The Sri Lanka Artillery (SLA) is the

artillery Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during si ...

arm of the

Sri Lanka Army ta, இலங்கை இராணுவம் , image = File:Sri Lanka Army Logo.png , image_size = 180px , caption = Emblem of the Sri Lanka Army , start_date ...

. It is made up of ten regular regiments and two

volunteer Volunteering is a voluntary act of an individual or group freely giving time and labor for community service. Many volunteers are specifically trained in the areas they work, such as medicine, education, or emergency rescue. Others serve ...

regiments. The SLA is headquartered at

Panagoda Cantonment Panagoda Cantonment is a cantonment located in the western Western Province of Sri Lanka. It serves as the regimental headquarters of many regiments of the Sri Lanka Army and is an arsenal. It also houses one of the main Military Hospitals operat ...

, Panagoda. The emblem of the SLA is modeled after that used by the

Royal Artillery The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises t ...

, but with the lion from both the flag and emblem instead of the crown, with the lion depicted holding the Kastane sabre. Unlike other artillery units in the Commonwealth the SLA is entitled to a strand of Colours.

History

Ceylon Artillery Volunteers

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 Captain C.E.H Symons of the

to man a gun battery equipped with BL 12-pounder 6 cwt guns. By 1901 it numbered a strength of 162. In 1910, its headquarters was moved to Galle Buck Road in

Colombo Fort Fort (Colombo) (; ) is the central business district of Colombo in Sri Lanka. It is the financial district of Colombo and the location of the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) and the World Trade Centre of Colombo from which the CSE operates. It is ...

(which is now part of

SLNS Parakrama SLNS ''Parakrama'' is a Sri Lanka Navy shore establishment sited on Flagstaff Street in Colombo, in close proximity to the Colombo Lighthouse. It functions as the naval headquarters of the Navy. In this capacity it has the offices of the Commander ...

). During

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

the Ceylon Artillery Volunteers were mobilised, along with the Town Guard Artillery of

Colombo Colombo ( ; si, කොළඹ, translit=Koḷam̆ba, ; ta, கொழும்பு, translit=Koḻumpu, ) is the executive and judicial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka by population. According to the Brookings Institution, Colombo me ...

, for the defence of Colombo against German commerce raiders.

Ceylon Garrison Artillery

In 1918, the Ceylon Garrison Artillery (CGA) was formed by amalgamating the Ceylon Artillery Volunteers and the Town Guard Artillery, coming under the

Ceylon Defence Force The Ceylon Defence Force (CDF) was established in 1910 by the Ceylonese legislation ''Ceylon Defence Force Ordinance'', which reformed the Ceylon Volunteer Force (CVF) that existed previously as the military reserve in the British Crown colony ...

. During the colonial period the main responsibility of the Ceylon Garrison Artillery was to assist the Royal Artillery manning the coastal defence of

Ceylon Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...

, by operating

Coastal artillery Coastal artillery is the branch of the armed forces concerned with operating anti-ship artillery or fixed gun batteries in coastal fortifications. From the Middle Ages until World War II, coastal artillery and naval artillery in the form o ...

batteries Battery most often refers to: * Electric battery, a device that provides electrical power * Battery (crime), a crime involving unlawful physical contact Battery may also refer to: Energy source *Automotive battery, a device to provide power t ...

in Colombo and

Trincomalee Trincomalee (; ta, திருகோணமலை, translit=Tirukōṇamalai; si, ත්‍රිකුණාමළය, translit= Trikuṇāmaḷaya), also known as Gokanna and Gokarna, is the administrative headquarters of the Trincomalee Dis ...

. With the on set of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, the CGA was mobilised and expanded. The expansion saw the 1st Coast Regiment raising one field and four coast batteries. Heavy coastal batteries around Colombo at Battenburg,

Galle Face Galle Face is a ocean-side urban park, which stretches for along the coast, in the heart of Colombo, the financial and business capital of Sri Lanka. The promenade was initially laid out in 1859 by Governor Sir Henry George Ward, although t ...

and

Mutwal Modara ( si, මෝදර, translit=Mōdara; ta, முகத்துவாரம், translit=Mukattuvāram), also known as Mutwal ''(anglicised version)'', is a municipal ward of Colombo, capital of Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ� ...

