Bot at 17:24, 23 November 2022

2022-11-23T17:24:31Z

New page

{{Short description|Sri Lankan senior army officer}}
{{Infobox military person
| honorific_prefix = [[General (Sri Lanka)|General]]
| name = Hamilton Wanasinghe
| honorific_suffix = [[Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya|VSV]]
| native_name =

| native_name_lang =
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1935}}
| death_date =
| birth_place = [[Malwana]], [[Gampaha District]], [[Western Province, Sri Lanka|Western Province]], [[British Ceylon]]
| death_place =
| placeofburial =
| placeofburial_label =
| placeofburial_coordinates = 
| nickname =
| birth_name =
| allegiance = Sri Lanka
| branch = {{army|Sri Lanka}}
| serviceyears = 1954–1995
| rank = [[File:Sri Lanka-army-OF-9.svg|10px]] [[General (Sri Lanka)|General]]
| servicenumber = 
| unit = [[Sri Lanka Artillery]]
| commands = [[Commander of the Army (Sri Lanka)|Commander of the Sri Lankan Army]] General Officer Commanding – [[Joint Operations Command (Sri Lanka)|Joint Operations Command]] and Secretary Defence
| battles = [[1987–89 JVP insurrection|2nd JVP insurrection (1987–89)]]<br />[[Sri Lankan Civil War]]
| battles_label =
| awards = [[Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya]]
| memorials =
| spouse = 
| relations =
| children = Juthika Wanasinghe,Dharshika Wanasinghe, Sanjaya Wanasinghe Shashika Wanasinghe, Diluka Wanasinghe
| residence =
| alma_mater = [[Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst]],<br /> [[Ananda College]]
| occupation =
| profession =
| signature =
| website = 
| module =
}}

[[General (Sri Lanka)|General]] '''Hamilton Wanasinghe''', [[Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya|VSV]] (born 1935) was a Full General in the [[Sri Lanka Army]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Major General Sanjaya Wanasinghe receives Insignia from the Commander |url=https://www.dailynews.lk/2020/06/17/local/220975/major-general-sanjaya-wanasinghe-receives-insignia-commander}}</ref> He served as the 11th [[Commander of the Army (Sri Lanka)|Commander of the Sri Lankan Army]] (1988–1991), third [[General Officer Commanding]] (GOC) of the Joint Operations Headquarters (JOH) (at present referred to as the [[Chief of the Defence Staff (Sri Lanka)|Chief of the Defence Staff]]) (1991–1993) and [[Ministry of Defence (Sri Lanka)#Permanent Secretaries|Defense Secretary]].<ref name=Past>{{cite web|title=Past Army Commanders|url=http://www.army.lk/pastcommanders.php|publisher=Sri Lanka Army|access-date=17 September 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120830175533/http://www.army.lk/pastcommanders.php|archive-date=30 August 2012}}</ref><ref name="dailynews.lk">http://www.dailynews.lk/2001/pix/PrintPage.asp?REF=/2012/04/10/fea10.asp{{Dead link|date=January 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

==Early life==
Hamilton Wanasinghe was born in [[Malwana]], a suburb of [[Colombo]]. He received his primary and secondary education at [[Ananda College]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.dailynews.lk/2009/07/03/Sup.asp?id=s19 |title=Ananda Icons | Dailynews.lk - Sri Lanka |access-date=2013-05-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090707021645/http://www.dailynews.lk/2009/07/03/Sup.asp?id=s19 |archive-date=2009-07-07 |url-status=dead }}</ref> A keen sportsman, he was the sergeant major in the college cadet platoon.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.nation.lk/2010/06/13/eyefea5.htm |title=Eye |access-date=2013-05-14 |archive-date=2014-07-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714120932/http://www.nation.lk/2010/06/13/eyefea5.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> 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==
===Early career===
He joined [[Ceylon Army]] as an [[officer cadet]] in 1954 and was sent to the [[Royal Military Academy Sandhurst]] for officer training. On completing his training he was commissioned as [[second lieutenant]] in the [[Ceylon Artillery]] in 1955. He was a [[captain]] in the 3rd Field Artillery Regiment when the [[1962 Ceylonese coup d'état attempt|1962 attempt coup]] took place. Many of the officers of the three regiments of the Ceylon Artillery were implicated and Captain Wanasinghe gave evidence in the Trail-at-Bar of the accused that followed. He was transferred to the 4th Field Artillery Regiment following the amalgamation of the 1st Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment and the 3rd Field Artillery Regiment in 1963. He went on to serve the [[commanding officer]] of the 4th Field Artillery Regiment with the rank of [[lieutenant colonel]] from May 1979 to 1981.<ref>{{cite web |title=4TH FIELD REGIMENT OF SRI LANKA ARTILLERY |url=https://alt.army.lk/gunner/4-sla |publisher=Sri Lanka Army |access-date=16 April 2020}}</ref>

