Assistance Needed - For Projects One and Two

UPDATE:

This list was prepared in the early 1990s in the early days of my research. I have managed to find most of the missing info, I am working on an updated list of Missing Information

ASSISTANCE NEEDED

For Projects One and Two

I am trying to obtain the following information in order to complete my projects about ODM relating to Sri Lanka (Ceylon), and would be grateful if any visitor to the CeylonMedals.com site can help me. I have already contacted many of the organizations and departments listed below, but have received no response, yet.

From the SRI LANKA GOVERNMENT (Presidential Secretariat)

1. A complete list of all the Honours that are conferred on Sri Lankans for service to their country.

A partial list is shown below:

Sri Lankabhimanya

Desamanya

Desabandu

Veera Chudamani

Vidya Jyothi

Kala Keerthi

Sri Lanka Sikhamani

Vidya Nidhi

Kala Suri

Kala Chudamani

Sri Lanka Thilaka

Vidya Silpa

Vishwa Prasadini

Veera Prathapa

Sri Lanka Ramya

Sri Lanka Ratna

Sri Lanka Ranjana

2. Details, descriptions, criteria for awarding etc... as appearing in the SL Gazette or Government papers for each of the above honours.

3. Photos of the obverse and reverse of each decoration also showing the ribbon.

4. Complete list of recipients for each award (Names, titles, in which field were they decorated for (Example- Armed Services, Education, Cultural, Sports etc...)

I have already compiled a partial list from various sources such as Newspapers and the Internet.

5. Photo of the Certificate or Citation that accompanies these awards.

From the SRI LANKA ARMED FORCES or any other source.

1. A complete list of Ceylon Volunteer Force personnel who attended the 1897 Jubilee of Queen Victoria and received the 1897 Jubilee Medal.

(A partial list is available)

2. A complete list of the recipients of the Ceylon Diamond Jubilee Medal 1897

3. A complete list of the recipients of the Ceylon Coronation Medal 1902

4. A complete list of Ceylon Defence Force personnel who attended the Coronation of King George V in 1911 and received the Coronation Medal 1911.

5. A complete list of Ceylon Defence Force personnel who were awarded the Jubilee Medal of King George V in 1935. It seems that there was no contingent sent from Ceylon for this ceremony. However, selected military and civil personnel in Ceylon were awarded this medal.

6. A complete list of CDF Personnel who attended the Coronation of King George VI in 1937 and received the Coronation Medal 1937.

Some sources indicate that there were only 4 persons representing the CDF at the Coronation and they are:

H.G.Jacotine (CLI), Oswald Boyd Forbes (CGA), Frank Arnold Gunesekera (CMC) and H. Butler Cole. Need confirmation of this.

(Note: A complete list of recipients of the Coronation Medal 1937 in Ceylon (without attending the ceremony) was published in the Ceylon Gazette of June 18, 1937.)

7. A complete list of Officers and men of the Ceylon Armed Forces who DID NOT attend the Coronation Celebrations in London in 1953, but still received the Queen Elizabeth's Coronation Medal 1953. (A complete list of the Ceylon Contingent is available)

8. A complete list of Officers and men from Ceylon who served in the Royal Pioneer Corps and Royal Military Police, that served in Malaya and received the General Service Medal with the 'Malaya' clasp. (A partial list has been compiled using medals that have appeared in the market)

9. Complete lists of Officers and men from the Ceylon / Sri Lanka Armed Forces and Police that took part in the following United Nations missions as observers and peace-keepers.

- Congo (ONUC) (August 1960)

Records show there were two or three batches of soldiers sent from Ceylon.

- UN Security Force in West New Guinea (West Irian) (UNSF) (UNTEA)(October 1962 to April 1963)

Troops from Ceylon took part.

- India /Pakistan Observer Mission (UNIPOM) (October 1965)

1. Lieut. J. B. Pagoda (1st Btn. Ceylon Light Infantry)

Were there any others?

- UNIPOM (2nd Batch) (January 1966)

1. Lieut. M. T. W. Ponnamperuma

Were there any others?

- UNMOGIP (India)

- UN Operations in Mozambique (ONUMOZ) (Dec 1992 to Dec 1994)

Ten Police Officers from Sri Lanka.

