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| Sunday, 13 March 2005 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Return of the heroes by Ranga Kamaladasa March 4 was a very special day for fourteen veterans of the Royal Air Force, squadron 160, who put back the clock and revisited a country they had left almost 60 years ago based in Sri Lanka, then Ceylon, during the second world war, these veterans, idealist youth then, put their lives in line to defend Sri Lanka against a powerful enemy.
The squadron carried out long-range photo-reconnaissance missions as well as mine laying and from June 1945 it began supply dropping operations and transport operations. Often they were called upon to live up to their motto, Api soya paragasamuo (We seek and strike). The group travelling under a scheme called Heroes Returno commemorating the 60th anniversary of the end of the era in the Far East, will be visiting those places that they served, as well as the War graves at Liveramentu and Kandy where many of their comrades who were killed during the period are buried. The squadron had lost a total of 105 lives. Many with no known graves are commemorated on the Singapore memorials. Their visit also includes a complete tour of Sri Lanka including historic sites and other places of interest. "The Sinhalese people were a hearty people. We enjoyed Ceylon and we said we would come back and see them one day. So here we are," commented Wallace are of the veterans. We came down from Delhi, to Ratmalana, brought some hefty equipments including two decoders and a wireless radio which could reach out to anywhere in the world. We would take out mines and carry special agents. Because after 1942; Sri Lanka was safe from the Japanese bombers but we had to transport the men by air to Malaya and bring them back on submarine," they say reminiscing about the war days.
The Ratmalana airport which they went to see just after coming down here was another wonder for them. "Where we were at Ratmalana, it was a rubber plantation. We lived amongst the rubber trees. The chap was up in the morning and collecting latex into coconut shells with banana leaves. We lived with them during the battles we fought in the airfield. The runways were not nearly as good as you have now. We were bloody impressed by the Ratmalana airport. I'm very impressed with that airport. It's a good airport," says another. The memories which were brought up were amazingly filled with minute details and exact happenings that took place at that time. Malaria was definitely one of those incidents that many couldn't forget. "I caught malaria playing football in Kandy for the Kandy football team. Yes I did. Remember it well. I took a shower and it was that cold," rememberes Wilfred, shivering even at that moment. The newly built cinema hall back then was another one of those favourites the veterans had never forgotten. "We had to make the best of everything didn't we? It was war, wasn't it? The cinema hall was to the right of the airport I think. We used to go down there very often. We went to Sigiriya, Ratmalana, Vavuniya, Minneriya, and KKS. And believe it or not we still hold the record for the longest ever flight; that's 23 hours straight," they claim. There were a lot of stories to be told and a lot of memories to be reawakened and cherished, yet too little time remained as the squadron had to stick to their tight schedule. With their wheelchairs and walking sticks and carers at hand, it was hard to picture them as young courageous and fearless men who put their lives at stake in a land, which was totally alien to them. But their proud stories and tales which conjure the epic moments of their lives is more than enough to give you an image of what they would have been like sixty years ago. |
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The fourteen veterans, now in their 80s and somewhat frail had served the
160 squadron, flying Liberator B24 bombers out of Ratmalana, Sigiriya,
Kankesanturai and Minneriya. Most of them had served in other countries as
well, including the Middle East, Far East, India and Burma and in Sri Lanka
long after the war in Europe was over. 
Talking about the changes that have occurred to their favourite places,
the veterans say the changes are enormous. "Enormous. I mean when we came,
basically you had only rubber, rice and tea. But the bit we have seen so far
here is absolutely staggering. I mean we came from Ratmalana to Mt. Lavinia
in 5 minutes,' enthuses one of them. 
