“WE WILL REMEMBER THEM” “LEST WE FORGET”

?

?Dear All,

?

Please find a flyer giving all the required details of a book that a team of retired officers of the 3 Armed Forces of Sri Lanka has put together in sacred memory of the Fallen in WW 1 and 2 and to remember the great sacrifice of the many unsung Ceylonese volunteers who went to WW 1 as young schoolboy cadets from Royal, St.Thomas', Kingswood and Trinity. Their contribution in WW 1 with their nominal rolls and the state of casualties are recorded as follows.

Royal - 88 enlisted (15 British European / 73 Ceylonese) - 5 KIA, 13 WIA and 3 POWs.?

S.Thomas' - 86 enlisted (28 British European / 58 Ceylonese) - 14 KIA.?

Kingswood - 84 enlisted (25 British European / 59 Ceylonese) - 13 KIA and 15 WIA.?

Trinity - 72 enlisted (27 British European / 45 Ceylonese) - 13 KIA, 18 WIA and 2 POWs.?

Total - 330 enlisted - 45 KIA, 46 WIA and 5 POWs.?

KIA=Killed in Action, WIA=Wounded in Action, POW=Prisoner of War

I hope their sacrifice, service and volunteerism will inspire our present youth and encourage our masters to continue to inspire them to volunteer and serve our nation in the future as well.

Our aim is threefold, first to get 2000 copies printed at cost from the Sri Lanka Navy [who have given their consent and will commence shortly], secondly to add a marble plaque in memory of all the Ceylonese Volunteers in WW 1 & 2 at the Viharamahadevi?Cenotaph and lastly to get state patronage and recognition to make it a National monument. We hope to invite the present generation of schoolboy cadets from these four schools to be in the forefront of our campaign to meet these noble objectives.?Let it inspire the youth of the country for FREEDOM HAS A PRICE.?- LEST WE FORGET -

?

Therefore, to achieve the above we request you all to give it maximum publicity and seek patronage from the old boys [especially the cadets] and those like minded colleagues interested in our military history to purchase a book and pledge to donate whatever they wish to enable us to complete this project successfully. The book is priced at Rs. 600.00 plus postage and handling and?USD 10 plus postage and handling for overseas customers. The book is over 300 pages with coloured images and we have kept the price at a minimum to get maximum patronage and support for this noble cause. We request you to spread the message and collect the funds and send it to the local bank account furnished below from each school separately.

Mr. Quintus Andradhi is a Navy ex-serviceman and part of our team handling our finances and would acknowledge by email all financial contributions and coordinate the delivery of books no sooner they are printed.

?

Payments to be made to

Name????: Quintus Andradi

Bank???????: Hatton National Bank

Branch????: Maharagama

Act. No.???: 009020122822

Swift Code: HBLILKLX

Address?????: 248/3, Arawwala Road.

Pannipitiya,?Sri Lanka

?

Please be informed that an overseas account will be opened shortly and in the interim kindly send the local equivalent through the respective schools to the above mentioned member of our team. Whilst I thank you in advance, I kindly request you to give this message wide publicity and make a positive contribution towards this noble project.

Thank?you.

?

Warm regards,

Brig. Hiran Halangode [Retd]

?

?

VOLUNTEERS FROM CEYLON

WHO SERVED IN THE BRITISH AND COMMONWEALTH FORCES

DURING WORLD WAR 1 [1914-1918] AND WORLD WAR 2 [1939-1945]

Compiled by Group Captain Kumar Kirinde [retd] SLAF

Supported by the following team of Ex-Servicemen and a Military History Enthusiast.

Brig. Hiran Halangode [retd] GW SLA

Wg Cdr [Dr.] Narme Wickremasinghe [retd] SLAF

Major Anton Edema [retd] SLLI SLA

Mr. Quintus Andradi [retd] SLN

Mr. Sidath Abeywickrema - Military History Enthusiast

? ABSTRACT

This abstract is a compilation of records in honour of all Ceylonese who served in the military during the two world wars, based on newspaper articles, historical records and material shared by relatives, military history enthusiasts, and web based information.

?Sri Lanka or Ceylon, as we were known then, played a comparatively important role in the First World War although we were a crown colony of the British Empire. In 1917 the Times of Ceylon estimated that 1,250 volunteers had enlisted for overseas service. At least 351 Ceylon volunteers signed up while in England and another 438 enlisted on their own account. In addition, the ‘Times Fund’ facilitated the expenses for 156 Ceylon volunteers to enlist overseas.

?From the various available nominal rolls and rolls of honour it appears there were minor concentrations of Ceylon volunteers in the Royal Army Medical Corps (apart from Ceylon Sanitary Company), Kings Royal Rifle Corps (KRRC), Middlesex Regiment, Coldstream Guards, Royal Fusiliers, Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA) and the Royal Engineers, Inland Water Transport unit.

