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Monday, December 06, 2010 - 7.33 GMT |
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SL Navy celebrates Diamond Jubilee |
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Sri Lanka Navy will celebrate its Diamond Jubilee on 9th of December, giving prominence to religious activities and time-honoured naval customs and traditions.
The Naval and Maritime Exhibition organized in view of the SLN’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations, commenced on 04th December at the Colombo Light House premises. The exhibition is open for the public from December 4th to the 12th.
The exhibitions includes educational stalls showcasing Naval and Maritime history, sailing equipment & tools, weapons and ammunition, uniforms and medals, Naval technological showpieces in the fields of marine and electrical engineering, diving and fire & rescue gear, Naval gunnery items and also weapons and vessels captured from the enemy during the humanitarian operations.
"From its small beginnings 60 years ago, the sea arm of Sri Lanka deserves much commendation for its outstanding service to the nation, especially in bringing peace to our motherland through strategic and humanitarian operations. As Commander in Chief, I acknowledge with pride, the performance of the Sri Lanka Navy in this valiant task and now being a partner in the country’s development," stated President Mahinda Rajapaksa in his message to the Sri Lanka Navy on the celebration of its Diamond Jubilee.
The events lined up for the celebrations are, Naval and Maritime Symposium on “Sustainable Support for Security and Safety at Sea” participated by Navy Chiefs, senior officials, and naval vessels from several other countries, International Sailing Regatta in the seas off Galle Face Green with the participation of the sailing community worldwide including teams from the Navies participating in the celebrations.
Also an international Band Fiesta and a Cultural Show will be held at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium on 08th December with the participation of the Army, Navy and Air Force bands.
Presidential Colours will be awarded to Eastern and Northern Naval Commands as well as the Sri Lanka Navy Fleet marking the Diamond Jubilee.
Presidential Fleet Review in the seas off Galle Face Green with the participation of war ships from friendly navies will also take place. A book on naval history will also be launched. A Conclave will be held at Naval Dockyard, Trincomalee with the participation of Chiefs of Navies.
In addition, the International Sail Past in the seas off Galle Face Green will be held on 11th December where all visiting foreign and Sri Lankan Naval Vessels will participate. They will Sail Past on their home bound passage and the salute will be received by the Secretary, Ministry of Defence.
Naval activity in Ceylon, as this country was known till 1972, re-commenced only under British colonial rule, and in pursuance of the British Empire's global strategy and concerns. During the first of this century's two World Wars, German raiders had infiltrated the Indian Ocean and inflicted heavy losses on allied shipping. Hence, when it was apparent that a resurgent Germany would be a major threat, an Imperial Defence Conference in London, in 1932, promulgated a principle that each part of the Empire, whether Dominion, Colony or Protectorate, irrespective of whether it had been represented at the conference or not, had to assume a responsibility for and make its own contribution towards the defence of its territory and the Empire. In 1937 the Ceylon Naval Volunteer Force (CNVF) was established. After the World War II CNVF was absorbed into the Royal Navy as Ceylon Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (CRNVR).
After independence from British rule, a nucleus of 100 Officers and Men prepared to form the Regular Navy gradually. On 9th December 1950 the Navy Act was enacted and Royal Ceylon Navy was formed.
With the end of the war, de-mobilization commenced. The CRNVR reverted to Ceylonese control and the wartime CO/CRNVR, Capt. W.G. Beauchamp VRD, CBE, stepped down. There was, however, a need to keep a number of persons under mobilization: from the British point of view, the Admiralty envisaged "the retention of small permanent forces in peacetime" and, from the Ceylonese point of view, the end of colonial status was near and a "Navy-in-waiting" was desirable. So was born the "Nucleus of the Navy", comprising 9 Officers and 91 Sailors, with Cdr. G.R.M. de Mel as CO/CRNVR.
A role had now to be fashioned for the Navy. Already, it had accepted the role of "Aid to Civil Power", the security of the Port of Colombo, Anti-smuggling and Anti-illicit Immigration Patrols.
Armed with a Blue Water capability, a cruise of two ships to the Far East was considered. Government agreed and Mahasena and Parakrama sailed on a goodwill mission, calling at Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Port Swettenham (presently Port Klang), Penang and Tokyo.
The damage caused by Cyclone "Emly" was put right quicker by the Navy than anyone else. Assistance was given to Hospitals, Security Services, off-shore islands, merchant vessels carrying emergency supplies in unfamiliar waters, transport of medical supplies and fuel on Gajabahu, salvage of government ships run aground and ferrying administrative service officers to flood ravaged areas were some of them. In both routine and emergency situations, the Navy was the force of choice, but this was not enough.
In 1972, with the introduction of new constitution Royal Ceylon Navy was renamed as the Sri Lanka Navy.
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