British Army in Ceylon
Encyclopedia
Ceylon Defence Force was established in 1910 by the Ceylon Defence Force Ordinance of 1910. Which reformed the Ceylon Volunteer Force (CVF) that existed that the time as the (military reserve
) in the British
crown colony
of Ceylon. At the time of forming it was only a (reserve
) force but soon developed into a regular
force responsible for the defence of Ceylon. The CDF was under the command of the General Officer Commanding, Ceylon
of the British Army
in Ceylon if mobilized. However mobilized could be carried out only under orders from the Governor.
Although there were Ceylonese officers much of the officer corps was made up of British officers and the other ranks where mostly Ceylonese with the exception of the Ceylon Planters Rifle Corps
which was completely made up of Europeans.
the CDF was mobilized and expanded. Many volunteers from the Defence Force traveled to England and joined the British Army, and many of them were killed in action. One of them mentioned by Arthur Conan Doyle was Private Jacotine of the CLI, who was the last man left alive in his unit at the Battle of Lys, and who continued to fight for 20 minutes before he was killed. The CPRC sent a force of 8 officers and 229 other ranks commanded by Major J. Hall Brown to the great war. The unit sailed for Egypt on October 1914, and was deployed in defence of the Suez Canal. This unit was officially attached to the Australia New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) and was in 1915 dispatched to Anzac Cove (‘Z’ Beach) on the Gallipoli Peninsula. The CPRC performed operational duties as guards to ANZAC headquarter staff, including the General Officer Commanding ANZAC, Lieutenant General William Birdwood, who remarked, “I have an excellent guard of Ceylon Planters who are such a nice lot of fellows.” According to its onetime Commanding Officer (CO), Colonel T.Y. Wright (1904–1912), the CPRC had sustained overall losses of 80 killed and 99 wounded in the Great War. Soon after the war the last regular military unit to be stationed in Ceylon on garrison duties 80th Carnatics left. This resulted in the CDF becoming a regular military unit with some units like Mobilized Detachment of Ceylon Light Infantry (Mob. Det., CLI) having its volunteer troops mobilized on a fixed basis
(SEAC) and formed part of the British 11th Army Group
. It was sometimes referred to as the British Army in Ceylon during this time. South East Asia Command
under Admiral
Lord Louis Mountbatten had its headquarters located at Kandy
, Ceylon
Troops from the CDF, mainly the Ceylon Light Infantry and the Ceylon Garrison Artillery were placed outside Ceylon undertaking garrison duties on the Seychelles
and the Cocos Islands. In Cocos Islands Mutiny
took place (encouraged by Trotskyist Lanka Sama Samaja Party
) by a few members of the Ceylon Garrison Artillery but was immediately put down by the Ceylon Light Infantry. CLI troops in 1941 escorted Italian
POWs from the Middle East
to Ceylon, and later in 1946 Japanese POWs from Ceylon to India
.
In 1945 reached its wartime peak at 645 officers and 14,247 other ranks. At the center of the expansion was the CLI which grew by 1946 from one to five battalions.
from HMS Glasgow
, who were utilized to deter strikers in Colombo
.
The CDF was officially disbanded on 11 April 1949 and reconstituted by Army Act No. 17 of 1949 which revoked the Ceylon Defence Force Ordinance of 1910 as the Ceylon Volunteer Force (CVF), itself becoming the Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force
(SLAVF) in 1972. Soldiers who had experience in the CDF were actively recruited into the newly constructed regular, and reconstituted volunteer Ceylon Army. In its first few years, and with few exceptions, the only new recruits enlisted were officer cadets and soldiers below the rank of Warrant Officer. Ex-CDF veterans featured prominently in the post-independence regular Ceylon Army until General
D. S. Attygalle
(1967–1977) finished his term as Commander. The last ex-CDF veteran to leave the Army was Brigadier
T.S.B. Sally of the SLAVF, who ended his service tenure in 1979.
s.
Military reserve force
A military reserve force is a military organization composed of citizens of a country who combine a military role or career with a civilian career. They are not normally kept under arms and their main role is to be available to fight when a nation mobilizes for total war or to defend against invasion...
