Sri Lankan 4th ARMOURED REGIMENT - Foreign Military Studies ...

In late December 1991 after sixweeks of basic introductory training, thefirst troop of tanks was sea lifted by SriLanka Navy Landing Craft Medium(LCM) to Jaffna. It was an intricateoperation since both tank crews andLCM crew had no prior experience ofloading battle tanks on to an LCM. TheCzech trainers who did not approve ofthis early sea movement watched withshock and awe as drivers maneuveredtanks along a precipitous ridgeline inClappenburg Bay and loaded them on tothe LCM. Despite lack of training orprevious experience the operation wascompleted successfully. The Czechslater complimented the Sri Lankan crewsfor their amazing aptitude and feltconfident that the regiment would dowell.By this time the officers had acquiredsome knowledge and experience toconduct basic courses on driving,gunnery, radio, and live firing trainingfor the tank crews. A jungle areaadjacent to the camp was chosen as atank driving area with improved naturalobstacles for vertical climbing, ditchcrossing and maneuver training. A signposted marking the driving area read“Tankodrome,” a word borrowed fromthe Czech tank vocabulary. Basic troopmaneuvers, harbor drills, and nighttraining were conducted in a teakplantation opposite TrincomaleeMonkey Bridge camp.SLEME personnel along withtank crews were trained on towing drills,tank component changes and otherrecovery drills utilizing the complex butextremely versatile ARVs. Training wasThe Czechs departed aftercompleting the initial training package.not without accidents. A troop leaderlost part of a finger due to incorrect29