===Higher command===
Promoted to [[Colonel]], he served as Commander, Task Force 4 Northern Command in [[Jaffna]] from January 1981 to December 1981. In 1982 he attended the [[National Defence College, India]] and on his return he was promoted to [[brigadier]]. Promoted to [[Major General (Sri Lanka)|major general]], he served as the first [[colonel commandant]], [[Sri Lanka Artillery]], from September 1985 to March 1988 and thereafter served as the [[Commandant of the Volunteer Force]].<ref name="DM1">{{cite news |title=I SAID, 'I AM THE ARMY COMMANDER NOT YOU' |url=http://www.dailymirror.lk/33902/i-said-i-am-the-army-commander-not-you |access-date=16 April 2020 |publisher=Daily Mirror}}</ref>

===Army Commander===
He was appointed as the Army Commander on 15 August 1988 and served until 15 November 1991 and was promoted to the rank of [[Lieutenant General (Sri Lanka)|lieutenant general]]. When Wanasinghe took command the army was engaged in subduing [[1987–89 JVP insurrection|2nd JVP insurrection]] in the south of the island, while the [[Indian Peace Keeping Force]] (IPKF) was present in North and East of Sri Lanka. General Wanasinghe had the unprecedented task of maintaining cordial relations in a turbulent period. During his tenure he expanded the army and raised number of new units including special forces and established its sniper school, the army was able to crush the JVP leadership and insurrection completely, while it was able to recapture the Eastern Province and allow the elections to be held in the Eastern Province. The army carriedout several major operations in the Northern Province, including [[Operation Balavegaya]] to relive the siege of Elephant Pass Army base through an amphibious operation and established a beach head at Vettalikerni to reach Elephant Pass camp. 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 [[Denzil Kobbekaduwa|Major General Denzil Kobbekaduwa]] and Task Force Commander Late [[Vijaya Wimalaratne|Brigadier Vijaya Wimalaratne]]. [[Operation Balavegaya]] 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 LTTE siege at Elephant Pass.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://anandaoba.net/Page.aspx?id=00e0c89f-a4e9-4db7-94fb-2906a2454d75 |title=AnandaNet Pages |access-date=2013-05-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811113858/http://anandaoba.net/Page.aspx?id=00e0c89f-a4e9-4db7-94fb-2906a2454d75 |archive-date=2011-08-11 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Joint Operations Headquarters===
On relinquishment of the Commander of Army on 15 November 1991 he was promoted to the rank of [[General (Sri Lanka)|general]] and appointed as the [[general officer commanding]] (GOC) of the [[Office of the Chief of Defence Staff|Joint Operations Headquarters]] (JOH) serving from 1991 to 1993.

==Ministry of Defence==
Thereafter he was appointed [[Permanent Secretary]] of the [[Ministry of Defence (Sri Lanka)#Permanent Secretaries|Ministry of Defence]] on 6 June 1993 from which position he retired in February 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 insurrection and LTTE Second Ealam War.<ref name="dailynews.lk"/><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.anandacollege.net/document/11042609Ananda_newsletter%202011-%20new.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2013-05-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222141456/http://www.anandacollege.net/document/11042609Ananda_newsletter%202011-%20new.pdf |archive-date=2015-12-22 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In November 1993 General Hamilton Wanasinghe facilitated the relief operation during the [[Battle of Pooneryn]] with an amphibious landing of Army troops assisted by the Navy.

==Honors==
He had been awarded the [[Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya]] (VSV) for distinguished service in the army, his other medals include the [[Purna Bhumi Padakkama]], [[Vadamarachchi Operation Medal]], [[Sri Lanka Armed Services Long Service Medal]], [[Ceylon Armed Services Long Service Medal]], [[Republic of Sri Lanka Armed Services Medal]] and the [[President's Inauguration Medal]].