) in the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
crown colony
Crown colony
A Crown colony, also known in the 17th century as royal colony, was a type of colonial administration of the English and later British Empire....
of Ceylon. At the time of forming it was only a (reserve
Military reserve force
A military reserve force is a military organization composed of citizens of a country who combine a military role or career with a civilian career. They are not normally kept under arms and their main role is to be available to fight when a nation mobilizes for total war or to defend against invasion...
) force but soon developed into a regular
Regular Army
The Regular Army of the United States was and is the successor to the Continental Army as the country's permanent, professional military establishment. Even in modern times the professional core of the United States Army continues to be called the Regular Army...
force responsible for the defence of Ceylon. The CDF was under the command of the General Officer Commanding, Ceylon
General Officer Commanding, Ceylon
General Officer Commanding, Ceylon was the designation of the General Officer appointed to command all British Army units stationed in the island of Ceylon during the British colonial administration of the island.-History:...
of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
in Ceylon if mobilized. However mobilized could be carried out only under orders from the Governor.
History
The origins of the CDF can be traced back to the formation of the Ceylon Volunteers (CV) in 1881, whereby the rifle section was designated the 1st battalion Ceylon Light Infantry (CLI). The CV soon became the Ceylon Volunteer Force (CVF) and finally was renamed the Ceylon Defence Force in 1910. Units of the Ceylon Volunteer Force in 1910.- Ceylon Artillery Volunteers
- Ceylon Light Infantry (CLI)
- Ceylon Mounted Infantry (CMI)
- Ceylon Planters Rifle CorpsCeylon Planters Rifle CorpsCeylon Planters Rifle Corps was a regiment attached to the Ceylon Defence Force which was the predecessor to the Sri Lanka Army prior to 1949 when the Ceylon Army was formed...
(CPRC) - Ceylon Volunteer Medical Corps
- Ceylon Engineers
- Cadet Battalion Ceylon Light Infantry
Second Boer War
In 1900 Ceylon Mounted Infantry saw action and in 1902 a contingent of Ceylon Planters Rifle Corps, took part in the Second Boer War in South Africa. Their services were recognized by presentation, in 1902, of a color to the CMI, and a presentation in 1904, of a Banner to the CPRC.Although there were Ceylonese officers much of the officer corps was made up of British officers and the other ranks where mostly Ceylonese with the exception of the Ceylon Planters Rifle Corps
Ceylon Planters Rifle Corps
Ceylon Planters Rifle Corps was a regiment attached to the Ceylon Defence Force which was the predecessor to the Sri Lanka Army prior to 1949 when the Ceylon Army was formed...
which was completely made up of Europeans.
World war I
In 1914 with the out break of World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
the CDF was mobilized and expanded. Many volunteers from the Defence Force traveled to England and joined the British Army, and many of them were killed in action. One of them mentioned by Arthur Conan Doyle was Private Jacotine of the CLI, who was the last man left alive in his unit at the Battle of Lys, and who continued to fight for 20 minutes before he was killed. The CPRC sent a force of 8 officers and 229 other ranks commanded by Major J. Hall Brown to the great war. The unit sailed for Egypt on October 1914, and was deployed in defence of the Suez Canal. This unit was officially attached to the Australia New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) and was in 1915 dispatched to Anzac Cove (‘Z’ Beach) on the Gallipoli Peninsula. The CPRC performed operational duties as guards to ANZAC headquarter staff, including the General Officer Commanding ANZAC, Lieutenant General William Birdwood, who remarked, “I have an excellent guard of Ceylon Planters who are such a nice lot of fellows.” According to its onetime Commanding Officer (CO), Colonel T.Y. Wright (1904–1912), the CPRC had sustained overall losses of 80 killed and 99 wounded in the Great War. Soon after the war the last regular military unit to be stationed in Ceylon on garrison duties 80th Carnatics left. This resulted in the CDF becoming a regular military unit with some units like Mobilized Detachment of Ceylon Light Infantry (Mob. Det., CLI) having its volunteer troops mobilized on a fixed basis
World war II
In 1939 with the Second World War CDF was mobilized and expanded to fortify Ceylon to meet a possible threat posed by the Japanese. CDF came direct command of the South East Asia CommandSouth East Asia Command
South East Asia Command was the body set up to be in overall charge of Allied operations in the South-East Asian Theatre during World War II.-Background:...
