T. N. De Silva
Encyclopedia
Major General
T. N. De Silva, USP
, psc, SLAC
(1939 - ) is a Sri Lanka
n general
, who was the former General Officer Commanding
, 21 Division;, Commandant
, Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force
, Brigade Commander Armoured Brigade and Director, National Cadet Corps
.
. Thereafter he was commissioned in to the 1st Reconnaissance Regiment, Ceylon Armoured Corps in 1963 as a Second Lieutenant
. He underwent training at the Royal Armoured Corps Training Centre
and took the Armour Officers Advanced Course in India.
to the Army Commander, staff officer of the General Staff, Recruiting Officer and Adjutant of the Ceylon Cadet Corps.
As the Commanding officer
he commanded the NCOs' Training wing / Recruit Training school at the Army Training Centre in Diyatalawa
and later the Sri Lanka Military Academy
. After serving in the Security Forces Headquarters – Jaffna, he became the Commandant of the Infantry Training Centre in Minneriya
before returning to Jaffna as Deputy Commander, Security Force Headquarters, Jaffna. During the Insurrection 1987-89 he served as Military Coordinator of the Gampaha District.
Becoming the Director of Armour, he became the Brigade Commander of the Independent Armoured Brigade and later the 21 Brigade and the 33 Brigade. Thereafter he was appointed Director of Personnel Administration at the Army Headquarters
, then the ommandant, Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Forces and eneral Officer Commanding, 21 Division. He was the Regimental Commander, Sri Lanka Armoured Corps and later the Director, National Cadet Corps.
General De Silva is a graduate of the Command and Staff College
. He was awarded the Uttama Seva Padakkama
(USP), the Sri Lanka Armed Services Long Service Medal
, the Ceylon Armed Services Long Service Medal
, the Purna Bhumi Padakkama
.
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
T. N. De Silva, USP
Uttama Seva Padakkama
The Uttama Seva Padakkama is presented to all ranks of the Regular Forces of the Sri Lankan military for valuable service and dedication to duty with the outstanding ability, merit and excellent conduct, given that they count not less than 15 years continuous and uninterrupted service and possess...
, psc, SLAC
Sri Lanka Armoured Corps
The Sri Lanka Armoured Corps is currently a collection of six regular regiments and a volunteer regiment. It has an independent Armoured Brigade and provides the armour capability of the Sri Lankan Army, with vehicles such as the T-55, T-55AM2, and Type 69 main battle tanks, the BMP infantry...
(1939 - ) is a Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
n general
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
, who was the former General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding is the usual title given in the armies of Commonwealth nations to a general officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, a general might be the GOC II Corps or GOC 7th Armoured Division...
, 21 Division;, Commandant
Commandant
Commandant is a senior title often given to the officer in charge of a large training establishment or academy. This usage is common in anglophone nations...
, Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force
Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force
The Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force 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,...
, Brigade Commander Armoured Brigade and Director, National Cadet Corps
National Cadet Corps (Sri Lanka)
The National Cadet Corps is the Sri Lankan military cadet corps and is a Ministry of Defence sponsored youth organisation in the Sri Lanka. Formally the Ceylon Cadet Corps It is open to high school students on voluntary basis and has a history of more than 126 years as of 2007. The officers are...
.
Education
Educated at Royal College, Colombo, Balasuriya joined the army in 1962 after leaving school and revived officer training at the Indian Military AcademyIndian Military Academy
The Indian Military Academy, Dehradun is the officer training school of the Indian Army. IMA was established in 1932.-Demands for an Indian military training academy:...
. Thereafter he was commissioned in to the 1st Reconnaissance Regiment, Ceylon Armoured Corps in 1963 as a Second Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
. He underwent training at the Royal Armoured Corps Training Centre
Bovington Camp
Bovington Camp is a British Army base in Dorset, England.It is home to The Armour Centre, formerly the Royal Armoured Corps Centre and includes Allenby Barracks and Stanley Barracks. Bovington Tank Museum is adjoining....
and took the Armour Officers Advanced Course in India.
