Sri Lanka Army Women's Corps
| Sri Lanka Army Women's Corps | |
|---|---|
 Cap badge which depicts Viharamahadevi | |
| Founded | September 1, 1979 |
| Country |  Sri Lanka |
| Branch |  Sri Lanka Army |
| Type | Administrative corps |
| Role | Combat support, Combat service support |
| Size | 4 battalions |
| Regimental Centre | Borella, Colombo |
| Motto(s) | Savi Bala Sith - Avi Bala Deth (Translation from Sinhala: The Powerful Mind is the Strongest Weapon) |
| Anniversaries | 1 September,[1] 17 November[2] |
| Engagements | Sri Lankan Civil War |
The Sri Lanka Army Women's Corps (SLAWC) is a historical corps of the Sri Lanka Army. The headquarters of this corps is in Borella, Colombo and currently the corps has four battalions. The first battalion (1 SLAWC) was raised on 1 September 1979.[1]
Every year, in 17th November the corps anniversary day is celebrated as in 1997's 17 November the regimental headquarters was created in Borella, Colombo.[2][3]
Overview[edit]
The corps was set up with the assistance of the Women's Royal Army Corps of the British Army. It was identical in structure to its parent organization, and its first generation of lady officer cadets was trained in Britain. Candidates were required to be between eighteen and twenty years old and to have passed the General Common Entrance (Ordinary level) examinations, while the officer candidates must have passed the Advanced Level. Enlistment entailed a five-year service commitment (the same as for men), and recruits were not allowed to marry during this period. In the training course at the Army Training Center at Diyatalawa, recruits were put through a program of drill and physical training similar to the men's program, with the exception of weapons and battle craft training. Female soldiers were paid according to the same scale as the men, but were primarily limited to service in nursing, communications and clerical works.[4]
Women's corps members participated in the war for the first time was in the Vadamarachchi Operation, which lasted from 27 May 1987 to 11 June 1988; in this operation one officer, three nurses and four soldiers participated.[1] Over 25 female soldiers were killed in action in 1997.[5]
Units[edit]
Regular battalions[edit]
- 1 Sri Lanka Army Women's Corps, 1 SLAWC (formed on 1 September 1979)
- 7 Sri Lanka Army Women's Corps, 7 SLAWC (formed on 1 August 2010 in Myliddy, Jaffna)
Volunteer battalions[edit]
Three volunteer battalions have been disbanded.
- 2(V) Sri Lanka Army Women's Corps, 2(V) SLAWC (formed on 1 January 1996)
- 3(V) Sri Lanka Army Women's Corps, 3(V) SLAWC (formed on 15 November 1997)
Notable members[edit]
- Susanthika Jayasinghe - Olympic silver medalist at the 2000 Summer Olympics.
- Nadeesha Ramanayake - Gold medalist at the Asian Championships.
- Nadeeka Lakmali - Silver medalist at the Asian Championships and South Asian Games.[6]
- Dilhani Lekamge - Silver medalist Asian Championships.
- Lieutenant Colonel K.C. Weerasekara - The first female battalion commander (1 SLAWC) of the Sri Lanka Army.[7]
- Corporal M.L.K.R. Wilson - One of the first recruited female soldiers of the army.[7]
Order of precedence[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c "THE 1ST BATTALION OF SRI LANKA ARMY WOMEN'S CORPS CELEBRATED ITS 43RD ANNIVERSARY". army.lk/slawc. 1 September 2022. Archived from the original on 2022-11-25.
- ^ a b "SRI LANKA ARMY WOMEN'S CORPS COMMEMORATE ITS 25TH ANNIVERSARY". army.lk/slawc. 17 November 2022. Archived from the original on 2022-11-25.
- ^ "History of the Sri Lanka Army Women's Corps Regiment". army.lk/slawc. Archived from the original on 2019-05-31.
- ^ "Sri Lanka Army Women's Corps, Sri Lanka Army". Sri Lanka Army. Archived from the original on 2007-01-28.
- ^ "War Heroines". army.lk. Sri Lanka Army. Archived from the original on 2019-05-31.
- ^ "Nadeeka LAKMALI". Olympics.com. Archived from the original on 2021-06-24.
- ^ a b "SLAWC Women on the Frontlines". defence.lk. 8 March 2022. Archived from the original on 2022-03-20.