Appreciations
View(s):Elvis, Denham and I: Memories of an idyllic time
Denham Smith
My friend Denham Smith passed away on Christmas night, in his home in Houston, Texas. It brought a flood of memories of an idyllic time in Sri Lanka in the late 1960s. Denham was my neighbour at Nimalka Gardens in Kollupitiya. He went to St. Peters, but he hung out with a whole group of Royalists such as Ikram and Imran Mohinadeen, Akram Sathuk, Salim Cader and my younger brother–all managing to see every movie that came to Colombo in one rupee and 10 cents seats –often walking to the cinema to save the bus fare to afford the movie ticket.
Denham and I spent many a school day at Beach Road, Dehiwala, renting surf boards for one-rupee from the fisher huts by the beach. After about 2-hours of surfing we rounded it off by having an incredible pineapple slice from a beach vendor. Yes, it was an idyllic life, before the JVP insurrection, LTTE terrorism and corrupt politicians turned the country into a dystopian paradise.
Other than movies and body surfing, our other interests were girls and Elvis. We formed the ‘Elvis Presley Den’, with Denham’s cousins, Romany and Rosanne Rasquinho. Elvis dominated our lives – we went to his movies multiple times, imitating his moves, fashions, hair and desperately wanting to be as successful as him with the girls. The net was cast wide – daughters of politicians, doctors, and whoever would look at us! We not only pursued love interests at Colombo Colleges such Bishop’s and Ladies’ and Convents such as SBC and HFC; but also, those at outstation schools such as the beautiful girls at Paynter Home in Nuwara Eliya! Ultimately, we both married Ladies’ College girls.
Later in life we both went separate ways, but managed to meet often and reminisce on the hundreds of adventures we had in our teen years. Also, from the many tributes posted about him on Facebook, it is clear that Denham touched a lot of other lives from his hang-out at Nimalka Gardens. Wherever he is, he will live in our memories forever.
Professor Janek Ratnatunga
Loving you always, forgetting you never
Pramila Fernando
30th December on that fateful morn
The saddest news I got was
That you were gone.
Gone from this world so wicked and cruel.
Never to return.
It was the saddest parting
I could never bear.
Time may hide my sadness
Smiles hide my tears
I still love and miss you
No matter how many years.
They say it’s a wonderful journey
From this wicked world to the good
Someday I’ll make that journey too
To spend time forever with you.
Deep in my heart, your memory I treasure
Loving you always, forgetting you never,
Beloved Ammi
A true officer and gentleman he warmly welcomed young officers like me
Brigadier APR David
I received the sad news of the death of Brigadier APR David in Canada last week from Capt Lloyd Wijesinghe, my long standing friend and batch mate in the University and the Army, now living in Canada. I consider myself lucky to have served under the late Brig David as a subaltern when he was a Company Commander and the Second in Command in the 1960’s in the Ceylon Light Infantry, the oldest Infantry Regiment in the Sri Lanka Army. He was an officer and a gentleman in the truest sense. He taught and guided us to be efficient officers of the highest integrity and honesty, helping me in my army career and life as well.
Born in 1930 in Jaffna, Ratnaraja David was educated in St Patrick’s College and in Jaffna College, Vaddukkodai. On completing his education he joined the newly formed Ceylon Army in 1949 as a member of the first Officer Cadets batch trained in the prestigious Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst. On graduation he was commissioned and posted to the Ceylon Light Infantry Regiment as a Second Lieutenant. He was the last surviving officer from his batch till last month when he was called to rest. Of his batch, two became Army Commanders. Many prematurely retired while some retired after maximum service. During the politically turbulent times in the nineteen sixties and seventies, with two coups, politics crept in to the army and officers who were sympathetic to the two major political parties and closely associating politicians were branded as actively involved in politics. Brigadier David too had his ups and downs in the Army career. If the 1962 coup planned by high ranking officers of the Army, Navy, Police and the Civil Service were successful, the history of Sri Lanka would have been different from what it actually was and I imagine we would have ended up like Pakistan and Myanmar. Brigadier David was suspected to be involved in the 1962 Coup and was sent on compulsory leave. On the next change of government, after squashing the Supreme Court sentence by the Privy council, all those who were sent on compulsory leave were recalled and reinstated with back pay and due promotions. Major David was among them.
Being a Sandhurst-trained senior officer, Major David’s treatment and attitude towards Direct Enlisted Young Officers like me was quite different from many other Sandhurst-trained senior officers present in the unit during that era. Whilst many of them had a dim view of us and looked down upon and ridiculed us at times, branding us as ‘arrack-drinking, cravat-wearing comic opera types’ in the late Dingo Dharmapala’s parlance, Major David was an exception. He treated us well and warmly welcomed us to the officer fraternity of the unit and Army.
This was the period when I came directly under Major David as a subaltern in his company deployed on Taffi duties in Mannar. There was no terrorism in the North or South in the country. In the Base camp in Thalladi, we had a very interesting time. Coast Watching Posts and small detachments in the South at Silavaturai and Vankalai and Illuppakadai in the North were manned by soldiers and patrols were conducted along the coast to prevent any illegal immigrants from India landing in Sri Lanka. The Mannar Island was manned by the Gemunu Watch. We had Navy and Police officers living among us in the Thallady Officers’ mess. A devout Catholic and a strict disciplinarian, Major David was very popular among all officers in Mannar and Thalladi, as well as back in Colombo and Panagoda. He was witty and had a fine sense of humour which he did not lose until his death. During frequent gatherings in the officers’ messes he entertained us with his hilarious experiences in the Army as an Instructor in the ATC and his life. In Mannar he was well supported and his stories were well spiced by war veteran Capt Chinniah CEME and Capt Wignarajah SLOC.
After the change of Government in 1970 he was sent again on a second sojourn of compulsory leave and recalled and was reinstated with due promotions in 1977 when the UNP came back into power. During his service in the Army Brig David followed many professional courses. He was the first Sri Lankan Officer to follow the Staff College Course at Wellington in India in 1961. He remained in the Army holding many responsible appointments until he retired in 1982 when he was the Military Secretary and migrated to Canada with his wife. Very frequently he visited Sri Lanka and I had the good fortune of meeting him several times during his visits and reminiscing on the pleasant memories. Let me wish this Officer and Gentleman: Sir May Your Soul Rest in Peace.
Maj Gen AMU
Seneviratne Rtd
Searching for an ideal partner? Find your soul mate on Hitad.lk, Sri Lanka's favourite marriage proposals page. With Hitad.lk matrimonial advertisements you have access to thousands of ads from potential suitors who are looking for someone just like you.