(SEAC) and formed part of the British 11th Army Group
British 11th Army Group
The 11th Army Group was the main British Army force in Southeast Asia during the Second World War. Although a nominally British formation, it also included large numbers of troops and formations from the British Indian Army and from British African colonies, and also Nationalist Chinese and United...
. It was sometimes referred to as the British Army in Ceylon during this time. South East Asia Command
South East Asia Command
South East Asia Command was the body set up to be in overall charge of Allied operations in the South-East Asian Theatre during World War II.-Background:...
under Admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
Lord Louis Mountbatten had its headquarters located at Kandy
Kandy
Kandy is a city in the center of Sri Lanka. It was the last capital of the ancient kings' era of Sri Lanka. The city lies in the midst of hills in the Kandy plateau, which crosses an area of tropical plantations, mainly tea. Kandy is one of the most scenic cities in Sri Lanka; it is both an...
, Ceylon
Troops from the CDF, mainly the Ceylon Light Infantry and the Ceylon Garrison Artillery were placed outside Ceylon undertaking garrison duties on the Seychelles
Seychelles
Seychelles , officially the Republic of Seychelles , is an island country spanning an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, some east of mainland Africa, northeast of the island of Madagascar....
and the Cocos Islands. In Cocos Islands Mutiny
Cocos Islands Mutiny
The Cocos Islands Mutiny was a failed mutiny by Ceylonese soldiers against British officers, on the Cocos Islands in May 1942, during the Second World War....
took place (encouraged by Trotskyist Lanka Sama Samaja Party
Lanka Sama Samaja Party
The Lanka Sama Samaja Party is a Trotskyist political party in Sri Lanka....
) by a few members of the Ceylon Garrison Artillery but was immediately put down by the Ceylon Light Infantry. CLI troops in 1941 escorted Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
POWs from the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
to Ceylon, and later in 1946 Japanese POWs from Ceylon to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
In 1945 reached its wartime peak at 645 officers and 14,247 other ranks. At the center of the expansion was the CLI which grew by 1946 from one to five battalions.
Post war
In 1947 the CDF was again mobilised in its last major internal security operation to suppress a left wing Hartal, or mass stoppage of work. The CDF was given additional support by an armed detachment of British Royal MarinesRoyal Marines
The Corps of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, commonly just referred to as the Royal Marines , are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service...
from HMS Glasgow
HMS Glasgow (C21)
The seventh HMS Glasgow , built on the Clyde, was a Southampton-class light cruiser, a sub-class of the Town-class and commissioned in September 1937. She displaced 11,930 tons and had a top speed of 32 knots . She was part of the 2nd Cruiser Squadron of the Home Fleet; she escorted the...
, who were utilized to deter strikers in Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
.
The CDF was officially disbanded on 11 April 1949 and reconstituted by Army Act No. 17 of 1949 which revoked the Ceylon Defence Force Ordinance of 1910 as the Ceylon Volunteer Force (CVF), itself becoming the Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force
Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force
The Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force is the principal and Volunteer reserve force component of the Sri Lanka Army. It is a collective name for the reserve units and the Sri Lanka National Guard of the Sri Lankan Army. The SLAVF is made up of part-time Officers and soldiers paid at a similar rate,...
(SLAVF) in 1972. Soldiers who had experience in the CDF were actively recruited into the newly constructed regular, and reconstituted volunteer Ceylon Army. In its first few years, and with few exceptions, the only new recruits enlisted were officer cadets and soldiers below the rank of Warrant Officer. Ex-CDF veterans featured prominently in the post-independence regular Ceylon Army until General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
D. S. Attygalle
D. S. Attygalle
General Deshamanya Don Sepala Attygalle, LVO, ADC, idc, psc, SLAC was a Sri Lankan military leader, civil servant and diplomat...
