Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force

The Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force (SLAVF) is the principal and Volunteer reserve force component of the Sri Lanka Army. It is a collective name for the reserve units and the Sri Lanka National Guard of the Sri Lankan Army. The SLAVF is made up of part-time Officers and soldiers paid at a similar rate, while engaged on military activities, as their Regular equivalents. This is in contrast to the Regular Army Reserve, which currently comprises people who have a mobilization obligation for a number of years after their former full-time service in the regular army has been completed. Overall administration and recruitment of reserve personal is carried out by the Volunteer Force Headquarters in Battaramulla, headed by the Commandant of the Volunteer Force, this is usually a Major General. The current commandant is Major General J. J. P. S. T. Liyanage. Volunteer officers undergo basic training at the Sri Lanka Military Academy and the other ranks at the Volunteer Force Training School (VFTS).

History
The history of the SLAVF goes back to 1861 when the Ceylon Light Infantry Volunteers where created.

Ceylon Light Infantry Volunteers
The second phase in the employment of non-British personnel commenced in 1861 after the enactment of an ordinance designed to authorize the creation of Volunteer Corps in the island. It was designated the Ceylon Light Infantry Volunteers (CLIV). This move compensated for the disbandment of the Ceylon Rifle Regiment in 1874. The Ceylon Light Infantry Volunteers was originally administered as a single unit. However over the years various sections of the volunteers grew large enough to become independent from their parent unit. The different units that emerged from the Volunteer Force were the,


 * Ceylon Artillery Volunteers
 * Ceylon Mounted Infantry (CMI)
 * Ceylon Planters Rifle Corps (CPRC)
 * Ceylon Volunteer Medical Corps
 * Cadet Battalion Ceylon Light Infantry
 * Ceylon Engineers
 * Ceylon Supply & Transport Corps

Ceylon Defence Force
In 1910 the name of the military was formerly changed to the Ceylon Defence Force (CDF). It continued to grow throughout the early period of 20th century. The CDF saw active service when a contingent of the Ceylon Mounted Infantry (CMI) in 1900, and a contingent of Ceylon Planters Rifle Corps (CPRC) in 1902, took part in the Second Boer War in South Africa. Their services were recognized by presentation, in 1902, of a color to the CMI, and a presentation in 1904, of a Banner to the CPRC. In 1922, the CDF was honored by the presentation of the King's and Regimental colors to the Ceylon Light Infantry (CLI).

During the First World War, many volunteers from the Defence Force traveled to England and joined the British Army, and many of them were killed in action. One of them mentioned by Arthur Conan Doyle was Private Jacotine of the CLI, who was the last man left alive in his unit at the Battle of Lys, and who continued to fight for 20 minutes before he was killed.

In 1939, the CDF was mobilized and an enormous expansion took place which required the raising of new units such as the Post and Telegraph Signals, the Ceylon Railway Engineer Corps, the Ceylon Electrical and Mechanical Engineer Corps, the Auxiliary Territorial Service, the Ceylon Corps of Military Police, the Ceylon Signals Corps and the Colombo Town Guard Unit, which had been previously disbanded, but was later re-formed to meet military requirements. During the Second World War Britain assumed direct control over the Armed Forces of Ceylon.

Army Volunteer Force
Following the formation of the army in 1949, the CDF became the nucleus of the Ceylon Army and all volunteer units of the CDF—which was the majority of the CDF— became the Ceylon Volunteer Force (CVF). A large number of Second World War veterans were serving in the CVF at the time and in the post-Independence years the CVF played an important role while a new regular army was being formed.

During this time the CVF was mobilized a number of times to counter riots and strikes that occurred, however, after several of its senior officers were implicated in the failed attempted coup in 1962 the post of Commandant of the Volunteer Force has since been filled by a combat officer of the regular army. In 1972 when Sri Lanka became a republic the name of the force was changed to Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force. The current strength of the SLAVF is about 50,000 volunteer combat officers and other ranks attached to various units and regiments of the Sri Lanka Army. The commandant of the SLAVF is normally the third most senior combat officer of the regular army holding, the rank of Major General.

