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529:(CDS). He was the first serving Army Commander in the country to hold the post of CDS. During his tenure, he was the first foreign military chief to visit the line of control after the ceasefire agreement between Pakistan and India was signed and as well attended the sixth Chiefs of Defence Staff Conference in Hawaii and the fifth Chiefs of Defence Conference in Singapore. He was succeeded by Lieutenant General
159:
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from August 1975 to
October 1975, then returned to Deolali from August 1977 to September 1978 for the Long Gunnery Staff Officers Course (Field) qualifying as an Instructor Gunnery (IG) and was promoted to the rank of Major in October 1978. He attended the Senior Officers Artillery Implementation
438:, serving from 1990 to 1994, having been promoted to the rank of Brigadier in April 1991. In 1993, Brigadier Balagalle was found at fault along with several other senior officers for their failure to prevent a major attack by the LTTE by a
394:(JOC) as the GSO 2 operations, he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in December 1985 and then served as GSO 1, where he was tasked with the military intelligence operations of the JOC, playing a major role in planning the
524:
operations and established the
Institute of Peace Support Operations Training in Kukuleganga in conjunction with the US Army Pacific Command. On Army Day, 10 October 2003, he received concurrent appointment as
1061:
458:
of the 4 Brigade and the
Artillery Brigade as well as Area Headquarters Wanni (1994). From January 1996 to December 1996, he attended the National Security and Strategic Studies Course at the
517:. He was the first officer cadet to be trained locally at the Army Training Centre to become the commander of the army. During his tenure, the army began deploying troops for
622:
422:
on 12 November 1989 following his capture and subsequent disappearance. He attended the
Intelligence Security Course and the Intelligence Security Command Course in the
1260:
427:
285:
1305:
1054:
630:
1300:
1285:
594:
816:
1047:
716:
His badges include: Sri Lanka
Artillery Regimental Identification Badge, Instructor in Gunnery Badge and the Sri Lanka Artillery Training School Badge.
783:
475:
1265:
1082:
349:
from
September 1971 to February 1972 for the Artillery Young Officers Course (Field/CB), having been promoted to the rank of captain in October 1971.
479:
435:
289:
1020:
526:
487:
277:
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1275:
626:
398:. Promoted to Colonel in December 1988, he served as the Colonel General Staff of the JOC, directing intelligence gathering in subduing the
391:
1290:
709:
321:
Balagalle studied medicine before he joined the Ceylon Army as an
Officer Cadet on 5 April 1965. Receiving his basic training at the
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994:
510:
273:
182:
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459:
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General
Balagalle married his wife Gnana and they had three children. His son Lakmal Balagalle was also an artillery officer.
482:. In latter role, he conducted several offensive operations code named Rivibala (1998) and Ranagosha 1-4 (1999). Returning to
399:
374:
373:
in operations and training. He then served as
General Staff Officer (Grade 2) at HQ Jaffna; Staff Officer (Grade 2) Admin at
923:
687:
694:
602:
370:
948:
533:
on 30 June 2004 as
Commander of the Army. He continued as CDS until his retirement on 1 September 2005, with the rank of
682:
554:
308:
for his secondary education. He excelled in sports winning college colours. He was a senior school prefect and a cadet.
93:
300:
Born in Colombo, both Balagalle's parents were teachers. Having received his primary education in a rural school in
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45:
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due to a brief illness at the age of 75. His funeral was carried out on 28 October 2023 at the
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and SO2 Logistics at Special Force HQ. He attended the Intelligence Staff Officers Course in
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on 5 April 1967 and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant February 1969. As a
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470:, Task Force 2 (for Elephant Pass, Pooneryn, Mullaitivu and Vavuniya areas),
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119:
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25:
784:"Former army commander's final rites held with full military honours"
334:
884:"BBC News | SOUTH ASIA | Sri Lanka 'needs more troops'"
378:
1043:
284:
operations within the Sri Lanka Army, having founded the
846:. Colombo: Piyasiri Printing Systems. pp. 215–216.
581:(RSP) for gallantry; the distinguished service medals,
748:
CDS &; ARMY CHIEF LT. GEN BALAGALLE BIDS AU REVOIR
426:
in September 1989. Colonel Balagalle became the first
337:, he took part in counterinsurgency operations in the
486:, he served as Deputy Chief of Staff and thereafter
410:, that he and Colonel Balagalle were present at the
188:
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153:
145:
125:
107:
83:
60:
23:
949:Former Army Commander Lionel Balagalle passes away
623:50th Independence Anniversary Commemoration Medal
494:of the Military Intelligence Corps (1997–1998).