(1967–1977) finished his term as Commander. The last ex-CDF veteran to leave the Army was Brigadier
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
T.S.B. Sally of the SLAVF, who ended his service tenure in 1979.
Units of the Ceylon Defence Force
- Ceylon Light Infantry (CLI) (1881–Present)
- Mobilised Detachment of Ceylon Light Infantry (Mob. Det., CLI) (1917–1939)
- Ceylon Garrison Artillery (CGA) (1889–Present)
- Ceylon Planters Rifle CorpsCeylon Planters Rifle CorpsCeylon Planters Rifle Corps was a regiment attached to the Ceylon Defence Force which was the predecessor to the Sri Lanka Army prior to 1949 when the Ceylon Army was formed...
(CPRC) (1887–1949) - Ceylon Cadet Battalion (CCB) (1902–Present)
- Ceylon Mounted RiflesCeylon Mounted RiflesCeylon Mounted Rifles was the only cavalry regiment attached to the Ceylon Defence Force which was the predecessor to the Sri Lanka Army prior to 1949 when the Ceylon Army was formed...
(CMR) (1906–1938) - Ceylon Engineers (CE) (1911–Present)
- Ceylon Medical Corps (CMC) (1911–Present)
- Colombo Town GuardColombo Town GuardColombo Town Guard was regiment attached to the Ceylon Defence Force which was the predecessor to the Sri Lanka Army prior to 1949 when the Ceylon Army was formed. It was a volunteer regiment was based in Colombo.-History:...
(CTG) (1914–1918, 1939–1945) - Town Guard Artillery (TGA) (1914–1939)
- Ceylon Motor Cyclist Corps (CMCC) (1915-N/A)
- Ceylon Supply & Transport Corps (CSTC) (1918–1949)
- Ceylon Signal Corps (CSC) (1943–Present)
- Auxiliary Territorial ServiceAuxiliary Territorial ServiceThe Auxiliary Territorial Service was the women's branch of the British Army during the Second World War...
(Ceylon) (ATS (Ceylon)) (1943–1946) - Royal Military PoliceRoyal Military PoliceThe Royal Military Police is the corps of the British Army responsible for the policing of service personnel, and for providing a military police presence both in the UK, and whilst service personnel are deployed overseas on operations and exercises.Members of the RMP are generally known as...
(Ceylon) (1944–1949)
Ceylon Volunteers
- Lt.Col Francis Conninsby Hannan Clarke CMG,psc,FRGS,FRCI,CLIV(late Colonel RA) 20.04.1888 – 27.08.1893
- Lt.Col Henry Byrde (late 57th Regiment)CLIV 28.08.1893 – 13.05.1896
Ceylon Volunteers Force
- Colonel AFC Vincent (late Scottish Rifles) CMG 13.05.1896 – 31.05.1913
- Major HG Morris(Duke of Cornwalls’ Light Infantry) Acting Commandant 1902
- Lt.Col. Gorden Fraser VD,CLI (Acting) 14.03.1913 – 13.05.1913
Ceylon Defense Force
- Brigadier General RB Fell(late CameronianScottish Rifles) CB, 01.06.1913 – 31.12.1919
- Lt.Col. WGB Dickson CMR(Acting) 06.03.1914
- Lt.Col .EG Hayward VD,CAV(Acting) 07.10.1914
- Lt.Col. TH Chapman OBE,VD(Acting) 01.01.1920 - 21.07.1920
- Brigadier General FMG Rowley CB,CMG,DSO 22.07.1920 – 08.02.1927
- Colonel Albion Earnest Andrews(Late Hampshire Regiment)OBE 09.02.1927 – 14.12.1928
- Lt.Col. GB Stevens VD,CPRC(Acting) 14.12.1928 – 28.04.1929
- Colonel Edward Bromfield Ferrers (Black Watch)DSO 29.04.1929 – 03.03.1935
- Colonel Robert Burton Lesley (The Lincolnshire Regiment)MC 03.03.1935 - 12.05.1937
- Colonel Gorden Calthrop Throne (The Royal Norfolk Regiment) 13.05.1937 – 05.02.1939
- Colonel Reginald Strelley Moresby White(The Leicestershire Regiment)OBE 06.02.1939 – 01.01.1942
- Colonel TG Watson(8th Hussars) 01.01.1942 – 1945
- Colonel RA McGeorge (The Rifle Brigade) 1945 – 1946
- Colonel Randolph Jewell Francis Mendis OBE, ED, BA, (acting) 06.04.1946 – 07.08.1949
Former decorations & medals
From its formation the Ceylon Defence Force used British military decorationMilitary awards and decorations of the United Kingdom
Awards and decorations of the British Military are military orders, decorations and medals which recognize service and personal accomplishments while a member of the British armed forces...
s.
