{"id":102359,"date":"2022-10-22T06:40:33","date_gmt":"2022-10-22T06:40:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/?p=102359"},"modified":"2022-10-22T06:41:42","modified_gmt":"2022-10-22T06:41:42","slug":"fighting-dying-for-britain-during-the-two-world-wars-by-michael-roberts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/fighting-dying-for-britain-during-the-two-world-wars-by-michael-roberts\/","title":{"rendered":"Fighting & Dying FOR Britain during the Two World Wars – By Michael Roberts"},"content":{"rendered":"

Fighting & Dying FOR Britain during the Two World Wars – By Michael Roberts<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n

\"Fighting<\/p>\n

Source :\u00a0thuppahis<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"MichaelA New Book on\u00a0\u00a0The Ceylonese Volunteers in World War I and World War II<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The reasons for printing the book on the Ceylonese Volunteers in WW 1 & 2 were as follows:\u00a0to 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.<\/strong>\u00a0Many fell in battle, some were injured and many others sacrificed their youth to serve in the British Forces. Their service and sacrifice needs to be recorded with gratitude which is the sole purpose of the book.<\/span><\/p>\n

It was compiled by a team of retired Tri-Forces officers from available information in the public domain.\u00a0<\/strong>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\u00a0to 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.<\/span><\/p>\n

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.<\/span><\/p>\n

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 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 to educate our youth through the present-day school cadets of the four public schools (Royal, St. Thomas\u2019. 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 schoolboys, 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\u2019s Remembrance Day parade in November.<\/span><\/p>\n

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.<\/span><\/p>\n

We must always remember\u00a0FREEDOM HAS A PRICE. LEST WE FORGET.\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

ABSTRACT of the Book Ceylonese Volunteers in WW 1 & 2.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

VOLUNTEERS FROM CEYLON\u00a0<\/strong>WHO SERVED IN THE BRITISH AND COMMONWEALTH FORCES\u00a0<\/strong>DURING WORLD WAR 1 [1914-1918] AND WORLD WAR 2 [1939-1945]\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

ABSTRACT\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

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.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sri Lanka or Ceylon, as we were known then, played a comparatively important role in\u00a0the First World War<\/strong>\u00a0although we were a crown colony of the British Empire. In 1917 the\u00a0Times of\u00a0Ceylon<\/em>\u00a0estimated that 1,250 volunteers had enlisted for overseas service.\u00a0At least 351 Ceylon\u00a0volunteers signed up while in England and another 438 enlisted on their own account<\/strong>.\u00a0In addition, the\u00a0\u2018Times Fund\u2019 facilitated the expenses for 156 Ceylon volunteers to enlist overseas.<\/span><\/p>\n

From the various\u00a0available 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,\u00a0Coldstream Guards, Royal Fusiliers, Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA) and the Royal Engineers, Inland\u00a0 Water Transport unit.<\/span><\/p>\n

In terms of the 1,250 Ceylon Volunteers estimated, there were 105 fatalities, 84 were Killed in Action and 21 died\u00a0of wounds<\/strong>. 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 casualties from the four English medium schools (Royal, St Thomas,\u00a0Kingswood and Trinity) approximately 28% were casualties. Some of the volunteers were either students, past\u00a0students or staff. The nominal rolls and the state of casualties are recorded as follows.<\/span><\/p>\n

Royal<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 88 enlisted (15 British European \/ 73 Ceylonese) \u2013 5 KIA, 13 WIA and 3 POWs.<\/span><\/p>\n

St. Thomas\u2019<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 86 enlisted (28 British European \/ 58 Ceylonese) \u2013 14 KIA.<\/span><\/p>\n

Kingswood<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 84 enlisted (25 British European \/ 59 Ceylonese) \u2013 13 KIA and 15 WIA.<\/span><\/p>\n

Trinity<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 72 enlisted (27 British European \/ 45 Ceylonese) \u2013 13 KIA, 18 WIA and 2 POWs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Total<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 330 enlisted \u2013 45 KIA, 46 WIA and 5 POWs.<\/span><\/p>\n

KIA=Killed in Action, WIA=Wounded in Action, POW=Prisoner of War<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

These schoolboy enlistments were possible due to the dedication, patriotism and motivation of the British principals and cadet masters of the four schools<\/strong>. Let their example be emulated by the masters and schoolboy cadets of the present schools in Sri Lanka.<\/span><\/p>\n

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 manned by Ceylonese volunteers<\/strong>.\u00a0The 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.<\/span><\/p>\n

The association with many British Army and other allied units enabled the Ceylon Defence Force (CDF) troops to gain much needed experience in jungle warfare training, in 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\u00a0the CDF was demobilised in 1946 although a cross section of troops attended the Victory parade in London in 1946.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Then in 1947 when the trade union action caused civil disorder certain CDF personnel were mobilised and used to bring back order to the country.<\/span><\/p>\n

The brief history of the CLIV [Ceylon Light Infantry Volunteers] forms the history of the Infantry arm 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.<\/span><\/p>\n

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 the commencement of primary education in the second half of the 19th century.<\/span><\/p>\n

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 they were always vary of their own security.<\/span><\/p>\n

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 of tri-forces members 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 in the future for FREEDOM has a PRICE.\u00a0\u2013\u00a0LEST WE FORGET \u2013<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Please contact the following for further details:<\/span><\/p>\n