Richard Udugama
Encyclopedia
Major General
Deshamanya
Alexander Richard Udugama, MBE
, psc, CSR (19??— May 14, 1995) was a Sri Lanka
n military leader, politician
and diplomat
. Former Commander of the Ceylon Army
(1964–1966), he was elected as Member of Parliament
for Matale in 1970 and served as Sri Lankan Ambassador to Iraq
from 1979 to 1982. He was accused of an alleged coup d'état
in 1966.
to a rich family, who claimed to be linked to the Uva Rebellion
. Educated at Trinity College, Kandy
and won the The Trinity Lion
.
, he joined the Ceylon Defence Force and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant
in the Ceylon Light Infantry in 1940. Thereafter he was posted to the 1st, 3rd and 4th Battalions of the Ceylon Light Infantry and under took several infantry courses in Ceylon and India. He was promoted to the rank of Captain on 1 January 1943. In November 1943, he was transferred to the British 14thh Army operating in Burma Campaign
. During this time he served with the 7/2nd Punjab Regiment
in the Arakan area, on the eastern side of Mayu Range. At this point he was captured Japanese and held in a POW camp until the end of the war in 1945. For his war service he was awarded the Burma Star
, the Defence Medal and the War Medal 1939–1945
. After the war, he was demobilized and became a planter. However he joined the new Ceylon Army when it was established in 1949 as a regular officer with the rank of Major
.
By the early 1960s he had reached the rank of Colonel
and was attached to the Ceylon Sinha Regiment
as it's commanding officer and was stationed in Jaffna
as Commanding Officer, Troops Jaffna. There he was noted for breaking up a protest organized by the Federal Party.
Following the 1962 attempt coup d'état he was brought back to Colombo and appointed Commander of the Ceylon Army in 1964, by passing seven more senior officers after Major General H.W.G. Wijeyekoon had to retired in 1963. He was the first Sinhala-Buddhist Army Commander with the rank of Brigadier
.
. He was arrested on the charges of plotting a coup against
the government of Prime Minister Dudley Senanayake
in what was known as the Bathroom coup
.
He was held at the Welikada Prison
for three years as the trial took place and the Supreme Court found him not guilty and acquitted him of all charges. His councils were Neville Samarakoon
, QC
and Tissa Wijeyeratne
.
seat from the Sri Lanka Freedom Party
and was elected as a Member of Parliament
which he held till 1977. By the late 1970s be came a supporter of the United National Party
and in 1979 he was appointed as Sri Lankan Ambassador to Iraq until 1982. The government of Sri Lanka bestowed the title of Deshamanya
and on his death in 1995 a State funeral was granted with full Military honours.
of Udu Nuwara and sister of Colonel Allan Nugawela. They had a son and a daughter.
Major General
Major 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...
Deshamanya
Deshamanya
Deshamanya is the second highest Sri Lankan national honour awarded by the Government of Sri Lanka as a civil honour.It is conventionally used as a title or prefix to the awardee's name....
Alexander Richard Udugama, MBE
Order of the British Empire
The 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...
, psc, CSR (19??— May 14, 1995) was a Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
n military leader, politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
. Former Commander of the Ceylon Army
Commander 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), he was elected as Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Matale in 1970 and served as Sri Lankan Ambassador to Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
from 1979 to 1982. He was accused of an alleged coup d'état
1966 alleged Ceylonese coup d'état attempt
The 1966 alleged Ceylonese coup d'état attempt was an alleged military coup planned in Sri Lanka . The commander of the army and several military personal were arrested...
in 1966.
Early life
He was born in MataleMatale
Matale is a town in the hill country of Sri Lanka, from Colombo and from Kandy. It is an area steeped in history and village living. The mayor of Matale is Hilmy Careem, as of May, 2006....
to a rich family, who claimed to be linked to the Uva Rebellion
Uva Rebellion
The Great Rebellion of 1817-1818, also known as the 1818 Uva-Wellassa Uprising, , or simply the Uva Rebellion was the third Kandyan War with the British, in what is now Sri Lanka...
. Educated at Trinity College, Kandy
Trinity College, Kandy
Trinity College, Kandy founded in 1872 by Anglican missionaries, is an Independent elite private boys’ school providing primary and secondary education in Sri Lanka...
and won the The Trinity Lion
The Trinity Lion
The Trinity Lion is the most prestigious award a sportsman can achieve at Trinity College, Kandy. The first Rugby Lions were awarded in 1915, to A. Halangoda and R. Ondaatje. Since then there have been 129 Rugby Lionsmen...
.
Military career
With the out break of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he joined the Ceylon Defence Force and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
in the Ceylon Light Infantry in 1940. Thereafter he was posted to the 1st, 3rd and 4th Battalions of the Ceylon Light Infantry and under took several infantry courses in Ceylon and India. He was promoted to the rank of Captain on 1 January 1943. In November 1943, he was transferred to the British 14thh Army operating in Burma Campaign
Burma Campaign
The Burma Campaign in the South-East Asian Theatre of World War II was fought primarily between British Commonwealth, Chinese and United States forces against the forces of the Empire of Japan, Thailand, and the Indian National Army. British Commonwealth land forces were drawn primarily from...
. During this time he served with the 7/2nd Punjab Regiment
2nd Punjab Regiment
The 2nd Punjab Regiment was a British Indian Army regiment from 1922 to the partition of India in 1947.The regiment was formed by the amalgamation of other regiments:*1st Battalion, from the 67th Punjabis, formerly the 7th Regiment of Madras Native Infantry...
in the Arakan area, on the eastern side of Mayu Range. At this point he was captured Japanese and held in a POW camp until the end of the war in 1945. For his war service he was awarded the Burma Star
Burma Star
The Burma Star was a campaign medal of the British Commonwealth, awarded for service in World War II.The medal was awarded for service in the Burma Campaign between 11 December 1941 and 2 September 1945...
