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18 ;sia y;a jk l,dmh
sons wanted to join the military. Menuka joined
Thibba had three sons named Menuka, the Air Force as a pilot (now deployed in South
Diluka and Chamika. Thibba was not fortunate Sudan UN Peacekeeping mission), Diluka is now
to see his younger son as he was born in April serving in the Navy, after four years of basic
1996. They were lovely children and he was so training in China and Chamika the younger one
proud of them. One day in 1995, I took a passage is pursuing higher studies. All of them are doing
from Palali to Rathmalana in his aircraft. After extremely well and if Thibba lived, he would have
taking off from Palali and when we were cleared been still serving in uniform. The void created by
from enemy missile threat, he invited me to his demise to his loving wife and three sons is
the cockpit. We were talking of our boys all the unimaginable. We will never forget Thibba.
way to Rathmalana. My son was of the same age
of Thibba’s elder son Menuka. They were four
years old at that time. He wanted to teach them
swimming as Thibba was also a good swimmer.
That’s the last time I met Thibba.
On that fatal day, 18th November 1995,
Thibba flew his Y-8 aircraft as usual from
Rathmalana to Palali with vital defence cargo.
He was approaching the Palali airfield at a Thibba Neluka
very low altitude from seaward to avoid enemy
missile fire. Terrorists were in a boat, and they
targeted Thibba and the aircraft went down
into seas off KKS. His co-pilot (Squadron Leader
Kumbalatara) explained later how Thibba
tried to land the aircraft on water. He helped
his co-pilot to eject from the sinking aircraft,
but Thibba died from drowning. His bravery
was visible even during the last minutes of his
Diluka Chamika
life. His sole intention was to save his brother
officer!

Time flew fast. My son took up Nalaka

competitive swimming representing Royal
Late Commander Parakrama
College, and he was of the same age of Thibba’s
Samaraweera, WWV, RSP was an outstanding
elder son Menuka. One day I accompanied my
Naval Officer. He studied at Kingswood College,
wife Yamuna to a swimming meet to see how my
Kandy, Captained the College Rugby Football
son performs. My wife was always behind my
team, a top athlete and a great basketball player.
son, and she explained to me about timings of
With a towering height of 6’4” he was a giant. I
the event and the tough competition my son was
would say a gentle giant.
going to face. There were two boys from Ananda
College on the starting blocks. Yamuna said they His friends called him “Nalaka”, I do
are very good, and they are “Thibbotumunuwe” not know how he got this name. He joined the
sons. Navy in 1979 (one year before me) and won the
I silently wept for Thibba. All three “Sword of Honour” presented to the Best Cadet
sons resemble Thibba. Round face, chubby and Officer at the end of one-year basic training at
strongly build. Thibba was not there to watch the Naval and Maritime Academy, Trincomalee.
his sons perform so well in swimming, the wish
When our batch, one year junior to him,
that he had as a loving father. He sacrificed his
met him in the Academy, we were fearful of him
life for the betterment of all the children of
due to his height and rough voice, but soon we
our Nation. When they grew up, Thibba’s elder
realized he is a gentle giant.