Book on World Wars to rekindle past memories

4 June 2022 04:53 am Views - 464

The reasons for printing the book on the Ceylonese Volunteers in WW 1 and 2 were as follows.  

To record for posterity the sacrifice, dedicated commitment and volunteerism of over 1500 Ceylonese Volunteers in WW 1 and over 6000 Ceylonese Volunteers in WW 2. Many fell in battle, some were injured and many others sacrificed their youth to serve in the British Forces. Their service and sacrifice need to be recorded with gratitude which is the sole purpose of the book.  

It was compiled by a team of retired Tri-Forces officers from available information in the public domain. The book also incorporated over 300 pages of our military history and the formation of the three Armed Forces. The Ceylon Defence Force was the precursor to the present day Sri Lanka Army and similarly the Ceylon Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve (CRNVR) and the Royal Air Force (RAF) units in Ceylon formed the initial force structure of the present day Sri Lanka Navy and Sri Lanka Air Force.   

Therefore, the team of officers who compiled the records in a chronological order and published the book requests the support and assistance of the public and well-wishers globally to contribute to this worthy cause enabling us to record the military history of Sri Lanka for posterity.  

Our immediate aim is to print 2000 copies of the book and raise funds to meet the expenses of printing the book which has been completed with the assistance of the Naval Printing Unit on the directions of the Sri Lanka Navy Commander. Subsequently we hope to collect additional funds through contributions/donations to produce two plaques to be placed at the Cenotaph dedicated to all those Ceylonese Volunteers who fought in WW 1 and 2. Finally we wish to educate our youth through the present day school cadets of the four public schools (Royal, S.Thomas’, Kingswood and Trinity Colleges) who represented the Ceylon contingent that went to WW 1 and fought alongside the British Forces in Europe. Most were 18-year-old school boys, some young old boys and a few Masters including a Principal of one of the Colleges. These inspirational Principals motivated and led their students to serve their motherland during a crisis situation. Let that spirit and commitment of serving the motherland be perpetuated and spread through the present day schoolboy cadets as youth volunteers in the development of the Cenotaph. In turn we hope to request the SLESA to permit the laying of four wreaths at this year’s Remembrance Day parade in November.  

We sincerely wish that the present day President, Service Chiefs, the Armed Forces and retired veterans would rally round the call to Honour all Sri Lankans who have served the motherland during a crisis and pay them their due respect as a grateful nation.   
We must always remember FREEDOM HAS A PRICE. LEST WE FORGET. 

Please contact the following for further details
Brigadier Hiran Halangode @ +94 714 774 987 email – nivanh@gmail.com  
Group Captain Kumar Kirinde @ +94 718 580 079 email - slaf.rafoa@gmail.com  
Quintus Andradi @ +94 777 939 611 Email – andradiquintus@yahoo.com