I attended the funeral of legendary singer Deshamannya Kala Soori Latha Walpola today.
I want to pen down how her famous song “Shrini Vidushitha Lanka Derene Sinha Danaya Lelede” (Lion flag flying on Sri Lanka land) inspired military men during the famous and largest amphibious landing at Vettelikani, Jaffna, on 14th July 1991 to reinforce the besieged Elephant Pass Military Complex.
On 10th July 1991, the strategically very important gateway to the Jaffna peninsula, the Elephant Pass (EPS) Military Complex, commanded by Major (later Major General) Sanath Karunaratne, came under heavy attack by LTTE terrorists. Our officers and men fought valiantly for days. Terrorists used mortars, heavy machine guns, and armour-plated bulldozers to attack the heavily defended military complex. Major Sanath Karunaratne defended his camp successfully, even though his second-in-command of the base, Major Lalith Buddadasa, and several soldiers were killed on the second day. Corporal Gamini Kularatne paid the supreme sacrifice by climbing into an enemy armour-plated bulldozer and lobbing grenades, thereby destroying the terrorists inside. (Later, Gamini was awarded the highest gallantry medal of Sri Lanka – Parama Wira Vibushanaya (PWV)). Air support – helicopter landing of reinforcement troops – was impossible. Major Sanath Karunaratne defended the camp valiantly, but the LTTE leadership decided to commit all their troops to somehow overrun the military base.
Military Higher Command decided to carry out an amphibious assault landing mission at Vettelikani and advance towards the EPS Military Complex.
The largest amphibious landing in our history was launched. Troops were carried on board two huge Surveillance Command Ships (SCSs) (SLNS Edithara and *Wickrama) and landing craft.
Major General Denzil Kobbekaduwa was the Commander of the Second Division and General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the operation, with Brigadier Vijaya Wimalaratne as his deputy and Amphibious Landing Force Commander. The naval units were under the command of the then Commander, Northern Naval Area, Captain (later Rear Admiral) H. R. Amaraweera.
The first wave of the amphibious landing moved towards enemy land by 1400 hrs on that day, but very heavy enemy attacks on approaching water jets and landing craft caused casualties. Commanders decided to abandon the operation, regroup, and return.
Boats loaded with Army personnel for the first wave of landing were returning to the SCSs! Morale was really low!!!!!
Something unusual happened on SLNS Wickrama, commanded by Commander (later Captain) Ranjith Wettewa, a brilliant deep-sea diver trained in the UK and a very outspoken and highly patriotic senior officer. On his instructions, Sinhala patriotic songs started playing loudly over the ship’s hailers, starting with the beautiful song of Latha Walpola!!!
General Denzil and Brigadier Wimalaratne, in consultation with Navy Captain Amaraweera, decided to turn back and attempt the amphibious landing again!
The enemy NEVER EXPECTED THIS MOVE! Morale was very high! Troops shouted, “We are going to put the SRI LANKA FLAG ON THE GROUND!!!”
Thank you, legendary singer dear Latha Walpola, for giving us such songs to inspire us in battle to bring victory!
Let generations of military men be inspired by “Shrini Vibushitha Lanka Derene Sinha Dajaya Lelade”!!!