- United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO)

10. Details of the 'Operation Rivi-Resa' Campaign Service Medal (from the Gazette or Army Orders, to include its description, regulations for awarding etc...) and a colour photo of the front and back of the medal.

11. Details of the 'North and East Operations Medal' (from the Gazette or Army Orders, to include its description, regulations for awarding etc...) and a colour photo of the front and back of the medal.

12. Details of the 50th Independence Anniversary Commemoration Medal (from the Gazette or Army Orders, to include its description, regulations for awarding etc...) and a colour photo of the front and back of the medal.

13. I already have three lists of Conferment of Gallantry Awards in the SL Army (Annex 'A' to SAO 04/91; Annex 'A' to SAO 02/94 and Annex 'A' to SAO 01/96). Are there any more such lists? If so, copies please. Also is it possible to get similar lists from the Navy, Air Force and the Police?

14. A photo of Major D. B. Seneviratne MM ED

15. The Service Records for the following Officers (to cover their service in the Volunteer Force (pre 1949) and in the Regular Army (post 1949).

Unit Abbreviations

CAV = Cey. Artillery Volunteers

CGA = Cey. Garrison Artillery

CA = Cey. Artillery

CPRC = Cey. Planters Rifle Corps

CDF = Cey. Defence Force

CSC = Cey. Signals Corps

CLI = Cey. Light Infantry

CMR = Cey. Mounted Rifles

CVMC = Cey. Vol. Medical Corps

CMC = Cey. Medical Corps

CCB = Cey. Cadet Battalion

CCC = Cey. Cadet Corps

CASC = Cey. Army Service Corps

CE = Cey. Engineers

Brig. Christopher Allan Hector Perera Jayawardena CMG CVO OStJ OBE ED, (CLI and later Home Guard) 

Col. E. J. Hayward CBE VD, (CAV)

Col. James Thomas Young MC DCM ED, (CPRC and CDF)

Col. O. C. de Alwis, (C/O National Guard)

Col. C. A. Dharmapala ED (Defense Secretary 1978)

Col. B. L. Seneviratne MBE, ED (C/O Nat. Defense Corps)

Col. Douglas V. Brohier (CSC)

Col. Rasanayagam Sabanayagam MBE ED, (CLI)

Lt.Col. A. V. Ratwatte, (CLI)

Lt.Col. G. R. W. Martenstyn, (CLI)

Lt.Col. E. H. Joseph, (CGA)

Lt.Col. E. O. Mackwood, (CGA)

Lt.Col. W. Sinclair, (CPRC)

Lt.Col. John Arthur Mallock Bond CB CBE VD, (CMR)

Lt.Col. H. F. Pearson, (CMR)

Lt.Col. H. G. Thomasz VD, (CVMC)

Lt.Col. W. G. B. Dickson, (CMR)

Lt.Col. P. J. Parsons, (CGA)

Lt.Col. Sidney Arnold Pakeman CBE MC ED, (CCB)

Lt.Col. C. J. D. Lanktree, (CASC)

Lt.Col. Frank Arnold Gunesekera OBE, (CMC)

Lt.Col. C E Arndt, (CE)

Lt.Col. R. Patrick, (CCB)

Lt.Col. J. W. Maxwell Johnstone, (CMR)

Lt.Col. F. R. Connolly, (CGA)

Lt.Col. H. V. C. de Silva, (CCB)

Lt.Col. V. C. Kelaart OBE, (CSC)

Lt.Col. W. D. Meurling MBE, (CE)

Lt.Col. W. A. Radcliffe, (CASC)

Lt.Col. Harold James Frederick Van Langenberg, (CLI)

Lt.Col. S. Saravanamuttu, (CLI)

Lt.Col. F. H. Potger, (CE)

Lt.Col. Cyril Van Langenberg, (CLI)

Lt.Col. D. R. de Silva, (CSC)

Lt.Col. J. A. T. Perera MBE, (CA)

Lt.Col. E. A. Rajasingham, (CE)

Lt.Col. W. E. M. Fernando, (CSC)

Lt.Col. G. L. S. Austin, (CASC)

Lt.Col. F. J. G. Caspersz, (CE)

Lt.Col. A. V. Arnolda, (CA)

Lt.Col. Rasanayagam Kumaranayagam, (CLI)

Lt.Col. M. C. F. Abeykoon, (CCC)

