Military Academy Sandhurst for officer training, along with G. H. De Silva and two other Ceylonese cadets in the 29th Intake. Returning to Ceylon in 1962, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the 1st Reconnaissance Regiment, Ceylon Armoured Corps. A few months later he returned to the United Kingdom to follow the regimental signal officers course. Promoted to lieutenant, he was attached to the Royal Armoured Corps training unit at Bovington Camp for a six months armoured fighting vehicle training course in 1964. Returning in 1965, he rejoined the 1st Reconnaissance Regiment. Suspension In 1967, Kobbekaduwa was sent on compulsory leave following an alleged coup d'état attempt in which the commander of the Ceylon Army, Major General Richard Udugama, who was a Kandian and a kinsman of Kobbekaduwa was implicated. He spent his suspension focused farming and on rugby. Having played rugby in school, he played for the Army Sports Club in the Clifford Cup tournament and then represented Ceylon. Joining the Kandy Sports Club, he led the team to become runners-up to the Clifford Cup in 1969. He also coached his school and national rugby teams. Later he refereed and administered the game on a national level. He was also a board member of the Duncan White Sports Foundation. Marriage and family During this time while playing for the Kandy Sports Club Kobbekaduwa met Lalini Ratwatte, younger daughter of Kenneth and Merle Ratwatte. They married in December 1970. They had two daughters and a son. Insurrection Following the 1970 general elections in which the another kinsman Sirima Bandaranaike was elected prime minister, Kobbekaduwa was cleared of all charges and reinstated to active service as a captain. Thereafter, he was attached to the Army's Field Security Detachment under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Anuruddha Ratwatte. The Field Security Detachment was tasked with identifying internal threats to and safe guarding the prime minister, following the Bandaranaike's experience in the 1962 attempted coup d'état. Based on investigations by the military police unit under his command, Kobbekaduwa warned the government that a youth insurrection was imminent. The warnings materialized when the JVP insurrection started on 5 April 1971, taking the government and the military unprepared in its scale and magnitude. Soon after the start of the insurrection, Kobbekaduwa was placed in charge of security of Prime Minister Sirima Bandaranaike. Staff officer He was promoted to the rank of major in June