Hamilton Wanasinghe

Lieutenant General
Hamilton Wanasinghe
VSV, SLA
Born Malwana, Gampaha District, Western Province, British Ceylon
Allegiance Sri Lanka
Service/branch Sri Lanka Army
Years of service 1954-1995
Rank Lieutenant General
Unit Sri Lanka Artillery
Commands held Commander of the Sri Lankan Army General Officer Commanding - Joint Operations Command and Secretary Defence
Battles/wars Operation BalawegayaOperation , Liberation of East ( Elam War 11)

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. After his retirement he also held several key positions including Joint Operations Commander and the Secretary of Defence Sri Lanka from which position he retired in 1995.[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

References

  1. ↑ "Past Army Commanders". Sri Lanka Army. Retrieved 17 September 2014.
  2. 1 2 http://www.dailynews.lk/2001/pix/PrintPage.asp?REF=/2012/04/10/fea10.asp
  3. ↑ http://www.dailynews.lk/2009/07/03/Sup.asp?id=s19
  4. ↑ http://www.nation.lk/2010/06/13/eyefea5.htm
  5. ↑ http://anandaoba.net/Page.aspx?id=00e0c89f-a4e9-4db7-94fb-2906a2454d75
  6. ↑ http://www.anandacollege.net/document/11042609Ananda_newsletter%202011-%20new.pdf

8. Stolen stripes and broken medals by Muhammed Anver

External links

Military offices
Preceded by
Nalin Seneviratne		 Commander of the Sri Lankan Army
1988-1991 		Succeeded by
Cecil Waidyaratne
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