476:Commander Security Forces Headquarters – Jaffna
265:(15 June 1947 – 26 October 2023), was a senior
858:"Ananda Icons | Dailynews.lk - Sri Lanka"
631:Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force Centenary Medal
480:Commander Security Forces Headquarters – Wanni
1055:
8:
595:Sri Lanka Armed Services Long Service Medal
1062:
1048:
1040:
975:
20:
817:"Army Headquarters Special Part 1 Orders"
778:
776:
774:
772:
770:
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1261:Chiefs of the Defence Staff (Sri Lanka)
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735:
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1306:National Defence College, India alumni
573:His military decorations included the
1021:Chief of Staff of the Sri Lankan Army
627:Sri Lanka Army 50th Anniversary Medal
7:
1301:Sri Lanka Military Academy graduates
1286:Military Intelligence Corps officers
286:Directorate of Military Intelligence
466:in April 1996. Balagalle served as
16:Sri Lankan army general (1947–2023)
553:He died on 26 October 2023 at the
14:
1071:Commanders of the Sri Lankan Army
617:with Clasp. He also received the
428:Director of Military Intelligence
375:Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force HQ
1266:Commanders of the Sri Lanka Army
1229:
995:Commander of the Sri Lankan Army
900:. Sri Lanka Army. Archived from
708:
703:
698:
693:
686:
681:
676:
671:
664:
659:
654:
649:
642:
637:
607:Riviresa Campaign Services Medal
513:and was promoted to the rank of
511:Commander of the Sri Lankan Army
502:On 24 August 2000, he succeeded
462:and was promoted to the rank of
414:during the interrogation of the
357:Captain Balagalle served as the
323:Army Training Centre, Diyatalawa
219:
210:
201:
192:
183:Commander of the Sri Lankan Army
157:
132:
112:
615:North and East Operations Medal
367:General Staff Officer (Grade 3)
274:Commander of the Sri Lanka Army
1015:Major General Patrick Fernando
619:President's Inauguration Medal
280:. He is known for formalising
1:
603:Vadamarachchi Operation Medal
498:Commander of the Army and CDS
1281:Sri Lanka Artillery officers
1276:Sinhalese military personnel
842:Chandraprema, C. A. (2012).
436:Military Intelligence Corps
325:, he was commissioned as a
290:Military Intelligence Corps
1322:
759:An officer and a gentleman
583:Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya
555:Army Hospital, Narahenpita
527:Chief of the Defence Staff
488:Chief of Staff of the Army
468:General Officer Commanding
400:1987–1989 JVP insurrection
390:Having transferred to the
278:Chief of the Defence Staff
236:Lionel Piyananda Balagalle
216:Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya
94:Army Hospital, Narahenpita
1291:Ceylon Cadet Corps cadets
1227:
1077:
1027:
1018:
1012:
1001:
992:
983:
978:
440:military court of inquiry
361:of the 3rd(V) Battalion,
1296:Alumni of Ananda College
1271:Sri Lankan full generals
559:Borella General Cemetery
460:National Defence College
454:Balagalle had served as
392:Joint Operations Command
296:Early life and education
575:Rana Wickrama Padakkama
396:Vadamarachchi Operation
345:School of Artillery in
341:and later attended the
198:Rana Wickrama Padakkama
898:"Past Army Commanders"
591:Videsha Seva Padakkama
406:mention's in his book
365:, before serving as a
611:Purna Bhumi Padakkama
587:Uttama Seva Padakkama
563:full military honours
386:Military intelligence
382:Course in Pakistan.