were manned by the 1st Coast Regiment equipped with BL 9.2-inch guns and

BL 6 inch Mk VII naval gun The BL 6-inch gun Mark VII (and the related Mk VIII) was a British naval gun dating from 1899, which was mounted on a heavy travelling carriage in 1915 for British Army service to become one of the main heavy field guns in the First World War, ...

s. The 2nd Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, was formed and headquartered in

equipped with

QF 3.7-inch AA gun The QF 3.7-inch AA was Britain's primary heavy anti-aircraft gun during World War II. It was roughly the equivalent of the German Flak 8.8 cm and American 90 mm, but with a slightly larger calibre of 3.7 inches, approximately 94 mm. ...

s, followed by the 3rd Searchlight/Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment based in Colombo equipped with 40mm Bofors guns. These formations defended Colombo and Trincomalee during the air attacks that occurred as part of the

Indian Ocean raid The Indian Ocean raid, also known as Operation C or Battle of Ceylon in Japanese, was a naval sortie carried out by the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) from 31 March to 10 April 1942. Japanese aircraft carriers under Admiral Chūichi Nagumo ...

by the

Imperial Japanese Navy The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN; Kyūjitai: Shinjitai: ' 'Navy of the Greater Japanese Empire', or ''Nippon Kaigun'', 'Japanese Navy') was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945, when it was dissolved following Japan's surrender ...

. The CGA was also deployed overseas to support the Allied and

Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with "republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the ...

forces in the Indian Ocean. A detachment of CGA was deployed in defence of the

Seychelles Seychelles (, ; ), officially the Republic of Seychelles (french: link=no, République des Seychelles; Creole: ''La Repiblik Sesel''), is an archipelagic state consisting of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean. Its capital and largest city, ...

and the

Cocos Islands ) , anthem = "''Advance Australia Fair''" , song_type = , song = , image_map = Australia on the globe (Cocos (Keeling) Islands special) (Southeast Asia centered).svg , map_alt = Location of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands , map_caption = ...

manning 6 inch Coastal Guns. There on the night of 8 May 1942, 30 out of 56 personnel of the CGA detachment on

Horsburgh Island Horsburgh Island (in Malay, Pulo Luar or Pulu Luar) is one of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. Its area is . There is a small lagoon in the interior of the island to the northeast. History The Clunies-Ross Family kept deer on the island for hunti ...

mutinied in what was known as the Cocos Islands mutiny. Following the mutiny, no combat units from Ceylon were deployed overseas, support units were deployed with Commonwealth forces. With the end of the war CGA was demobilized.

Ceylon Artillery

Artillery Complex, Minneriya, Sri Lanka 01

In 1948, Ceylon gained self-rule and the

Ceylon Army ta, இலங்கை இராணுவம் , image = File:Sri Lanka Army Logo.png , image_size = 180px , caption = Emblem of the Sri Lanka Army , start_date ...

was formed on 1 October 1949 under the Army Act of 1949 and the Ceylon Defence Force disbanded. The Ceylon Garrison Artillery became the Ceylon Artillery with some of its personal transferring to the regular force and others continuing as volunteers. That year the 1st Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment (HAA) of the Ceylon Artillery was formed under the command of Lt. Col. (later Colonel) F. C. de Saram, OBE equipped with 40 mm anti-aircraft guns and 3.7 inch heavy anti-aircraft guns at Rock House. The 2nd Volunteer Coastal Artillery / Anti-Aircraft Regiment was formed in 1949, under the command of Lt. Col. J.A.T. Perera, ED manning the BL 6 inch

coastal guns Coastal artillery is the branch of the armed forces concerned with operating anti-ship artillery or fixed gun batteries in coastal fortifications. From the Middle Ages until World War II, coastal artillery and naval artillery in the form of ...

