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词条 Sepala Attygalle
释义

  1. Early life

  2. Military career

     Second World War  Civil service  Ceylon army  Ceylon Armoured Corps  TFAII and Chief of Staff  Commander of the Army 

  3. Later life

     Ministry of Defence  Secretary of Defence  High Commissioner to the United Kingdom  Death 

  4. Family

  5. Decorations

     Honors 

  6. See also

  7. References

  8. External links

{{refimprove|date=August 2018}}{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2012}}{{Infobox military person
| honorific_prefix = General Deshamanya
|name= Don Sepala Attygalle
|honorific_suffix=LVO, SLAC
|birth_date= 1922
|death_date= January 2001
|birth_place=
|death_place=
|placeofburial=
|placeofburial_label=
|image= Lt Gen Attygalle.jpg
|image_size= 200
|caption= General Deshamanya Sepala Attygalle, LVO, SLAC
|nickname=
|allegiance= {{flagicon|Sri Lanka}} Sri Lanka
|serviceyears= 1942–1977
|rank=General
|branch={{plainlist|
  • Ceylon Defence Force
  • Ceylon Army
  • Sri Lanka Army

}}
|commands={{plainlist|
  • Commander of the Sri Lankan Army
  • Chief of Staff of the Sri Lankan Army

}}
|unit={{plainlist|
  • Ceylon Light Infantry
  • Sri Lanka Armoured Corps

}}
|battles={{plainlist|
  • World War II
  • 1971 Insurrection

}}
|awards{{plainlist|
  • Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order
  • War Medal 1939–1945

}}
|laterwork= Permanent Secretary Ministry of Defence,
Sri Lankan High Commissioner to the United Kingdom
}}

General Deshamanya Don Sepala Attygalle, LVO, idc, psc, SLAC (1922 – January 2001) was a Sri Lankan military leader, civil servant and diplomat. The longest serving Commander of the Sri Lankan Army (1967–1977), he went on to serve as the Permanent secretary to the Ministry of Defence and Sri Lankan High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.

He is most notable for successfully crushing the 1971 Insurrection in a matter of months and becoming the first Sri Lankan army officer to be promoted to the rank of a four star General. He is known as the "Father of the Armoured Corps" and was The Equerry to The Queen during her coronation in 1953.

Early life

Sepala Attygalle was educated at the Royal College, Colombo where he became the head prefect, won colours in both athletics and rugby; and was the Senior Sergeant of the Cadet Contingent of Royal. After completing schooling, he entered the University College, Colombo.[1]

UThereafter he went on to study at the University of Ceylon.

He graduated from the Staff College, Camberley in 1953 and the Imperial Defence College in 1966.

Military career

Second World War

With the outbreak of World War II seeking a King's Commission, he left his studies at the university college to joined as a cadet officer undergoing basic officer training at Diyatalawa. He took the sword of honour at the army passing out parade in 1941 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Ceylon Light Infantry. He thereafter underwent advanced training in India.

Civil service

After the war, he was demobilized and joined the civil service serving as Assistant Controller of Textiles and Assistant Controller of Exports and Imports.

Ceylon army

With the formation of the new Ceylon Army in 1949 following the passing of the Army Act; he joined it and was commissioned as a lieutenant in the 1 Battalion, Ceylon Light Infantry as a regular officer, promoted to the rank of captain on the same day he was assigned was as a staff officer in the General Staff. In 1950 he was appointed as Aide-de-camp (ADC) to Lord Soulbury, the Governor General of Ceylon, succeeding Major Bevis Bawa. He was promoted to rank of major in 1952.

In mid 1952, he attended the Company Commanders' Course at the School of Infantry, Warminster and the Land/Air Warfare Course at the School of Land/Air Warfare. Thereafter he was attached to the 1st Battalion, King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, in Germany; serving with the NATO Forces in Europe. On his return he was re-assigned as a staff officer in the general staff at army headquarters.

In 1953, he relinquished his staff appointment at the army headquarters and left for the United Kingdom to attend the Staff College, Camberley. On completing the staff course, he was seconded to the 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards. During this time he was appointed Equerry to HM Queen Elizabeth II at her coronation and also served as military liaison officer (military attaché) to the High Commissioner for Ceylon in the United Kingdom. On his return to Ceylon, he took up command of the Echelon Barracks.

Ceylon Armoured Corps

On 10 October 1955, Major D.S. Attygalle raised the 1st Reconnaissance (Recce) Squadron as the Cavalry Arm in the Ceylon Army in the lines of 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards. On 17 December 1955 a Combined Services Buddhist Mission led by Major Attygalle left for Burma on board HMCyS Vijaya, to represent the Armed Forces of Ceylon at the Buddha Jayanthi commemoration celebrations, and present a gift of a Bodhi tree sapling. In 1958, the recce squadron was expanded to a regiment and Attygalle was appointed as its first commanding officer with the rank of lieutenant colonel. The 1st Reconnaissance Regiment became the core of the Ceylon Armoured Corps.

