Page 68 - Sayuru 40 full set
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66 Sayurusara 2019 December
Australian battle ships where families were welcomed off violently. He immediately rushed to the Motor
on board & given a tour of the ships. Transport Division and in severe windy conditions &
December 1964, Cyclone Over Ceylon rain moved all the motor vehicles into the open areas.
The night of 23rd December 1964 saw a There was only one vehicle that was under a tree
cyclone travel across Northern Ceylon, taking a path a that he could not move as it had its engine removed
little north of Trincomalee on the north-east coast to & taken for a major repair. It was only this vehicle
Mannar on the north-west coast. The accompanying that perished under the weight of a tree & all other
hurricane force winds caused considerable damage. In vehicles were saved due to his proactive thinking. His
the Trinco harbour- tugs, boats, lighters & ships were help was sought along with the Fire Station to assist
torn from their moorings & driven ashore. Several craft with pumping out water from Kotiya.
were sunk with their cargo on board. Big branches of Inter Command Events
trees were wrenched off & huge trees uprooted; tiles Dockyard was the biggest Naval base in the country
and corrugated iron sheets were blown off roofs & where all major sporting events took place & notably
electrical & telecommunication services were greatly the Inter Command Boxing championships. Boxers
disrupted.Extensive damages to houses, plantations of yesteryear in the Navy (1959-1971) included
& crops were visibly evident. Many lives were lost Lloyd Hope, Walter Wijesooriya, Van Royn, Spittell,
with the collapse of buildings. Fisherman at sea lost Henricus, Ismail etc.
their lives & those who survived lost their dwellings,
boats, nets & other fishing gear. The above are fond memories that I still carry
Naval ships Kotiya that was berthed at Saigon with me today & very proud of the Sri Lanka Navy for
pier kept violently banging on the pier & taking in water its progression since Sri Lanka gained Independence
and began listing. Efforts by the Naval Fire brigade to in 1948. I was a tiny tot living in Dockyard then
pump the water out proved futile & Kotiya sank to the but memories never abandon you. My dad passed
Sea bed. My father was at the site & witnessed Kotiya away in Melbourne on the 13th March 2013 but
going down- no lives were lost. The French team of he was always proud to be part of the Navy that
divers who were in Trincomalee to refloat the Admiral spanned from 1959-1971 (Trincomalee) & 1971-
Floating Dock 23 in 1968 were requested by the Navy 1981 (Flagstaff Street,Colombo). Over the past
Base Commander of the possibility to refloat Kotiya 35+ years we have seen the Sri Lanka Navy grow in
& the mission was successfully accomplished by the strength with astute leadership & also play a vital
French diving team where the Naval Diving Unit in role in securing the country’s borders & security of
Dockyard too provided assistance in this operation. its citizens.
Some of these Navy divers included Hilary Berringer,
Penry White etc. Motor Transport Division (Near the Maxwell Hamilton Eliyathamby MBA,
pump house) where it became a permanent training MICM,FAIM,JP
ship for new recruits. Mobile: +61 401966024
As the Senior Transport Foreman of the Navy my Home: +61 3 93573237
dad noticed around 6.00 pm on the 23rd December E-Mail: Maxwell.e@optusnet.com.au
1964 whilst reading his newspaper that evening 10 Wroxham Court
many branches from Satin & Kohumba trees falling FAWKNER
VICTORIA
AUSTRALIA- 3060
Australian battle ships where families were welcomed off violently. He immediately rushed to the Motor
on board & given a tour of the ships. Transport Division and in severe windy conditions &
December 1964, Cyclone Over Ceylon rain moved all the motor vehicles into the open areas.
The night of 23rd December 1964 saw a There was only one vehicle that was under a tree
cyclone travel across Northern Ceylon, taking a path a that he could not move as it had its engine removed
little north of Trincomalee on the north-east coast to & taken for a major repair. It was only this vehicle
Mannar on the north-west coast. The accompanying that perished under the weight of a tree & all other
hurricane force winds caused considerable damage. In vehicles were saved due to his proactive thinking. His
the Trinco harbour- tugs, boats, lighters & ships were help was sought along with the Fire Station to assist
torn from their moorings & driven ashore. Several craft with pumping out water from Kotiya.
were sunk with their cargo on board. Big branches of Inter Command Events
trees were wrenched off & huge trees uprooted; tiles Dockyard was the biggest Naval base in the country
and corrugated iron sheets were blown off roofs & where all major sporting events took place & notably
electrical & telecommunication services were greatly the Inter Command Boxing championships. Boxers
disrupted.Extensive damages to houses, plantations of yesteryear in the Navy (1959-1971) included
& crops were visibly evident. Many lives were lost Lloyd Hope, Walter Wijesooriya, Van Royn, Spittell,
with the collapse of buildings. Fisherman at sea lost Henricus, Ismail etc.
their lives & those who survived lost their dwellings,
boats, nets & other fishing gear. The above are fond memories that I still carry
Naval ships Kotiya that was berthed at Saigon with me today & very proud of the Sri Lanka Navy for
pier kept violently banging on the pier & taking in water its progression since Sri Lanka gained Independence
and began listing. Efforts by the Naval Fire brigade to in 1948. I was a tiny tot living in Dockyard then
pump the water out proved futile & Kotiya sank to the but memories never abandon you. My dad passed
Sea bed. My father was at the site & witnessed Kotiya away in Melbourne on the 13th March 2013 but
going down- no lives were lost. The French team of he was always proud to be part of the Navy that
divers who were in Trincomalee to refloat the Admiral spanned from 1959-1971 (Trincomalee) & 1971-
Floating Dock 23 in 1968 were requested by the Navy 1981 (Flagstaff Street,Colombo). Over the past
Base Commander of the possibility to refloat Kotiya 35+ years we have seen the Sri Lanka Navy grow in
& the mission was successfully accomplished by the strength with astute leadership & also play a vital
French diving team where the Naval Diving Unit in role in securing the country’s borders & security of
Dockyard too provided assistance in this operation. its citizens.
Some of these Navy divers included Hilary Berringer,
Penry White etc. Motor Transport Division (Near the Maxwell Hamilton Eliyathamby MBA,
pump house) where it became a permanent training MICM,FAIM,JP
ship for new recruits. Mobile: +61 401966024
As the Senior Transport Foreman of the Navy my Home: +61 3 93573237
dad noticed around 6.00 pm on the 23rd December E-Mail: Maxwell.e@optusnet.com.au
1964 whilst reading his newspaper that evening 10 Wroxham Court
many branches from Satin & Kohumba trees falling FAWKNER
VICTORIA
AUSTRALIA- 3060