Military career
After serving as a Troop Leader in the Ceylon Armoured Corps, he served as Officer Instructor, Aide-de-CampAide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
to the Army Commander, staff officer of the General Staff, Recruiting Officer and Adjutant of the Ceylon Cadet Corps.
As the Commanding officer
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
he commanded the NCOs' Training wing / Recruit Training school at the Army Training Centre in Diyatalawa
Diyatalawa
Diyatalawa is a garrison town in the central highlands of Sri Lanka, in the Badulla District of Uva Province. It is at an altitude of and has become a popular destination for local holiday makers...
and later the Sri Lanka Military Academy
Sri Lanka Military Academy
The Sri Lanka Military Academy , commonly known simply as Diyatalawa, is the Sri Lanka Army's officer initial training centre located in the garrison town of Diyatalawa in the central highlands of Sri Lanka....
. After serving in the Security Forces Headquarters – Jaffna, he became the Commandant of the Infantry Training Centre in Minneriya
Minneriya
Minneriya is a small town in Sri Lanka, and is famous for two things , for the great Minneriya lake build by King Mahasen and for the Minneriya National Park which is a hot spot for safari lovers because of the abandons of Elephants...
before returning to Jaffna as Deputy Commander, Security Force Headquarters, Jaffna. During the Insurrection 1987-89 he served as Military Coordinator of the Gampaha District.
Becoming the Director of Armour, he became the Brigade Commander of the Independent Armoured Brigade and later the 21 Brigade and the 33 Brigade. Thereafter he was appointed Director of Personnel Administration at the Army Headquarters
Army Headquarters (Sri Lanka)
Army Headquarters refers to the military headquarters complex of the Sri Lanka Army. Situated next to Galle Face Green and long the Lower Lake Road, this complex also includes the Ministry of Defence. Apart from operational and administrative offices, it contains the regimental centers of several...
, then the ommandant, Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Forces and eneral Officer Commanding, 21 Division. He was the Regimental Commander, Sri Lanka Armoured Corps and later the Director, National Cadet Corps.
General De Silva is a graduate of the Command and Staff College
Command and Staff College
The Command and Staff College was established in 1907 at Quetta, Balochistan, British Raj, now in Pakistan, and is the oldest and the most prestigious institution of the Pakistan Army. It was established in 1905 in Deolali and moved to its present location at Quetta in 1907 under the name of Quetta...
. He was awarded the Uttama Seva Padakkama
Uttama Seva Padakkama
The Uttama Seva Padakkama is presented to all ranks of the Regular Forces of the Sri Lankan military for valuable service and dedication to duty with the outstanding ability, merit and excellent conduct, given that they count not less than 15 years continuous and uninterrupted service and possess...
(USP), the Sri Lanka Armed Services Long Service Medal
Sri Lanka Armed Services Long Service Medal
The Sri Lanka Armed Services Long Service Medal shall be granted to All regular officers and other ranks of the Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka Navy and Sri Lanka Air Force, who complete 12 years continuous service and whose character and conduct have been irreproachable and who are recommended by their...
, the Ceylon Armed Services Long Service Medal
Ceylon Armed Services Long Service Medal
The Ceylon Armed Services Long Service Medal was a service medal of Ceylon from 1968 to 1972. It was granted to all ranks of the Regular Forces of the Ceylon Army, Royal Ceylon Navy and Royal Ceylon Air Force, who complete 12 years service as defined in the regulations of the respective warrants...
, the Purna Bhumi Padakkama
Purna Bhumi Padakkama
The Purna Bhumi Padakkama is presented to all ranks of the Regular and Volunteer Forces of the military of the Republic of Sri Lanka and the Sri Lanka Police, who have served in the districts of:* Jaffna since July 22, 1977....
.