339:1971 JVP Insurrection
329:in the 4th Regiment,
282:military intelligence
225:Uttama Seva Padakkama
146:Years of service
474:. He then served as
412:HQ Operation Combine
272:, who served as the
1004:Lieutenant General
988:Srilal Weerasooriya
986:Lieutenant General
579:Rana Sura Padakkama
507:Srilal Weerasooriya
408:A Soldier's Version
207:Rana Sura Padakkama
173:Sri Lanka Artillery
31:Lionel P. Balagalle
601:; campaign medals
515:lieutenant general
492:Colonel Commandant
490:. He was also the
444:Battle of Pooneryn
432:Commanding Officer
1238:
1237:
1038:
1037:
1028:Succeeded by
1006:Shantha Kottegoda
1002:Succeeded by
979:Military offices
904:on 30 August 2012
531:Shantha Kottegoda
484:Army Headquarters
456:Brigade Commander
404:Sarath Munasinghe
371:Army Headquarters
327:second lieutenant
317:Artillery officer
230:
229:
1313:
1233:
1064:
1057:
1050:
1041:
1013:Preceded by
984:Preceded by
976:
965:Lionel Balagalle
952:
946:
940:
939:
937:
935:
930:on 30 March 2013
926:. Archived from
920:
914:
913:
911:
909:
894:
888:
887:
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874:
873:
871:
869:
860:. Archived from
854:
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847:
839:
833:
832:
830:
828:
823:. Sri Lanka Army
813:
796:
795:
793:
791:
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761:
756:
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712:
707:
702:
697:
690:
685:
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668:
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658:
653:
646:
641:
420:Rohana Wijeweera
402:. Major General
331:Ceylon Artillery
264:
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196:
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138:
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335:troop commander
319:
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312:Military career
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87:26 October 2023
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1059:
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1044:
1036:
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1030:Major General
1029:
1026:
1017:
1014:
1010:
1009:
1003:
1000:
991:
985:
981:
980:
974:
973:
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959:External links
957:
954:
953:
941:
924:"PresidentCBK"
915:
889:
875:
864:on 7 July 2009
849:
834:
797:
786:. Sunday Times
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751:
724:
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635:
577:(RWP) and the
570:
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550:
547:
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519:United Nations
499:
496:
451:
450:Higher command
448:
442:following the
424:United Kingdom
387:
384:
354:
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318:
315:
313:
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306:Ananda College
304:, he attended
297:
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267:Sri Lanka Army
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185:
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155:
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140:Sri Lanka Army
129:
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91:(aged 76)
85:
81:
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78:British Ceylon
62:
58:
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1032:Janaka Perera
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970:Outlook India
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541:Personal life
540:
538:
536:
532:
528:
523:
522:peace keeping
520:
516:
512:
508:
505:
497:
495:
493:
489:
485:
481:
477:
473:
469:
465:
464:Major General
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457:
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429:
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417:
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353:Staff officer
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39:
27:
22:
19:
1172:
1167:Weerasooriya
1019:
993:
968:
944:
932:. Retrieved
928:the original
918:
908:17 September
906:. Retrieved
902:the original
892:
878:
866:. Retrieved
862:the original
852:
843:
837:
825:. Retrieved
820:
788:. Retrieved
754:
715:
692:
670:
648:
636:
572:
552:
544:
501:
453:
407:
389:
363:Gemunu Watch
356:
320:
299:
235:
231:
89:(2023-10-26)
71:15 June 1947
33:ලයනල් බලගල්ල
18:
1256:2023 deaths
1251:1947 births
1149:Waidyaratne
1137:Seneviratne
1095:Muttukumaru
569:Decorations
472:51 Division
343:Indian Army
1245:Categories
1209:Senanayake
1191:Jayasuriya
1143:Wanasinghe
1131:Weeratunga
1101:Wijeyekoon
1025:1999–2000
999:2000–2004
844:Gota's War
827:30 October
790:30 October
720:References
613:, and the
108:Allegiance
67:1947-06-15
1197:Ratnayake
1179:Kottegoda
1173:Balagalle
1161:Daluwatte
1119:Attygalle
951:News Wire
302:Ratnapura
149:1967–2005
120:Sri Lanka
102:Sri Lanka
1221:Liyanage
1203:De Silva
1155:De Silva
1083:Sinclair
593:and the
359:adjutant
288:and the
276:and the
179:Commands
126:Service/
1185:Fonseka
1107:Udugama
821:army.lk
589:(USP),
585:(VSV),
535:general
504:General
434:of the
418:leader
369:at the
347:Deolali
270:officer
233:General
163:General
98:Colombo
74:Colombo
26:General
1125:Perera
934:14 May
868:14 May
189:Awards
137:
128:branch
117:
1215:Silva
599:Clasp
561:with
549:Death
260:
258:,
253:
251:,
246:
244:,
1113:Heyn
1089:Reid
936:2013
910:2014
870:2013
829:2023
792:2023
597:and
478:and
430:and
379:Pune
169:Unit
154:Rank
84:Died
61:Born
1219:24
1213:23
1207:22
1201:21
1195:20
1189:19
1183:18
1177:17
1171:16
1165:15
1159:14
1153:13
1147:12
1141:11
1135:10
967:at
509:as
416:JVP
292:.
262:USP
255:VSV
248:RSP
241:RWP
54:VSP
50:USP
46:VSV
42:RSP
38:RWP
1247::
1129:9
1123:8
1117:7
1111:6
1105:5
1099:4
1093:3
1087:2
1081:1
819:.
800:^
765:^
728:^
633:.
629:,
625:,
621:,
609:,
605:,
565:.
537:.
446:.
238:,
100:,
96:,
76:,
52:,
48:,
44:,
40:,
1063:e
1056:t
1049:v
938:.
912:.
886:.
872:.
831:.
794:.
69:)
65:(
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