Lt.Col. John William Balfour-Paul, (CMR)

Lt.Col. David Rockwood, (CMC)

Lt.Col. J. W. R. Rockwood, (CMC)

Rev.Fr. E. Bouvier, Chaplain to the CDF

Rev. D. Tweed, Chaplain to the CDF

Major Edmund Clarence de Fonseka, (CLI)

Major H. North, (CMR)

Major J. S. R. Goonewardene, (CMC)

Major William Norman Rae, (CLI)

Major Robert Benzie DSO, (CPRC)

Major Collin Louis Annesley Direkze, (CLI)

Major Cyril Gordon Reeves, (CLI)

Capt. W. R. Westland, (CMR)

Capt. G. F. de Hoedt, (CE)

Capt. W. D. Drieberg, (CLI)

Capt. R. Cotesworth, (CMR)

Capt. William Edward Gratiaen, (CLI)

Capt. Francis James Tothill, (CPRC)

Capt William Alfred Dep, (CLI)

Capt. George William Sturgess, (CMR)

Capt. Oscar Mervyn Abey'ratne, (CLI)

Lieut. S. P. Joseph, (CMC)

2/Lieut. Archibald Clement Van Cuylenberg, (CLI)

2/Lieut. C. B. Loudoun-Shand, (CPRC)

From the SRI LANKA NAVY

1. Details of the SL Navy 25th Anniversary Medal (from the Gazette or Navy Orders) with its description, criteria for awarding etc... along with a photo showing the front and back of the medal and it's ribbon.

2. Details of the SL Navy 50th Anniversary Medal (from the Gazette or Navy Orders) with its description, criteria for awarding etc... along with a photo showing the front and back of the medal and it's ribbon.

3. How many of these two medals were awarded?

4. A complete list of Officers of the CRNVR who were awarded the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Decoration (VRD).

5. A complete list of Officers and men in the CRNVR who were awarded the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Long Service Medal. (A partial list is available)

6. A photo and biographical details (including Service Record) for Lt. LLDS Wijethunge PWV and the citation for his posthumous Parama Weera Vibushanaya.

7. Were there other Navy recipients of this Decoration? If so, please provide their photos, biographical details and citations.

8. Portrait type photos of R/Adm. Rajan Kadirgamar MVO and R/Adm. Royce de Mel OBE (preferably in dress uniform, wearing their medals)

From the SRI LANKA AIR FORCE

1. Details of the SLAF 25th Anniversary Medal (from the Gazette or Air Force Orders) with its description, criteria for awarding etc... along with a photo showing the front and back of the medal and it's ribbon.

2. Details of the SLAF 50th Anniversary Medal (from the Gazette or Air Force Orders) with its description, criteria for awarding etc... along with a photo showing the front and back of the medal and it's ribbon.

3 How many of these two medals were awarded?

From the SRI LANKA POLICE

1. A complete list of Police Medals that were instituted after 1972. (I already have the details of the pre-1972 medals).

2. Full descriptions of the above medals, details of the rules governing their awarding, numbers awarded etc... (Photocopies from the Gazette or from the Police Gazette or Orders.)

3. Photographs of the above medals, preferably in colour, showing the ribbon and the front and back of each medal.

4. List of personnel who were awarded medals for Gallantry, preferably with citations.

5. A complete list of IGPs' from the inception of the Police Force (Colonial time) to now, showing the period of command for each IGP.

From the SRI LANKA FIRE BRIGADE

1. A complete list of Fire Brigade Medals that were instituted after 1972. (I already have the details of the pre-1972 medals).

2. Full descriptions of the above medals, details of the rules governing their awarding, numbers awarded etc... (Photocopies from the Gazette or from the Fire Service Gazette or Orders.)

3. Photographs of the above medals, in colour, showing the ribbon and the front and back of each medal.

4. List of personnel who were awarded medals for Gallantry or Meritorious Service, preferably with citations.

5. A complete list of Fire Service Chiefs (Head of the Fire Brigade) from the inception of the Ceylon Fire Brigade (Colonial period) to now, showing the period of command for each Chief.

6. A photo, biographical details and Service Record for the late Bertram Edmund Weerasinghe OBE, who was the Chief of Fire Services in Ceylon and Assistant Civil Defence Commissioner during World War Two.