Cyril Ranatunga

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High Commissioner to the United Kingdom

High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.[1]

Early life

Born and raised in the village of Bakmeedeniya, Kegalle, in a family of six children, Ranatunga attended St. Sylvester's College, Kandy; where he excelled at many sports, captained hockey and athletic teams. He was the head prefect and won the Gold Medal for the best all round student in 1949.

Military career

He joined the

Gal Oya riots and thereafter to Trincomalee to control civil unrest. He underwent training at British Army Armoured Center, Bovington in 1957 as the regimental signals officer of the 1 Recce Regiment. In 1958, he served as a military observer in Lebanon United Nations Observation Group during the Lebanon crisis
, rejoining his regiment on his return to Ceylon.

In 1962, he attended the

general staff officer - operations before returning to the 1st Recce Regiment as its commanding officer
.

Insurrection

He was a

1971 Insurrection started and he was appointed the Military Coordinating Officer of the Kegalle District by the Prime Minister, where he effectively subdued the insurgency in the district which had been overrun by insurgents. He was deployed with the 1st Reconnaissance Regiment and a company of the Ceylon Light Infantry. Following the clearing of insurgents from Kegalle, he was appointed Military Coordinating Officer of the Anuradhapura District to lead mop-up operations. He was instrumental in the establishment of the Anuradhapura Army Base
as a permanent military complex.

Higher command

He was nominated to attend the

Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army and Commander Security Forces Headquarters – Jaffna. During his tenure he was based at Gurunagar
, containing the expansion of the Tamil militancy. To this end he developed military intelligence in Jaffna. In 1983, he retired from the army.

Airport and Aviation

He was appointed an executive director of the Airport and Aviation Services, Sri Lanka and later appointed Chairman of Airport and Aviation Services. In this capacity he oversaw the expansion of the Katunayake International Airport.

Joint Operations Command

He was recalled from retirement in 5 September 1985 and promoted to the rank of

Indo-Sri-Lankan accord
.

General Ranatunga was of the opinion that the

General. Ranatunga had stated that President Jayewardene had proposed to promote him to the rank of Field marshal
.

Later work

Ministry of Defence

Following retirement, General Ranatunga served as Chairman of Airport and Aviation Services. In February 1990, President

General Sir John Kotelawala Defence Academy
in 1990 and held the post till 1995.

High Commissioner

In April 1993, he was appointed by President Premadasa as

Sri Lankan High Commissioner to the United Kingdom. He took up the appointment in October 1993. He served in London for a year and a half until he was recalled by the newly elected President Kumaratunga.[citation needed
]

Leaving public life, he lived the remainder of his days at his ancestral home in Mawanella having become a gentleman farmer. He died on 16 June 2021, and per his family's wishes a private funeral took place at Borella General Cemetery on the following day.[3]

Family

On his way to the

P&O liner Orontes, he met Myrtle Sumanasekera, they were engaged on their arrival in London and married soon after. They have two sons. His elder brother who also joined the army retired as a colonel.[4]

Decorations

General Ranatunga has received the Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya, Ceylon Armed Services Long Service Medal, Republic of Sri Lanka Armed Services Medal and the Vadamarachchi Operation Medal. He has received the United Nations Medal for the United Nations Observation Group in Lebanon.[citation needed]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Those who helped us and those who didn't". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 7 January 2013.
  2. ^ Those who helped us and those who didn’t
  3. ^ "Former Secretary Defence & Army Chief of Staff, General Cyril Ranatunga (Retd) Passes Away". News First. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  4. ^ A Soldier’s Life