Cadet Corps
Since the formation of the first cadet platoon with students of the Royal College, Colombo which was attached to the Ceylon Light Infantry, the Cadet Battalion came under the Ceylon Defence Force. From 1949 the Ceylon Cadet Corps with its cadet battalions came under the Volunteer Force until 1988 when the National Cadet Corps was formed as a separate entity.

Current units

 * Sri Lanka Armoured Corps
 * 7th(v) Sri Lanka Armoured Corps


 * Sri Lanka Artillery
 * 5th(v) Sri Lanka Artillery Regiment
 * 12th(v) Sri Lanka Artillery Regiment


 * Sri Lanka Engineers
 * 4th(v) Sri Lanka Engineers Regiment


 * Sri Lanka Signals Corps
 * 2nd(v) Sri Lanka Signals Corps Regiment


 * Sri Lanka Light Infantry
 * 2nd(v) Sri Lanka Light Infantry
 * 5th(v) Sri Lanka Light Infantry
 * 9th(v) Sri Lanka Light Infantry
 * 14th(v) Sri Lanka Light Infantry


 * Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment
 * 2nd(v) Battalion, Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment
 * 3rd(v) Battalion, Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment
 * 5th(v) Battalion, Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment
 * 11th(v) Battalion, Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment
 * 15th(v) Battalion, Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment


 * Gemunu Watch
 * 2nd(v) Gemunu Watch
 * 3rd(v) Gemunu Watch
 * 10th(v) Gemunu Watch
 * 14th(v) Gemunu Watch
 * 15th(v) Gemunu Watch


 * Gajaba Regiment
 * 2nd(v) Gajaba Regiment
 * 5th(v) Gajaba Regiment
 * 7th(v) Gajaba Regiment
 * 11th(v) Gajaba Regiment
 * 15th(v) Gajaba Regiment


 * Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment
 * 2nd(v) Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment
 * 3rd(v) Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment
 * 10th(v) Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment
 * 12th(v) Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment


 * Engineer Services Regiment
 * 4th(v) Engineer Service Regiment


 * Sri Lanka Army Service Corps
 * 2nd(v) Sri Lanka Army Service Corps


 * Sri Lanka Army Medical Corps
 * 2nd(v) Sri Lanka Army Medical Corps


 * Sri Lanka Army Ordnance Corps
 * (v) Ordnance Battalion


 * Sri Lanka Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
 * (v) Sri Lanka Electrical and Mechanical Engineers


 * Sri Lanka Army General Service Corps
 * 2nd(v) Sri Lanka Army General Service Corps


 * Sri Lanka Army Pioneer Corps
 * (v) Sri Lanka Army Pioneer Corps


 * Sri Lanka Army Women's Corps
 * 2nd(v) Sri Lanka Army Women’s Corps
 * 3rd(v) Sri Lanka Army Women’s Corps
 * 4th(v) Sri Lanka Army Women’s Corps
 * 5th(v) Sri Lanka Army Women’s Corps


 * Sri Lanka Rifle Corps
 * 1st Battalion, Sri Lanka Rifle Corps
 * 2nd Battalion, Sri Lanka Rifle Corps