, the Defence Medal and the War Medal 1939–1945
War Medal 1939–1945
The War Medal 1939–1945 was a British decoration awarded to those who had served in the Armed Forces or Merchant Navy full-time for at least 28 days between 3 September 1939 and 2 September 1945. In the Merchant Navy, the 28 days must have been served at sea...
. After the war, he was demobilized and became a planter. However he joined the new Ceylon Army when it was established in 1949 as a regular officer with the rank of Major
Major
Major 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. ...
.
By the early 1960s he had reached the rank of Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , 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...
and was attached to the Ceylon Sinha Regiment
Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment
The Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment is the first rifle regiment in the Sri Lanka Army and the second oldest infantry regiment in the army. It is made up of seven regular battalions, five volunteer battalions and a headquarter battalion...
as it's commanding officer and was stationed in Jaffna
Jaffna
Jaffna is the capital city of the Northern Province, Sri Lanka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Jaffna district located on a peninsula of the same name. Jaffna is approximately six miles away from Kandarodai which served as a famous emporium in the Jaffna peninsula from classical...
as Commanding Officer, Troops Jaffna. There he was noted for breaking up a protest organized by the Federal Party.
Following the 1962 attempt coup d'état he was brought back to Colombo and appointed Commander of the Ceylon Army in 1964, by passing seven more senior officers after Major General H.W.G. Wijeyekoon had to retired in 1963. He was the first Sinhala-Buddhist Army Commander with the rank of 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....
.
Arrest
Major General Udugama was recalled while on a official tour in Europe, and arrested on his arrival at the Bandaranaike International AirportBandaranaike International Airport
Bandaranaike International Airport is Sri Lanka's only international airport at the moment. Mattala International Airport, when it gets built will be the second International Airport of Sri Lanka. It is located in Katunayake, north of Colombo...
. He was arrested on the charges of plotting a coup against
1966 alleged Ceylonese coup d'état attempt
The 1966 alleged Ceylonese coup d'état attempt was an alleged military coup planned in Sri Lanka . The commander of the army and several military personal were arrested...
the government of Prime Minister Dudley Senanayake
Dudley Senanayake
Dudley Shelton Senanayake was a Ceylonese politician, who became the second Prime Minister of Ceylon and went on to become prime minister on 2 more times during the 1950s and 1960s.-Early life:Dudley was born on 19 June, 1911 as the eldest son to Molly Dunuwila and Don Stephen Senanayake, who...
in what was known as the Bathroom coup
1966 alleged Ceylonese coup d'état attempt
The 1966 alleged Ceylonese coup d'état attempt was an alleged military coup planned in Sri Lanka . The commander of the army and several military personal were arrested...
.
He was held at the Welikada Prison
Welikada Prison
The Welikada Prison is a maximum security prison and is the largest prison in Sri Lanka. It was built in 1841 by the British colonial government under Governor Cameron. The prison covers and area of . It is over-crowded with about 1700 detainees exceeding the actual member that could be accommodated...
for three years as the trial took place and the Supreme Court found him not guilty and acquitted him of all charges. His councils were Neville Samarakoon
Neville Samarakoon
Neville Dunbar Mirahawatte Samarakoon was a Sri Lankan lawyer, who served as Chief Justice of Sri Lanka from 1977 to 1984.he's father was A.C.W Samarakoon and mother was Chandrawathi Mirahawatte kumarihamy...
, QC
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
and Tissa Wijeyeratne
Tissa Wijeyeratne
Suratissa Diyasena Wijeyeratne was a Sri Lankan politician, diplomat, barrister and businessman...
.
Later years
Following his acquittal he contested the MataleMatale
Matale is a town in the hill country of Sri Lanka, from Colombo and from Kandy. It is an area steeped in history and village living. The mayor of Matale is Hilmy Careem, as of May, 2006....
seat from the Sri Lanka Freedom Party
Sri Lanka Freedom Party
The Sri Lanka Freedom Party is one of the major political parties in Sri Lanka. It was founded by S.W.R.D Bandaranaike in 1951 and, since then, has been one of the two largest parties in the Sri Lankan political arena. It first came to power in 1956 and since then has been the predominant party in...
and was elected as a Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
which he held till 1977. By the late 1970s be came a supporter of the United National Party
United National Party
The United National Party, often referred to as the UNP ), , is a political party in Sri Lanka. It currently is the main opposition party in Sri Lanka and is headed by Ranil Wickremesinghe...
and in 1979 he was appointed as Sri Lankan Ambassador to Iraq until 1982. The government of Sri Lanka bestowed the title of Deshamanya
Deshamanya
Deshamanya is the second highest Sri Lankan national honour awarded by the Government of Sri Lanka as a civil honour.It is conventionally used as a title or prefix to the awardee's name....
and on his death in 1995 a State funeral was granted with full Military honours.
Family
General Udugama married Rita Nugawela Kumarihamy, daughter of Tikiri Banda Nugawela Rate MahatmayaRate Mahatmaya
Rate Mahatmaya was a feudal title associated with administration within the Kandian and central region of Sri Lanka. Persons were appointed to the title and office by the King during the Kingdom of Kandy, these appointees headed the administration of a large locality known as Korale, which was a...
of Udu Nuwara and sister of Colonel Allan Nugawela. They had a son and a daughter.
Honors
- He was awarded the title DeshamanyaDeshamanyaDeshamanya is the second highest Sri Lankan national honour awarded by the Government of Sri Lanka as a civil honour.It is conventionally used as a title or prefix to the awardee's name....
from the Government of Sri Lanka. - He was a Member of the Order of the British EmpireOrder 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...
. - Trinity Prize from Trinity College, Kandy