[3] In 1970, he was appointed as an instructor conducting the jungle warfare phase for Officer Cadets at the Army Training Center (ATC) in Diyatalawa.

[1] In 1976, Major Wimalaratne served as the liaison officer to the Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi when she took part in the Non-Aligned Summit in Colombo.

[4] The 1st Gajaba Battalion was deployed to the Jaffna peninsula between 1983 and 1984 and again in 1985 with the escalation of the Sri Lankan Civil War.

With the combat engineers clearing a path across, 1st Gajaba Battalion broke-out and reaching the coast, troops from the 1st Brigade defeating the defensive line commanded by the LTTE leader Soosai, made a 90 degree turn undertaking a pincer movement capturing Valvettithurai.

In June 1990, the LTTE laid siege around Jaffna Fort and Wimalaratne played a major role in evacuating the garrison.

On 10 July 1991 the LTTE launched a surprise attack on the strategic base of Elephant Pass and laid siege to the garrison.

Under the Overall Command of Major General Kobbekaduwa, Wimalaratne lead the Amphibious Task Force on a successful landing in the evening of 15 July 1991 after the first attempt was delayed due to heavy resistance from the enemy.

In July 1992, Major General Denzil Kobbekaduwa who was now General Officer Commanding Northern Sector and Brigadier Vijaya Wimalaratne who was the Commander, 21 "Jaffna" Brigade, began planning an offensive code named "Operation Final Countdown" to recapture the northern peninsula from the LTTE.

Final preparations were underway and the senior commanders decided to visit Araly Point on Kayts which was the launching pad for the offensive.

[3] General Vijaya Wimalaratne is considered as the founder of the Gajaba Regiment and one of the finest field commanders of the Sri Lanka Army.

[3] President Chandrika Kumaratunga, appointed a Presidential Commission of Inquiry, made up of Tissa Dias Bandaranayake (Chair), Justice D. P. S. Gunasekera and Gamini Ameratunga, High Court Judge to investigate the death of General Kobbekaduwa.

A report from the Criminal Investigation Department found Hathurusinghe's evidence could not be corroborated, yet Bandaranayake allowed her testimony.

[12] Although the validity of Hathurusinghe's evidence was questioned,[13] The Asia Times commented that "a second and last Presidential Commission came up with highly speculative conclusions.