<div class="center">
[[File:Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya medal bar.svg|110px]]
[[File:Republic of Sri Lanka Armed Services ribbon bar.svg|110px]]
[[File:Sri Lanka Army 25th Anniversary Medal ribbon bar.svg|110px]]
[[File:Ceylon Armed Services Long Service Medal ribbon bar.svg|110px]]

[[File:Sri Lanka Armed Services Long Service Medal ribbon bar.svg|110px]]
[[File:President's Inauguration Medal.svg|110px]]
[[File:Purna Bhumi Padakkama ribbon bar.svg|110px]]
[[File:Vadamarachchi Operation Medal ribbon bar.svg|110px]]
</div>

In 2019, road in between his hometown [[Malwana]] and [[Dompe Divisional Secretariat|Dompe]] was named ''General Hamilton Wanasinghe Mawatha''.<ref>{{cite news |title=Road named after General Hamilton Wanasinghe |url=http://www.defence.lk/Article/defence_article/466 |access-date=17 April 2020 |publisher=Defense Ministry }}{{Dead link|date=March 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

==Family==
He married Ira Beatrice Jayathillake, daughter of Wanasinghe Arachchige Elaris Perera Jayathillake Ralahamy, a close relative in 1960. Ira Wanasinghe was a school teacher, and they had five children. His son [[Sanjaya Wanasinghe]] was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Sri Lanka Artillery when Wanasinghe was the Army Commander and became Major General of Sri Lankan Army.<ref>{{cite web |title=Major General Sanjaya Wanasinghe Receives Insignia from the Commander |url=https://www.army.lk/news/major-general-sanjaya-wanasinghe-receives-insignia-commander |website=army.lk |publisher=Sri Lanka Army |access-date=19 November 2020}}</ref>

Two of Hamilton Wanasinghe's nephews were killed in action serving in the Sri Lanka Artillery in 1993; Captain Nalin Jayatilleke (his wife's brother's son) was killed serving as forward observation officer in [[Jaffna]] and Major Panduka Wanasinghe (his elder brother's son) was killed in the [[Battle of Pooneryn]]. His son-in-law (and a nephew) Brigadier [[Bhathiya Jayatilleka]] was killed in 2000 during the [[Second Battle of Elephant Pass]].<ref>{{cite news |title=She rendered a valuable service to the country. |url=https://www.pressreader.com/sri-lanka/sunday-times-sri-lanka/20120408/282759173645790 |access-date=15 April 2020 |publisher=Sunday Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Korathota |first1=Tissa |title=Passing on the Hilt |url=https://ceylontoday.lk/news/passing-on-the-hilt |access-date=19 November 2020 |publisher=ceylontoday.lk}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of Sri Lankan non-career Permanent Secretaries]]

== References ==

{{Reflist}}
* 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
* CeylonToday -18.08.2017

== External links ==
* [http://www.dailymirror.lk/opinion/172-opinion/33902-i-said-i-am-the-army-commander-not-you.html I SAID, ‘I AM THE ARMY COMMANDER NOT YOU’]
* [http://www.sangam.org/2012/03/Tigers_Spears_7.php Prabhakaran’s Tigers and Mandela’s Spears]
* [http://archive.sandhurstcollection.co.uk/view/664/6905/RMAS_3_INTAKE_15-24_1954-1959/Hamilton_Wanasingha/ The Sandhurst Collection]

{{s-start}}
{{s-mil}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Nalin Seneviratne]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Commander of the Army (Sri Lanka)|Commander of the Sri Lankan Army]]|years=1988-1991}}
{{s-aft|after= [[Cecil Waidyaratne]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{Commanders of the Sri Lankan Army}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wanasinghe, Hamilton}}
[[Category:Sri Lankan full generals]]
[[Category:Sinhalese military personnel]]
[[Category:Commanders of the Sri Lanka Army]]
[[Category:People from Colombo]]
[[Category:Graduates of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst]]
[[Category:Alumni of Ananda College]]
[[Category:Permanent secretaries of Sri Lanka]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1935 births]]
[[Category:Sri Lanka Artillery officers]]
[[Category:National Defence College, India alumni]]
[[Category:People of the Sri Lankan Civil War]]
[[Category:Indian Peace Keeping Force]]

Hamilton Wanasinghe - Revision history

Bot at 17:24, 23 November 2022