TFAII and Chief of Staff

In 1962, he was promoted to the rank of colonel; he took up command of the Panagoda Cantonment, whilst serving as commanding officer, Ceylon Armoured Corps. Thereafter he became the commander of the Task Force Anti Illicit Immigration in 1963, later the inspector of training, Army Headquarters. He became the Chief of Staff of the army in 1964 after relinquishing command of the Ceylon Armoured Corps and relinquished command of the Task Force Anti Illicit Immigration in 1965.

Commander of the Army

On 1 October 1967 Brigadier Don S. Attygalle took over as the Acting Commander of the Army after the retirement of Major General B.R. Heyn. Promoted to the rank of major general, he was confirmed as Commander of the Army shortly. Under his leadership the army crushed the 1971 Insurrection within two months, and he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general on 4 April 1974, thus being the first officer of the Sri Lanka Army to hold this rank. When he retired on 13 October 1977, after having served for ten years as commander, he was promoted to the rank of general, thus becoming the first Sri Lankan army officer to hold the rank of a four-star general and longest-serving Commander of the Army.

Later life

Ministry of Defence

On retirement from the army, he took up appointment as Additional Secretary, Ministry of Defence and Chief Co-ordinating Authority in the Ministry of Defence in 1977.

Secretary of Defence

In the early 1980s, with the escalation of the Tamil Militancy, he was appointed as permanent secretary, Ministry of Defence and served as National Defence Advisor to the President of Sri Lanka. He played a major role during the Vadamarachchi Operation until Indian intervention stopped it midway. During this time he was the founding chairman, Air Ports and Aviation Services and chairman of Air Lanka.

High Commissioner to the United Kingdom

In 1990 he was appointed as High Commissioner for Sri Lanka in the United Kingdom.

Death

His military funeral in January 2001 was well attended by his family, friends and colleagues who gathered to mourn his loss.

Family

He was married to Mrs Brighty Attygalle who passed away in July 2010, they had one son Suraj and two grandsons Damin and Shaminda. His brother was Dr Gamini Attygalle, FRCS a leading anaesthesiologist who was married to Kalyani Wijewardene, daughter of Don Walter T Wijewardene and sister of Upali Wijewardene.[2]

Decorations

He was made a Member of the Royal Victorian Order (Military Division) (MVO) by Her Majesty the Queen in recognition of the services rendered by him, during her Majesty's visit to Ceylon in 1954 which was later upgrade to lieutenant in 1984. For wartime service in World War II, he had earned the Defence Medal and the War Medal 1939–1945, and for service in the Ceylon Army, he received the Ceylon Armed Services Long Service Medal, the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal and the Ceylon Armed Services Inauguration Medal. For service in the Sri Lanka Army, he received the Republic of Sri Lanka Armed Services Medal and the Vadamarachchi Operation Medal for his later service as Secretary of Defence.

Honors

  • Attygalle was promoted to the rank of general upon his retirement in 1977.
  • He was awarded the title Deshamanya from the Government of Sri Lanka.
  • He was a made a Member of the Royal Victorian Order, which was later upgraded to Lieutenant.
  • Doctor of Literature (honorary) by the University of Sri Lanka.

See also

  • Sri Lanka Armoured Corps
  • Sri Lankan Non Career Diplomats
  • List of Sri Lankan non-career Permanent Secretaries

References

1. ^Last post for two Generals {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090107084513/http://www.priu.gov.lk/news_update/Current_Affairs/CA200101/20010117SL_Army_commanders.htm |date=7 January 2009 }}
2. ^A distinguished doctor who was respected for his rare qualities

External links

  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20080505203152/http://www.army.lk/co.php Parade Commander Major B.R. Heyn, CLI]
  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20110904090717/http://www.armouredcorps.lk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=26:deshamanya-general-ds-atiygalle-mvo-idc-psc-d-litt&catid=7:retaired-senior-officers&Itemid=4 Father of the Armoured Corps]
  • From Captain to Army Commander — Sepala Attygalle’s illustrious career
  • rootsweb.com
  • SundayTimes Appreciation{{dead link|date=March 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
  • Deshamanya General Don Sepala Attygalle LVO ADC idc psc
{{s-start}}{{s-mil}}{{succession box | title=Commander of the Sri Lankan Army
| before=B.R. Heyn
| after=Denis Perera| years=1967 - 1977}}{{s-dip}}{{succession box | title=Sri Lanka's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom | before=? | after=? | years= }}{{s-end}}{{Commanders of the Sri Lankan Army}}{{DEFAULTSORT:Attygalle, D.S.}}

17 : 1922 births|2001 deaths|Sri Lankan generals|Sinhalese civil servants|Equerries|Lieutenants of the Royal Victorian Order|Alumni of Royal College, Colombo|Alumni of the University of Ceylon (Colombo)|Ceylonese military personnel of World War II|High Commissioners of Sri Lanka to the United Kingdom|Alumni of the Royal College of Defence Studies|Graduates of the Staff College, Camberley|Commanders of the Sri Lanka Army|King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry officers|1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards officers|Permanent secretaries of Sri Lanka|Deshamanya

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