?in terms of the 1,250 Ceylon Volunteers estimated, there were 105 fatalities, 84 were Killed in Action and 21 died of wounds. Of the 114 Wounded in Action, 18 were categorised as either missing or Prisoners of War. It goes on to say that of the 330 volunteers from the four English medium schools (Royal, St Thomas, Kingswood and Trinity) approximately 28% were casualties. Some of the volunteers were either students, past students or staff. The nominal rolls and the state of casualties are recorded as follows.

?Royal - 88 enlisted (15 British European / 73 Ceylonese) - 5 KIA, 13 WIA and 3 POWs.

S.Thomas' - 86 enlisted (28 British European / 58 Ceylonese) - 14 KIA.

Kingswood - 84 enlisted (25 British European / 59 Ceylonese) - 13 KIA and 15 WIA.

Trinity - 72 enlisted (27 British European / 45 Ceylonese) - 13 KIA, 18 WIA and 2 POWs.

Total - 330 enlisted - 45 KIA, 46 WIA and 5 POWs.

KIA=Killed in Action, WIA=Wounded in Action, POW=Prisoner of War

?These schoolboy enlistments were possible due to the dedication, patriotism and motivation of the British principals and cadet masters of the four schools. Let their example be emulated by the masters and schoolboy cadets of the present schools in Sri Lanka.

?The outstanding events of the Second World War in Ceylon were the two Japanese air raids on Trincomalee and Colombo in 1942 which was successfully repelled with the downing of over 70 aircraft by the RAF and the Anti-aircraft batteries, most of whom were Ceylonese volunteers.

?The experience of being under enemy fire and its successful defence provided a rare opportunity for the Ceylon Volunteers to show their capabilities in combat very competently.

?The association with many British Army and other allied units enabled the CDF troops to gain much needed experience in Jungle warfare training, the performance of numerous duties including guard duties during war and learning valuable lessons from a professional Army that has stood in good stead for the future. However at the end of the Second World War the CDF was demobilized in 1946 although a cross section of troops attended the Victory parade in London in 1946.

?Then in 1947 when the trade union action caused civil disorder certain CDF personnel were mobilized and used to bring back order to the country.

?The brief history of the CLIV [Ceylon Light Infantry Volunteers] forms the history of the Infantry a0rm in Ceylon and the birth of many units of the Ceylon Volunteer Force which later became the Ceylon Defence Force and the Ceylon / Sri Lanka Army later. The above facts also indicate the lack of trust of the Sinhalese in the early part of British colonial rule which impacted very adversely on the local population, the formation of the Army with indigenous personnel and the administration of the country.

?This situation changed due to the events that took place in the rest of the world and the need to provide the political, economic and social changes to enable the local population to emancipate themselves from abject poverty, whilst being recognized and provided basic needs thus far neglected. Hence the basic infrastructure for the local population was developed through the plantation economy, where the construction of roads, railways, the irrigation system and with the commencement of primary education in the second half of the 19th century.

?Since the administration suffered as a result of the rebellions, the British colonial power was forced to change its strategy of depending only on the European powers and their local elites in Colombo by incorporating the local leaders in the administration of the country over time. They began to understand the Ceylonese way of life and existence which was gradually allowed to be revived although always vary of their own security.

?The lessons we learn are the importance of Security of a country. The priority of serving your motherland and doing all you can without asking what it can do for you instead. The collection of material was compiled by Group Captain Kumar Kirinde [retd] SLAF with the support of the team to record it for posterity, honouring the Fallen and remembering those who volunteered to serve the motherland during the World Wars in its hour of need. Let it inspire the youth of the country for FREEDOM HAS A PRICE. - LEST WE FORGET –

?“Please always remember those of whom that helped to save the country from external and internal threat, by extending to them your gratitude in a way that is worthy of their sacrifice. They hardly talk about it, at least not around other people. But if you find yourself near the cenotaph at Vihara Mahadevi Park or pass by any memorial in our motherland, Sri Lanka, kindly offer a silent prayer of thanks to our Veterans. I can tell you from first hand observation that they appreciate hearing that they are remembered for their sacrifice." -- Brig Hiran Halangode, SLA (GW), Retd –

?PART 1 - CONTENTS

?1. Introduction

?2. Volunteers from Ceylon to fight in the Great War (1914-1918)

?3. Rolls of Honour of volunteers of Royal, St. Thomas’, Kingswood and Trinity Colleges

who fought in the Great War and college memorials built in honour of them.

