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4 ;sia y;a jk l,dmh THE DOCKYARD, TRINCOMALEE
A Snapshot from the Sixties
Trincomalee! The very name rolls off the Pyrex and Tupperware from England with many
tongue musically evoking magical fantasies of exciting and beautiful ornaments from places
blue seas, beautiful beaches, islands, forests with they had visited, like a mouse in a hole from
wild life and one of Asia’s largest natural harbours Mousehole, a quaint fishing village off the rugged
which was home to the Royal Navy Fleet in the coast of South Devon with a cave in its cliffs (like a
region in World War II, and the Naval Dockyard! mouse hole) and a collection of different coloured
matchsticks from their travels on the Continent.
I was 11 years old in 1963. My father, Dr.
They played music brought from England and
Lakshman Lecamwasam, a Physician in Galle
Europe. I well remember a beautiful record (these
Hospital had died suddenly and prematurely
were pre-cassette days) from Sweden.
in 1959 and his younger brother, Priya, had
returned to rejoin the Royal Ceylon Navy after My uncle recorded, on concealed long spool
training in England in Dartmouth, Devon and tapes, our excited chatter and cries of delight on
Manadon in Portsmouth. He was married to my our voyage of discovery through the house to the
mother’s younger sister, Kanthi. They did not have large hall area, beautifully carpeted and ornate
children at the time and were like second parents with elegant Navy furniture to the viewing area
to my younger brother Lasath and me, giving us showing off Trinco.’s greatest treasure – it’s
both some of the happiest and most memorable stunningly scenic beautiful harbour surrounded
holidays in our lives. This article is a testament by low hills with forested shores. My uncle later
and tribute to their kindness and hospitality. carried me on his shoulders for a better view
from the front of the house – now precious and
My mother Chitra, younger brother and
enshrined in my memory forever – many boats
I made the very long journey from Colombo
and ships on peaceful blue waters on a cloudless
in our faithful Austin Cambridge A55 to the
day framed by beautiful scenery seen through the
Dockyard. From the imposing Main Gate, it
profusion of trees – Palmyrah, Mango, Tamarind
seemed like entering a different world – a little
(Siyambala), Margosa (Kohomba), and Massan –
bit of England. The roads were solid, smooth and
even the vegetation had a characteristic ‘Trinco’
superb, completely pot-hole free, unlike the roads
freshness and fragrance.
elsewhere. The whole base was immaculately neat
and tidy with clearly marked road signs. As we got Over the next 8 years (63-71) my formative
closer to our destination, going up Drummond years were to be in the Dockyard during school
Hill, my uncle’s house, the ominously named holidays. Such a privileged boyhood in one of the
Cobra Cottage (yes, there had been a cobra coiled most exclusive and secluded reserves at the time
up in the wooden louvre windows), one noticed in Ceylon. In 1963 the Navy was commanded by
the names of the houses – Bay View, Marine View, Commodore Rajan Kadirgamar, the Captain of
Pepperpot Cottage, Forestside, Pellew House, the Navy (C.of.N.), an imposing thickset figure
Emerald House, Belfry House, Norfolk House, respected by all. Since I only saw him at parades,
Puget House and even Honeymoon Cottage – all he always seemed to be in sunglasses resplendent
delightfully quaint and English. in uniform with gold braid (‘scrambled eggs’ in
Navy parlance) on his cap and gold epaulettes. It
Cobra Cottage was a sprawling old colonial
was easy to see he was the Boss surrounded by top
house on high ground overlooking the harbour
brass. His deputy at the time was Captain Victor
with corridors all over, built in spacious, gracious
Hunter who looked like an English officer. In fact,
times and I felt a very suitable accommodation for
this was the time when there were many Burgher
my uncle, a Lieutenant in the Navy’s Engineering
officers in the Navy. Names such as Ingleton,
Department.
Caspersz, Thiedeman, Marshall, Henricus,
Koelmayer, Nathanielz and Balthazar were
As he returned only recently from England
common. Even Sinhalese Tamil and names were
with his wife, Kanthi, even their house seemed
sometimes Anglicized affectionately, e.g. ‘Rastus’
‘English’ with cutlery and crockery and beautiful
for Rasiah and ‘Amby’ for Ambalavanar. The Navy
