North. With great pride we record that when Militants attacked a route clearing patrol in Kivulkade on  24th. November 1990 troops of 2[V] GW counter attacked and killed 48 terrorists and captured arms, ammunition and military equipment that included a GPMG. This was the first instance in the history of combat in the Army that a heavy calibre machine gun was captured.

From December 1991 to May 1992,  2 [V] GW was deployed in the Trincomalee District under Eastern Command and participated in combat operations conducted against the Tamil Militants in  Kumburuppiddi, Thiriyaya and Namalwatte. “Alpha” and “Wenge” bases of the LTTE and their training camps were destroyed inflicting a devastating blow to the Terrorist campaign against the State.

In 1999, the LTTE tried to break through the southern FDL’s of the Vettilaikerni – EPS sector in the Jaffna Peninsula. They were beaten back several times and a number of militants were killed / captured and a large quantity of weapons and ammunition had been recovered including a GPS [Global Positioning System] , once again for the first time by the SL Army.

From 7th. November 2008 to 10th. December 2008 the Unit was deployed on operational commitments under 212 Brigade in the Prappakadanthan sector of Mannar.

The  Unit was directly involved in combat operations since 1st. March 2009 until the end of the Humanitarian Operations under command of 591, 592, 593, and 594 Brigades of 59 Division, which ultimately resulted in the complete annihilation of the LTTE and their dream of a separate State of Elam.

Since 24th. September 2011 to date the Unit has been deployed under 121 Brigade in the Galle Fort area.

Former Commanding Officers

Name	Duration
	Form	To
Lt Col   DS   Amarasooriya	23.11.1959	24.10.1971
Lt Col   PB   Molligoda	25.10.1971	31.10.1976
Lt Col   LDR   Sugathadasa	01.11.1976	31.07.1981
Lt Col   VS   Kudaligama	01.08.1981	15.01.1985
Lt Col   YCP   Karunarathne	16.08.1985	01.01.1988
Lt Col   HKE   De Silva	02.01.1988	12.07.1990
Lt Col   S   Handapangoda	25.07.1990	25.01.1995
Lt Col   PMM   Sooriyabandara	26.01.1995	22.01.1996
Lt Col   DVW   Harischandra	23.01.1996	04.04.1997
Maj   HGW   Padmasiri	05.04.1997	10.06.1998
Maj   NL   Wijendra	11.06.1998	26.08.2002
Maj  KC   Dharmasena RSP	27.08.2002	12.06.2003
Maj  HMS   Priyantha	13.06.2003	03.01.2006
Maj  MAA   Wickramasinghe	04.01.2006	10.06.2007
Maj  AK   Wehella	11.06.2007	11.05.2008
Maj  LD   Annakkage	12.05.2008	23.10.2012
Maj  WMGJ Wanigasekara	23.10.2012	Todate

2 ND Battalion The Gemunu Watch in mullaitivu Area 2008 Year New Year Party Andamkulam Forest

History of sri lanka Army

The settlers on the East Coast would have moved inland along the Mahavali Ganga. Somewhat later there was perhaps an independent band of immigrants who settled in Rohana in the southeast, on the mouth of the Valave Ganga, with Magama as their chief seat of government. The settlers came in numerous clans and tribes; the most powerful of whom were the Sinhalese.

"By 250 BC there is evidence of a recognizably literate culture in the main areas of settlement - a contribution, no doubt, of the early Aryan settlers - even though the outlying communities may have remained pre-literate.

"We have at present no archaeological evidence with regard to the early Indo-Aryan settlers. No sites have yet revealed date which could help us identify some of the other influences which may have played upon the Island from 650 BC. In particular we have no archaeological finds that could be traced back to either the west of east coasts of India.

"While the Island's proximity to India brought it within easy reach of a diversity of influences from there over much of its history, the narrow stretch of sea which separates it from the subcontinent ensured that the civilization which evolved in Sri Lanka was not a mere variant of an Indian prototype but something distinctive or autonomous though the Indian element was never totally obliterated. Nothing contributed to this more than Buddhism.

"Less obvious than the Indian influence, but over the centuries just as important, was the influence from South-East Asia resulting from Sri Lanka's strategic location athwart the main sea-routes of the Indian Ocean. Exciting archaeological discoveries in South-East Asia over the last decade suggest the possibility that the influence of this region on Sri Lanka may have begun in pre-historic times." ( From 'A History of SRI LANKA' by K.M. de Silva, published by the Oxford University Press, 1981).

Thus, a unique and distinctive hydraulic civilization found nowhere else in the world, developed on this Island. It was tempered by a vibrant and dynamic Buddhist religio-culture that permeated all aspects of life. Notable within this value system was the near-total absence of greed for material possessions (tanha), non-violence (ahimsa), giving (dana), kindness (karuna), loving-kindness (metta), and so on that shaped the people's world-view. These factors gave rise to a distinctive ethos, which created and shaped a unique milieu that subsists to this day. They were, therefore, (and still are), friendly, hospitable, warm-hearted, tolerant, easy-going and, by and large, peaceable.

All of this is a time-honoured legacy of remarkable qualities distilled over the ages in the vat of time. It has so distinguished this people that numerous foreign commentators and observers, have, over the centuries, been impelled to leave behind their favourable comments.