- Ceylon Medal 1818
- Ceylon Overseas Volunteer Service Oval Medallion
- World War I Ceylon Commemorative Medal
- Army Long Service and Good Conduct MedalLong Service and Good Conduct MedalThe Long Service & Good Conduct Medal is a medal awarded by the British Government to members of the British Armed Forces who have completed 15 years of reckonable service.-British Army:...
- Meritorious Service MedalMeritorious Service Medal (United Kingdom)The Meritorious Service Medal is a silver medal for distinguished service, or for gallantry, principally by non-commissioned officers of all of the British armed forces and of Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service.-Summary:...
- Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration
- Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal
- Efficiency Decoration (Ceylon)Efficiency DecorationThe Efficiency Decoration is a defunct medal of Britain and the Commonwealth awarded for long service in the Territorial Army of the UK, the Indian Volunteer Forces and Colonial Auxiliary Forces....
- Efficiency Medal (Ceylon)Efficiency MedalThe Efficiency Medal was a medal of Britain and the Commonwealth awarded for long service in the Territorial Army of the UK, the Indian Volunteer Forces and Colonial Auxiliary Forces....
Notable members
- The Rt. Hon. Don Stephen SenanayakeDon Stephen SenanayakeDon Stephen Senanayake was an independence activist who served as the first Prime Minister of Ceylon from 1947 to 1952.-Early life:...
, CTGColombo Town GuardColombo Town Guard was regiment attached to the Ceylon Defence Force which was the predecessor to the Sri Lanka Army prior to 1949 when the Ceylon Army was formed. It was a volunteer regiment was based in Colombo.-History:...
- First Prime Minister of Ceylon. - GeneralGeneralA general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
SirSirSir is an honorific used as a title , or as a courtesy title to address a man without using his given or family name in many English speaking cultures...
John Lionel KotelawalaJohn KotelawalaGeneral Sir John Lionel Kotelawala, KBE, CH, KStJ, CLI was a Sri Lankan soldier and politician, most notable for serving as the 3rd Prime Minister of Ceylon from 1953 to 1956....
CHOrder of the Companions of HonourThe Order of the Companions of Honour is an order of the Commonwealth realms. It was founded by King George V in June 1917, as a reward for outstanding achievements in the arts, literature, music, science, politics, industry or religion....
, KBEOrder of the British EmpireThe Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, CLI - Third Prime Minister of Ceylon - Captain Henry PedrisHenry PedrisCaptain Duenuge Edward Henry Pedris CTG was a militia officer and a prominent socialite in colonial Ceylon who was executed by British officials for alleged incitement of racial riots in 1915, which were proven false...
, CTGColombo Town GuardColombo Town Guard was regiment attached to the Ceylon Defence Force which was the predecessor to the Sri Lanka Army prior to 1949 when the Ceylon Army was formed. It was a volunteer regiment was based in Colombo.-History:...
- A prominent figure executed by the British. - MajorMajorMajor is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
Hon. E. A. NugawelaE. A. NugawelaMajor E. A. Nugawela, CLI was a Sri Lankan politician. He was the first Cabinet Minister of Education in independent Sri Lanka , later Cabinet Minister of Health , a Member of Parliament & State Council. He is noted for the educational reforms and expansion of the number of state schools during...
, CLI - former Minister of Education (of the first cabinet 1948), Member of Parliament & State Council - Major GeneralMajor GeneralMajor general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
Anton MuttukumaruAnton MuttukumaruMajor General Anton M. Muttukumaru, OBE, ED, ADC, CLI was the first Ceylonese Army officer to serve as Commander of the Ceylon Army , a post he held from 1955 to 1959. He also served as Ceylon's High Commissioner to Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan and Ambassador to Egypt.-Early life and...
