Photos for 30th Anniversary of SBS – By Admiral Ravi Wijeguneratne
Cedric was a very rich man. He owned a house in Colombo 7 , valuable properties through out the country, vehicles and ran the lucrative business of importing Evanrude Out board Motors ( OBM) and selling to local fishermen. He was the local agent for OBMs. He had a loving wife and children. He was an excellent SCUBA diver, member of Sri Lanka Navy Practical Pistol Firing team and his knowledge on wildlife and snakes was amazing. Even though he was a member from elite burger community, which was not affected by ethnic clashes in our country, still he was true patriot of Mother Lanka who volunteered to protect Country and people from terrorists.
I first met him when I was a very junior officer at Pistol Firing Eange at Naval Base Walisara. We became very close friends as we both loved “Guns and fishing rods”.
He was an volunteer Navy officer, joined me ( he was 47 yers old then) to help SBS trainees ( first batch ) on Boat handling and OBM maintenance.
It was exactly 30 years ago!
Being an excellent Speed Boat race driver and boat designer , he drew the blue print of first “18-foot Arrow Boat” and supervised building at a private Boat Yard in 1993, which was specially designed to use in Jaffna lagoon, fitted with two weapons he recommended; 40mm Automatic Grenade Launcher (AGL) and 7.62×51 mm General Purpose Machine Guns ( MPMHs).
When I was selected for my Naval War Course ( Staff Course) at Pakistan Navy War Course at Karachi, Pakistan, he took over the command ( even though he was an VNF officer) as Commanding Officer of SBS.
Motivated by father’s Patriotism, his younger son, Jason , who was an pilot at USA at that time, came to Sri Lanka and joined SLAF as an volunteer pilot. He died of a LTTE Surface-to-Air missile attack.
Sadly Cedric also died ( MIA) in a helicopter crash off seas of Vettalikani with Lt Palihena ( another brave SBS officer- KDU intake).
Cedric and Jason goes down in our history as few father and son duo whom paid Supreme Sacrifice for the Motherland ! MAY THEY REST IN PEACE !
WE WILL NEVER FORGET THEM !
Cedric is remembered fondly on 30th Anniversary of SBS.
Navy was very proudly renamed 18-foot Arrow Boats as “Cedrics” on 2nd November 2016, on his 70th birthday!