, made up of officers and men of the Ceylon Garrison Artillery. In 1953 the 1st HAA was renamed the 1st Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment (LAA). In the same year the 3rd Field Artillery Regiment was formed equipped with ML 4.2-inch heavy mortars. In 1962, an attempted military coup by senior military and police officers took place, with many officers of the Ceylon Artillery, including Colonel De Saram being implicated. The government purged military of officers and other ranks found to be associated with the coup. The Ceylon Artillery suffered badly, with the all three of its regiments being disbanded. Remaining officers and other ranks of the 1st Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment and the 3rd Field Artillery Regiment were amalgamated to form the 4th Regiment, Ceylon Artillery on 26 April 1963, thus reducing the Ceylon Artillery to a single regiment. The

coastal artillery Coastal artillery is the branch of the armed forces concerned with operating anti-ship artillery or fixed gun batteries in coastal fortifications. From the Middle Ages until World War II, coastal artillery and naval artillery in the form o ...

were decommissioned. In April 1971, the Ceylon Army was mobilized to faced the 1971 JVP insurrection. Lacking field artillery, the 4th Regiment deployed its troops as infantry for counter insurgency operations until it received 14 76 mm mountain guns from Yugoslav and 30 85 mm Type 60 anti-tank guns from China. These were used to bombard insurgent holdouts.

Sri Lanka Artillery

The CA was renamed in 1972 as the Sri Lanka Artillery when Ceylon became a republic. The 4th Regiment, Sri Lanka Artillery transitioned into a

field artillery Field artillery is a category of mobile artillery used to support armies in the field. These weapons are specialized for mobility, tactical proficiency, short range, long range, and extremely long range target engagement. Until the early 20t ...

role as it decommissioned its anti-aircraft guns. Several years later the

air defence Anti-aircraft warfare, counter-air or air defence forces is the battlespace response to aerial warfare, defined by NATO as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It includes surface based ...

role of the Sri Lankan military was taken over by the

Sri Lanka Air Force Regiment The Sri Lanka Air Force Regiment is a specialized ground combat corps within the Sri Lanka Air Force, responsible for capturing and defending airfields and associated installations. Its members are the SLAF Regiment Officers and the airmen of oper ...

, which it carries out to this day. In 1980 a new volunteer regiment, the 5th (V) Artillery Regiment was formed from the 2nd Battalion of the Ceylon National Guard. With the on set of the Sri Lankan Civil War, SLA grew in size and added

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

Ordnance QF 25 pounder The Ordnance QF 25-pounder, or more simply 25-pounder or 25-pdr, was the major British field gun and howitzer during the Second World War. Its calibre is 3.45-inch (87.6 mm). It was introduced into service just before the war started, comb ...

Mark III field guns to its inventory. These were used in major military operations in the 1980s such as the Vadamarachchi Operation. New regiments were formed with new sources of weaponry in the 1990s and 2000s from

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, most populous country, with a Population of China, population exceeding 1.4 billion, slig ...

and the

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...

. With the escalation of the Sri Lankan civil war 85 mm Type 56 field guns, 122 mm howitzers, 152 mm gun-howitzers, 130 mm field guns and 120 mm, 82 mm mortars were introduced, and in 2000

RM-70 Multiple rocket launcher The RM-70 (''Raketomet vzor 1970'') multiple rocket launcher is a Czechoslovak Army version and heavier variant of the BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launcher, providing enhanced performance over its parent area-saturation rocket artillery system tha ...

s were added, increasing SLA's firepower.

Target acquisition Target acquisition is the detection and identification of the location of a target in sufficient detail to permit the effective employment of lethal and non-lethal means. The term is used for a broad area of applications. A "target" here is an e ...

was carried out to locate enemy guns using

AN/TPQ-36 Firefinder radar Hughes AN/TPQ-36 Firefinder weapon locating system is a mobile radar system developed in the mid-late 1970s by Hughes Aircraft Company and manufactured by Northrop Grumman and ThalesRaytheonSystems, achieving initial operational capability in ...

s and

SLC-2 Radar The SLC-2 Radar is a Chinese active electronically scanned array counter-battery radar designed to locate hostile artillery, rocket and ground-to-ground missile launchers immediately after firing, and to support friendly artillery by guiding count ...

counter-battery radar A counter-battery radar (alternatively weapon tracking radar or COBRA) is a radar system that detects artillery projectiles fired by one or more guns, howitzers, mortars or rocket launchers and, from their trajectories, locates the position on ...

s by its Independent Locating Battery. At present the Sri Lanka Artillery has nine regular regiments, two volunteer regiments and a regimental band. These units form the Artillery Brigade. During the civil war, SLA has provided fire support for almost all military operations carried out by the Sri Lanka Army. At times the SLA has deployed one regular ( RFT) and two volunteer regiments in an infantry role to meet the shortage of

infantry Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and mar ...

