From faraway Glasgow to the wilds of Bintenne

It is with profound sorrow of unexpectation that I read the obituary notice that appeared in The Sunday Times of June 17, of my dear old friend Alistair McNeil Wilson, precious husband of Christine Spittel Wilson. He had passed away peacefully on Friday June 15 and in fulfilment of his wishes his body was interred in a private funeral held on the same day.

Through my past close association with the late Dr. R.L. Spittel (a pioneer surgeon and prolific author of our aborigines), while being employed in the Gal Oya Development Board (Gal Oya) from 1955-70 until his death in September 1969, I came into close contact with Alistair and his wife Christine Spittel Wilson. The Spittel family members have been my close affectionate companions. Whenever I came down to Colombo from Embilipitiya I never failed to pay courtesy calls on them at their residence in Colombo. Just as much as Christine was fond of me, Alistair was too. The last time I visited them was in early 2006. Whenever I came there, Alistair with his smile would greet me, “Hello Gamini, how are you and your contacts with the Veddhas.”

I told him since I am now far away from the Bintenna Pattu, after my leaving Gal Oya in the 1970’s, I had lost contact with them, but nevertheless I used to write articles when the occasion arose, about them.

Alistair’s home was in faraway Glasgow in Scotland. He was an Army Officer of Scottish descent and had served in Ceylon in the war-torn years of World War II. His assignment before the war ended in 1945, was as the officer commanding the troops in Diyatalawa and Nuwara Eliya. Because of his engineering qualifications gained in Scotland, he came to Ceylon and joined the Colombo Commercial Company as its Chairman till he reached the age of 55 years.

After Alistair’s retirement, he took up an appointment in Nairobi in East Africa under UNO, where he served from 1973-1993. Christine too lived there with him. She had ample opportunities to see enough of wild life in the parks like Serengeti and other such parks in Nairobi, where she amassed a mine of on the spot information of the fauna, flora and avi-fauna of Africa.

Wedding bells rang for Alistair Wilson, when he married Christine Spittel on December 11, 1944. In her autobiography titled ‘Christine a memoir (2007)’ she reminisces, “Alistair and I were quietly married at St. Andrew’s Scots Kirk on December 11, 1944. My parents, Vera del Tuto, the Matron of Honour for me and an Army Officer friend of Alistair’s were there. Afterwards, a small reception at Wycherly for a few special friends. Then we drove away to the hills where another friend offered her beautiful Nuwara Eliya home for our honeymoon. My parents were delighted. They loved Alistair deeply. There was something special about him.”

Christine Wilson needs no introduction at all, as she like her distinguished father Dr. R.L. Spittel, is an equally distinguished authoress. From her childhood, she travelled with her father, and after her marriage to Alistair, she accompanied Alistair and her father in their travels into the wilds of Bintenna Pattuwa, where they had even met the famed Tissahamy - the Veddah outlaw immortalized in Dr. Spittel’s fascinating books like ‘Vanished Trails’ and ‘Savage Sanctuary”.

Once in my discourses about the Veddah characters with Alistair, he recalled that just a few months before Dr. Spittel passed away in his ‘Wycherly’ home, Alistair had driven him and Christine to Bintenna Pattuwa as Dr. Spittel longed to see his beloved Veddah friend.

Alistair was very fond of recalling those Veddah trails and the Veddah characters. One poignant story, was that he had persuaded Dr. Spittel to erect a tomb for Tissahamy who died at the Badulla Government Hospital. It was duly fulfilled. That memorial stone stood there at the Badulla cemetery with the following immortal words inscribed on it – “Outlaw Tissahamy of Dr. R.L. Spittel’s Sanctuary Lies Buried Here". Its date is given as 26.09.1952. When I visited it in the 1960’s, the tomb was in its pristine state, but now I hear it is in a dilapidated state. I still have a photograph of the tomb taken by me in the 1960’s in my album.

Another memorable event was that Tissahamy in the last stages of his life was arrested and was in the remand prison in Welikada. Dr. Spittel had met him there. A photograph taken by Alistair where Dr. Spittel poses with his old friend Tissahamy too is among my souvenirs of Dr. Spittel’s Veddah characters.

Alistair and Christine enjoyed a blissful wedded life sharing each other's interests. Both of them were in a jovial mood at the launch of Christine “A Tribute to Christine Spittel” (2005) at their residence down Conniston Place, Colombo, it being a collection of tributes to her by her admirers, associates and well-wishers. I am privileged to say one of my pieces too was carried in it. The book was edited by the well-known author Carl Muller. Christine’s latest book launch was held at the Ceylon Dutch Burgher Union Hall. Alistair who was not in the best of health could not attend the ceremony.

Christine dedicated the book to Alistair. “With love this book is dedicated to Alistair my husband for 62 years and I thank him for his endless help and encouragement”. Christine’s tribute to Alistair is summed up in the words reproduced below.

For Alistair
Two shall be born the whole wide world apart,
And speak in different tongues, and have no thought
Each of his other’s being; and have no heed;
And these, o’er unknown seas to unknown lands
Shall cross escaping wreck, defying death;
And all unconsciously shape every act to this one end;
But one day out of darkness they shall meet
And read life’s meaning in each other’s eyes.
From Christine Wilson’s Diary, 1949

Reproduced from Christine Spittel
Wilson’s – A Memoir (2007)

My deepest sympathies on Christine’s bereavement and to their daughter Anne domiciled presently in Denmark with her husband.