 * Sri Lanka National Guard
 * 1st Sri Lanka National Guard
 * 2nd Sri Lanka National Guard
 * 3rd Sri Lanka National Guard
 * 4th Sri Lanka National Guard
 * 5th Sri Lanka National Guard
 * 6th Sri Lanka National Guard
 * 7th Sri Lanka National Guard
 * 8th Sri Lanka National Guard
 * 9th Sri Lanka National Guard
 * 10th Sri Lanka National Guard
 * 11th Sri Lanka National Guard
 * 12th Sri Lanka National Guard
 * 13th Sri Lanka National Guard
 * 14th Sri Lanka National Guard
 * 15th Sri Lanka National Guard
 * 16th Sri Lanka National Guard
 * 17th Sri Lanka National Guard
 * 18th Sri Lanka National Guard
 * 19th Sri Lanka National Guard
 * 20th Sri Lanka National Guard
 * 22nd Sri Lanka National Guard
 * 23rd Sri Lanka National Guard
 * 24th Sri Lanka National Guard
 * 25th Sri Lanka National Guard
 * 26th Sri Lanka National Guard
 * 27th Sri Lanka National Guard
 * 28th Sri Lanka National Guard
 * 29th Sri Lanka National Guard
 * 30th Sri Lanka National Guard
 * 31st Sri Lanka National Guard
 * 33rd Sri Lanka National Guard
 * 34th Sri Lanka National Guard
 * 35th Sri Lanka National Guard


 * Volunteer Force Training School (VFTS)

Awards and decorations

 * Karyakshama Seva Vibhushanaya - Since 1972 for Commissioned Officers.
 * Karyakshama Seva Padakkama - Since 1972 for other ranks.
 * Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force Centenary Medal - Awarded on the 100th Anniversary of the Volunteer Force
 * Efficiency Decoration (Ceylon) - 1930 to 1972 for Commissioned Officers.
 * Efficiency Medal (Ceylon) - 1930 to 1972 for other ranks.

Commandants
The following have commanded the SLAVF:
 * Colonel (later Major General) H.W.G. Wijeyekoon (Volunteer officer)
 * Colonel Maurice De Mel (Volunteer Officer)
 * Brigadier (later General) T.I Weeratunge,VSV,jssc,GW (Regular Army)
 * Brigadier (later General) G.D.G.N Senviratne, VSV,ndc,SLE (Regular Army)
 * Brigadier E.G Thavanayagam, VSV, SLSR (Regular Army)
 * Brigadier H Wanasinghe VSV,ndc,SLA (Regular Army)
 * Brigadier B.K.V. Justus E. Rodrigo, VSV (Regular Army)
 * Major General Y. Balaretnarajah,USP,ndc, SLAC (Regular Army)
 * Major General (later General) G.S.C Fonseka,RWP,USP,rcds,psc, SLSR (Regular Army)
 * Major General (posthumous Lieutenant General) Parami Kulatunga,RSP,USP,GW (Regular Army)
 * Major General Sharman Kulatunga,RSP,USP,ndc,psc,SLAC (Regular Army)
 * Major General Somadasa Hapuaratchi (Regular Army)
 * Major General Lawrence Fernando (Regular Army)
 * Major General Sumith Balasuriya, USP, ndc, IG, SLA (Regular Army)

Notable members

 * General Ranjan Wijeratne — Former Minister of Foreign Affairs & Minister of State for Defence.
 * General Anuruddha Ratwatte — Former Minister of Power & Energy and Deputy Minister for Defence
 * Colonel Maurice De Mel — Commandant of the Volunteer Force, an accused members of the attempted military coup
 * Lieutenant Colonel J.H.V. de Alwis — Commanding Officer, 2nd Volunteer Engineers, Ceylon Engineers, an accused members of the attempted military coup
 * Lieutenant Colonel B.R. Jesudasan — Commanding Officer, 2nd Volunteer Signals, Ceylon Signals Corps, an accused members of the attempted military coup
 * Lieutenant Colonel Noel Mathyesz —Commanding Officer, Ceylon Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, an accused members of the attempted military coup in 1962.
 * Major Duncan White - First Ceylonese Olympic Silver Medalist
 * Captain J.A.R. Felix — Staff Officer, Ceylon Volunteer Force Headquarters, an accused members of the attempted military coup in 1962.
 * Second Lieutenant Nissanka Wijeyeratne — Former Minister
 * Lieutenant Colonel Terrence Subasinghe psc, M Def S- First Commanding Officer of the 15th (Vol)Battalion Gemunu Watch (2007-2011)and First officer who secured M Def S (Defence Studies)and First senior most officer who followed the staff course in the volunteer force history.