. In 2020, the SLA raised the 15th Drone Regiment for surveillance and target acquisition, deploying

UAV An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), commonly known as a drone, is an aircraft without any human pilot, crew, or passengers on board. UAVs are a component of an unmanned aircraft system (UAS), which includes adding a ground-based controller ...

s to monitor isolated areas during the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...

Units

Regular regiments

*4th Field Regiment SLA - equipped with 122 mm Type 60 howitzers and 130 mm Type 59 field guns *6th Field Regiment SLA - equipped with 122 mm Type 60 howitzers for operational duties ** Ceremonial Saluting Battery - equipped ordnance QF 25 pounder field guns for firing salutes *7th Light Regiment SLA - equipped with 120mm mortars *8th Medium Regiment SLA - equipped with 130 mm Type 59 field guns *9th Field Regiment SLA - equipped with 122 mm Type 54 howitzers *10th Medium Regiment SLA - equipped with 152 mm Type 66 gun-howitzers *11th Regiment SLA - Reinforcement Regiment (RFT) in infantry role *14th Rocket Regiment SLA - equipped with RM-70 multiple rocket launcher *15th UAV Regiment SLA - equipped with unmanned air vehicles *Independent Locating Battery - equipped with AN/TPQ-36 Firefinder radars and SLC-2 Radars

Volunteer regiments

*5th (Volunteer) Regiment SLA (Formed on 22 January 1980) - infantry role *12th (Volunteer) Regiment SLA (Formed on 9 September 1990) - infantry role (Converted from 8 Sri Lanka National Guard)

Disbanded regiments

*1st Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment - 1963 *2nd Volunteer Coastal Artillery Regiment - 1963 *3rd Field Artillery Regiment - 1963 *16th Regiment SLA ( RFT) - 2019

School of Artillery

In 1957, an Instructor Gunnery (IG) section was formed under Chief Instructor Major B. I. Loyela for training on the use of anti-aircraft guns. On 16 September 1985, the IG section based at the

was reorganized as the School of Artillery to facilitate the expansion of the Regiment of Artillery. It was moved to the

Minneriya Garrison The Minneriya Garrison is a common name used for collection of military bases of the Sri Lanka Army located in and around the Minneriya in the North Central Province. It is home to the several training centers of the army, including the Infantry ...

in October 1990. Its programs include: ;Officers * Artillery Senior Command Course * Officers' Long Gunnery Staff Course * Gun Position Officer Course * Forward Observation Officer Course * Young Officers Course ;Other ranks * Long Gunnery and Staff Course * Basic Gun Course * Technical Assistants Course * Survey Course * Signal Course * Observation Post Assistant Course * Gun No 1 Course * Troop Leader Course * Locating Course * Assistant in Gunnery Long Course

Equipment

; Ceremonial *

field guns (ceremonial gun battery) *

76 mm mountain gun M48 The 76 mm mountain gun M-48 (AKA the Tito Gun), was developed after the Second World War to meet the requirements of Yugoslav People's Army The Yugoslav People's Army (abbreviated as JNA/; Macedonian and sr-Cyrl-Latn, Југослове ...

mountain guns (colour gun) ;Light artillery (mortars) * Type 86 (W86) 120 mm mortars ;Field artillery * 122 mm Type 54 howitzers * 122 mm Type 60 howitzers * 122 mm Type 83 howitzers ;Medium artillery * 130 mm Type 59 field guns * 152 mm Type 66 gun-howitzers ;Rocket artillery *

* KRL 122 Multiple rocket launcher (retired) ;Surveillance & target acquisition *

Notable members

General A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". O ...

Hamilton Wanasinghe, VSV - former Commander of the Army *

L. P. Balagalle, VSV, USP, ndc, IG - former Commander of the Army *

C. S. Weerasooriya, RWP, RSP, VSV, USP - former Commander of the Army. *

Major General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of ...

Gratian Silva Major General Hikkaduwage Gratian Silva, VSV, FBIM (27 January 1933 – 8 November 2015) was a Sri Lankan military leader, he served as the Military Secretary. Early life and education Gratian Silva was born in Ginthota, Galle. He received ...