???????????????????????a. Royalists

???????????????????????b. Thomians

???????????????????????c. Kingswoodians

???????????????????????d. Trintians

?4. Sri Lanka’s National Service of Remembrance

?5. Conclusion

?6. Annexures

???????????????????????A. Pen pictures of Royalists who volunteered to fight in the Great War

???????????????????????B. Pen pictures of Thomians who volunteered to fight the Great War

?(Page left intentionally blank to include details as and when received in the future)

???????????????????????C. Pen pictures of Kingswoodians who volunteered to fight the Great War

???????????????????????D. Pen pictures of Trintians who volunteered to fight the Great War

???????????????E. Names of Ceylon volunteers who died in the Great War as inscribed on the Cenotaph

?PART 2 - CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION: A BRIEF HISTORY OF CEYLON’S FIGHTING MEN AND ARMED UNITS UNDER THE BRITISH

?2. OUTBREAK OF WORLD WAR II AND THE POSITION OF CEYLON

???????????????a. Volunteers from Ceylon to fight for the British Empire and the background in which they had to fight

???????????????b. Ceylon Defence Force

???????????????c. Ceylon Auxiliary Pioneer Battalion

???????????????d. British Army in Ceylon

e. Ceylon Navy Volunteer Force / Ceylon Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve

??????????????f. Royal Navy in Ceylon

??????????????g. Royal Air Force in Ceylon

?3. UNITS OF THE CEYLON DEFENCE FORCE

4. CEYLON VOLUNTEERS WHO JOINED THE CEYLON DEFENCE FORCE (CDF) AND REGIMENTS OF THE BRITISH ARMY

???????????????a. Ceylon Volunteers of WWII: Recorded Names of Ceylonese Volunteers who joined the CDF

????????????????b. Ceylon Volunteers of WWII: Recorded Names of Ceylonese Volunteers who joined the British Army

???????????????c. Ceylon Volunteers in the Ceylon Defence Force – A photo Gallery

???????????????d. Ceylon Volunteers in the British Army: Royal Army Service Corps – A photo Gallery

??????????????e. Ceylon Volunteers in the British Army: Royal Engineers – A photo Gallery

???????????????f. Pen pictures of some of the Ceylon Volunteers who served in the ground forces of the British Commonwealth

???????????????g. 2nd Lt Brian Kriekenbeek: The Lankan soldier who fought the Japanese in Burma and won the Burma Star and the War Medal

???????????????h. Pvt Bonaventure Schofield: The Lankan soldier who fought the Japanese in Kohima, India and won the Burma Star, War Medal, 39-45 Star and Defence Medal

???????????????i. Pvt Senarat Kadigawe: The Lankan ‘Red Berets’ soldier who fought the Germans in Greece and who fought in the Greek civil war after the surrender of Germany and won a Military Medal

?5. CEYLON VOLUNTEERS WHO JOINED THE CEYLON NAVY VOLUNTEER FORCE (CNVF) / CEYLON ROYAL NAVAL VOLUNTEER RESERVE (CRNVR)

???????????????a. Ceylon Volunteers of WWII: Recorded Names of Ceylonese Volunteers who joined the CNVF

???????????????b. Ceylon Volunteers in the CNVF / CRNVR and Royal Navy in Ceylon – A photo Gallery

???????????????????????c. Pen pictures of some of the Ceylon Volunteers who served in the CNVF /CRNVR

???????????????d. In honour of Ceylon Volunteers in the CNVF/CRNVR: Story of Italian navy ship “Eritrea”, Ceylon Navy’s prized ‘catch’

?6. CEYLON VOLUNTEERS WHO JOINED THE ROYAL AIR FORCE (RAF)

???????????????a. Names Ceylon Volunteers of WWII : Recorded Names of Ceylonese Volunteers who joined the RAF

???????????????b. Ceylon Volunteers in the RAF and RAF in Ceylon – A photo Gallery

???????????????c. Pen pictures of some of the Ceylon Volunteers who served in the RAF

d. Dr L H Sumanadasa: The first Lankan to gain a commission in the RAF during the war

? e. Air Vice Marshal Rohan Amarasekera: The only Lankan to win the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC)

? f. Pilot Officer Ananda Kularatne: A son of two prominent Lankan educationists, who went to war

? g. Flight Sergeant Michael (Mickey) Dias Bandaranaike: The Lankan who went to Britain to study law and who opted to go to war

7. CAMPAIGN STARS, CLASPS AND MEDALS AWARDED BY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT IN RECOGNITION OF WARTIME SERVICE

ANNEXURES

???????????????A. World War II - Cocos Island Mutiny: A Summary

???????????????B. World War II - South East Asia Command (SEAC) Headquarters Kandy, Ceylon

???????????????C. World War II - A Ceylon volunteer of the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS), the women’s branch of the British Army

???????????????D. The Ceylon Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve: The historical narrative

E. Ceylon at War: How officers of the Ceylon Light Infantry remember

F. The Burma Campaign and the Ceylon Volunteers who fought

? G. Construction of a RAF airfield in Ceylon during World War II