The Sri Lanka Army Women's Corps (SLAWC) is a corps of the Sri Lanka Army. The corps was raised on 1 September 1979. The regimental headquarters of this corps is at Borella, Colombo. Initially, members of this corps were employed in non-combat staff duties but later were employed in field duties.

History

The corps was created by the help of the British Army's Women's Royal Army Corps (WRAC) and 3 women were sent to Britain for eight months long officer training who returned to Sri Lanka in August 1979 and were taken into the women's corps in November of the same year. Lieutenant Colonel A.W. Thambiraja who was later promoted to Brigadier was the first commanding officer of this corps and Lieutenant Colonel Kumudini Weerasekara was the first female commanding officer. Instructors from Britain's WRAC came to Sri Lanka in 1980 to train Sri Lankan females for women's corps and 10 women were trained into the Army Training Centre, Diyatalawa for one month, and after passing out they were directly given the corporal rank. In 1981 45 females were recruited and were given training of clerical works and exchange operators, this was the first batch of females who were in the rank private, the second batch of female privates was taken in the same year who were also given training on clerical duties and also signal duties. In 1984, the fifth batch of female privates was taken, and this batch was given light machine gun training, this was the first batch of the women's corps where weapon training was conducted. In the late 1980s, 8 women were taken into the Vadamarachchi Operation, this was the first combat operation where women's corps members participated.

Units

Regular

Volunteer

Notable members

Order of precedence

External links and sources