OBE, EDEfficiency DecorationThe Efficiency Decoration is a defunct medal of Britain and the Commonwealth awarded for long service in the Territorial Army of the UK, the Indian Volunteer Forces and Colonial Auxiliary Forces....
, CLI - First Ceylonese Commander of the Ceylon ArmyCommander of the Army (Sri Lanka)Commander of the Army is the title of the professional head of the Sri Lanka Army. The current Commander of the Army is Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya...
(1955–1959) - Major GeneralMajor GeneralMajor general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
H.W.G. Wijeyekoon OBE, EDEfficiency DecorationThe Efficiency Decoration is a defunct medal of Britain and the Commonwealth awarded for long service in the Territorial Army of the UK, the Indian Volunteer Forces and Colonial Auxiliary Forces....
, CLI - Former Commander of the Ceylon ArmyCommander of the Army (Sri Lanka)Commander of the Army is the title of the professional head of the Sri Lanka Army. The current Commander of the Army is Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya...
(1960–1963) - Major GeneralMajor GeneralMajor general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
A.R. Udugama MBEMBEMBE can stand for:* Mail Boxes Etc.* Management by exception* Master of Bioethics* Master of Bioscience Enterprise* Master of Business Engineering* Master of Business Economics* Mean Biased Error...
, CLI - Former Commander of the Ceylon ArmyCommander of the Army (Sri Lanka)Commander of the Army is the title of the professional head of the Sri Lanka Army. The current Commander of the Army is Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya...
(1964–1966) - Major GeneralMajor GeneralMajor general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
B.R. Heyn, CLI - Former Commander of the Ceylon ArmyCommander of the Army (Sri Lanka)Commander of the Army is the title of the professional head of the Sri Lanka Army. The current Commander of the Army is Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya...
(1966–1967) - GeneralGeneralA general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
D. S. AttygalleD. S. AttygalleGeneral Deshamanya Don Sepala Attygalle, LVO, ADC, idc, psc, SLAC was a Sri Lankan military leader, civil servant and diplomat...
MVO, CLI - Former Commander of the Sri Lankan ArmyCommander of the Army (Sri Lanka)Commander of the Army is the title of the professional head of the Sri Lanka Army. The current Commander of the Army is Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya...
(1967–1977) - LieutenantLieutenantA lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
Basil Arthur HorsfallBasil Arthur HorsfallSecond Lieutenant Basil Arthur Horsfall, VC was a British-Ceylonese recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Early life:Born on 4 October 1887 in Colombo, Ceylon , Horsfall...
, VCVictoria CrossThe Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, ELREast Lancashire RegimentThe East Lancashire Regiment was, from 1881 to 1958, an infantry regiment of the British Army. The regiment was formed under the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of two 30th and 59th Regiments of Foot with the militia and rifle volunteer units of eastern Lancashire...
- only Ceylonese to win a Victoria CrossVictoria CrossThe Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories.... - ColonelColonelColonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Fredrick C. de Saram, OBE, CA - former commanding officer Ceylon Artillery and the leader of the Attempted military coup in 1962Attempted military coup in Ceylon, 1962The 1962 Ceylonese coup d'état attempt was a failed military coup planned in Sri Lanka . Several Christian senior military and policy officers planned to topple the democratically elected government of Prime Minister Mrs... - BombardierBombardier (rank)Bombardier is a rank used in artillery units in the armies of Commonwealth countries instead of corporal. Lance-bombardier is used instead of lance-corporal....
Gratien FernandoGratien FernandoBombardier Gratien Fernando CGA was the leader of the Cocos Islands Mutiny, an agitator for the freedom of Sri Lanka from the British....
, CGA - leader of the Cocos Islands MutinyCocos Islands MutinyThe Cocos Islands Mutiny was a failed mutiny by Ceylonese soldiers against British officers, on the Cocos Islands in May 1942, during the Second World War....