, VSV - former Military Secretary *

Duleep Wickramanayake - former Director Operations and Training *

Jayantha de S. Jayaratne, VSV, ndc, IG - former Commander Security Forces Jaffna *

Sarath Munasinghe Major General Sarath Munasinghe, RWP, RSP, USP was a Sri Lankan senior army officer and a politician. He had served in the Sri Lanka Army, becoming Commander Security Forces Headquarters Jaffna and went on to become the Deputy Speaker and Me ...

RWP, RSP, USP - former Deputy Speaker of Parliament and Commander Security Forces Headquarters, Jaffna *

Larry Wijeratne Major General Larry A.R. Wijeratne USP, SLA (1950 – 14 May 1998) was the former Brigade Commander of 51-4 Brigade based in Jaffna. Early life and family He completed his education at Nugawela Central College. At school, he excelled i ...

- former Brigade commander, 514 Brigade *

Ananda Hamangoda Major General Ananda Sri Sisira Kumara Hamangoda, RWP, RSP, USP (1 November 1950 – 4 July 1996) was a senior Sri Lanka Army officer, who was the former brigade commander of the 51-2 Brigade based in Jaffna, when he was killed by a L ...

- former Brigade commander, 512 Brigade, Jaffna *

- former Brigade commander, 514 Brigade *

Brigadier Brigadier is a military rank, the seniority of which depends on the country. In some countries, it is a senior rank above colonel, equivalent to a brigadier general or commodore, typically commanding a brigade of several thousand soldiers. ...

B. K. V. J. E. Rodrigo Brigadier Bastian Koralalage Victor Justus Ethelred Rodrigo VSV was a Sri Lankan military leader, he served as the commandant of the Volunteer Force. Rodrigo was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the 1st Anti Aircraft Regiment, Ceylon Artill ...

- former

Commandant of the Volunteer Force Commandant Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force (SLAVF) has been the title of the head of the Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force. The post is held by a regular officer of the rank of major general and is the fourth senior position in the army. Commandant is i ...

Leonard Merlyn Wickremasooriya - former Commandant, Army Training Centre, Diyatalawa *

K.T.Sujeewa Gunawardhana, RSP, USP - first commanding officer, 14th Rocket Regiment SLA *

Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge ...

Fredrick C. de Saram OBE, CA - former Commanding officer, 1st Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Ceylon Artillery & leader of the attempted military coup in 1962 *

Lieutenant Colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colon ...

Wilmot "Willie" S. Abrahams, MC, MBE, CA - former Commanding Officer, 3rd Field Artillery Regiment, Ceylon Artillery & accused conspirator in the 1962 coup d'état attempt *

Major Major ( commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicato ...

Victor Gunasekara, CCS - former

Controller Controller may refer to: Occupations * Controller or financial controller, or in government accounting comptroller, a senior accounting position * Controller, someone who performs agent handling in espionage * Air traffic controller, a person w ...

of Imports Exports and government agent of

Kegalle Kegalle ( si, කෑගල්ල; ta, கேகாலை) is a large town in Sabaragamuwa Province of Sri Lanka. It is located on the Colombo– Kandy road, approximately from Colombo and from Kandy. It is the main town in the Kegalle Distri ...

Lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often ...

Ajantha Mendis Balapuwaduge Ajantha Winslow Mendis ( si, අජන්ත මෙන්ඩිස්; born 11 March 1985) better known as Ajantha Mendis is a former Sri Lankan cricketer who played for Sri Lankan national cricket team in all three formats, who i ...

- international cricketerSoldier creating history in International cricket
* Bombardier Gratien Fernando - leader of the Cocos Islands Mutiny

Alliances

* -

Regiment of Artillery The Regiment of Artillery is a combat/fighting arm of the Indian Army, which provides massive firepower during all ground operations of the Indian Army. It is a successor to the Royal Indian Artillery (RIA) of British Indian Army, which itsel ...

* -

Royal Regiment of Artillery The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises t ...

Order of precedence

References

External links and sources

Sri Lanka Army

Sri Lanka Artillery

{{Sri Lanka Army Regiments * Sri Lanka Artillery Military units and formations established in 1888 Military units and formations of Ceylon in World War II