Hamilton Wanasinghe

Lieutenant General Hamilton Wanasinghe VSV, SLA was the 11th Commander of the Sri Lankan Army. He was appointed on 16 August 1988 until 15 November 1991. He was succeeded by Cecil Waidyaratne.^[1][2]

Early life

Hamilton Wanasinghe was born in Malwana, a suburb in the capital city of Colombo. He received his primary and secondary education at Ananda College.^[3] A keen sportsman, he was the Sergeant Major in the Cadet Platoon during his school days.^[4] He was also an active member of the College rifle shooting team, which won many coveted trophies and then later, he joined the army. Wanasinghe also represented Ceylon Inter Dominion small bore rifle shooting competition.

Military career

He joined Ceylon Army as an officer cadet in 1954 and was sent to the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst^[5] for basic training. Later he was commissioned as an officer in the Ceylon Artillery as a Second Lieutenant. Prior to being appointed as the Army Commander, he has held various portfolios in the Army’s hierarchical order and in 1988 he became the 11th commander of the Sri Lanka Army. During his period Gen. Wanasinghe expanded the Army and raised number of new units including Special Forces .Lt. General Hamilton Wanasinghe commissioned his son Second Lieutinent Sanjaya Wanasinghe whilst he was the Army Commander, first time in The history of Sri Lanka Army . Lt. Colonel Sanjaya Wanasinghe commanded the snipers during Elam War IV as The Commanding Officer - MSTS. On relinquishment of the Commander of Army on 15 November 1991 he was promoted to the rank of General ( first 4 Star General of Sri Lanka) and appointed as the GOC- Joint Operations Command of Sri Lanka . Thereafter he was appointed as the Secretary of Defence -Sri Lanka in 1993 from which position he retired in 1995. He had a rare distinction of holding all three key appointments of the Sri Lanka's Defence establishment at a time country faced southern JVP insurerction and LTTE Second Ealam War .^[2][6] He was appointed as the Secretary Defence on 06th of June 1993 and retired in February 1995.

He commanded Sri Lanka Army during 2nd JVP insurrection (1988–89) and while IPKF was present in Sri Lanka . He commanded Sri Lanka Army during Elam War 11 and was instrumental in liberating Eastern Province and Govt conducted elections thereafter. Indian Defence Review in 1991 reported that "Army Commander Lt Gen Hamilton Wanasinghe visited the battlefield frequently and narrowly escaped being killed. " Lt.General Hamilton Wanasinghe as the Commander of the Army risked his own life and was present at Elephant Pass rescue operation Balawegaya along with Late Maj.General Denzil Kobbekaduwa and Task Force Commander Late Brigadier Vijaya Wimalaratne. Operation Balawegaya was launched in June 1991 with assistance of Sri Lanka Navy with an amphibious landing at Vetterlerkani which LTTE leader called it "Mother of All Battles". Victorious Sri Lanka Army troops broke the LTEE siege at EPS.

See also

• List of Sri Lankan non-career Permanent Secretaries

References

8. Stolen stripes and broken medals by Muhammed Anver

• http://www.asiantribune.com/news/2010/10/30/sri-lanka%E2%80%99s-high-court-sentences-hicorp-director-five-years-ri
• http://www.ceylontoday.lk/15543-print.html
• http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2010/07/11/sec03.asp
• Indian Defence Review -1991
• Asiaweek - Volume 17, Issues 27-51 - Page lxxix

External links

• I SAID, ‘I AM THE ARMY COMMANDER NOT YOU’
• Prabhakaran’s Tigers and Mandela’s Spears
• The Sandhurst Collection

Commanders of the Sri Lankan Army
1 Sinclair 2 Reid 3 Muttukumaru 4 Wijeyekoon 5 Udugama 6 Heyn 7 Attygalle 8 Perera 9 Weeratunga 10 Seneviratne 11 Wanasinghe 12 Waidyaratne 13 De Silva 14 Daluwatte 15 Weerasooriya 16 Balagalle 17 Kottegoda 18 Fonseka 19 Jayasuriya 20 Ratnayake 21 De Silva