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| Sunday, 28 July 2002 |
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| News Business Features Editorial
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Sons and Daughters of SRI LANKA: He was an Officer, Gentleman and a Scholar Old soldiers never die, but they simply fade away. Colonel Douglas Vernon Brohier first Commanding Officer of 1st Regt. Ceylon Signal Corps, at rest aged 87, Sydney, Australia. In the mid fifties due to the implementation of Sinhala only policy, members of this much admired and loved Burger community were left high and dry. This highly skilled and educated community, excelled in all fields of endeavour. Armed Forces, medicine, sports, entertainments to name a few. Sri Lanka will be ever indebted for the tremendous contributions the Burgers made to the land of their birth. During this period the Burgers migrated to western countries in droves, seeking to secure a better future for themselves and their loved ones. Colonel Brohier, was a member of this unique dynamic community. However, the colonel stuck to his guns, carried on regardless served his full term as a distinguished Army Officer, retired, and then migrated to Australia. He earned the respect and admiration from his superiors and commanded the respect, admiration and absolute loyalty from his subordinates. He was endowed with a sharp intellect, was witty and had a great sense of humour, but at the same time was a strict disciplinarian. He was seldom seen or heard, but he created an aura of mystique around his personality, so that his mere presence in the office would be enough to keep the whole Regiment alert and on their toes. Seated in his office he could make the second in command a Captain, in the next room spring up to attention. A slight cough or clearing of his throat would do the trick. The Captain was made the butt of many jokes circulating around the Regiment. I mention this without any intention of ridiculing or any disrespect to the old Captain. It only illustrate the nervousness and the apprehension he had towards the Colonel. Such was the silent power he wielded. The old Captain a good down to earth officer, passed away many years back. The Colonel had no need to stamp his feet and shout out orders. He had under his command young officers who were graduates of the prestigious Sandhurst Military Academy, highly qualified technical officers with university degrees, and of course the rank and file. They were all grist to his mill. He managed them with his usual calm, confident manner. On might wonder how I could write these personal details about the Colonel. Well I had the privilege of working at the regimental HQ. I was quite proficient in my Sinhala. This was the transitional period, from English to Sinhala, and I was taken in as a translator and an interpreter. The government directive was that any correspondence going out should be in Sinhala, notwithstanding the fact that we received correspondence in English and Sinhala. This is where I discovered another secret weapon the Colonel possessed. Going through one of my translations he suggested a more appropriate Sinhala word to which I have already translated. I could not work out from where and how he acquired this knowledge in Sinhala. He use to attend to his private correspondence, type and take notes in shorthand. His abilities were too numerous to mention. Few people outside the RHQ were aware of his capabilities. During his command the Signal corps was nicknamed the Burger Regiment. This is probably because the regiment was commanded by a Burger officer and not that we had more burgers than other ethnic groups in the Regiment. Also the Regiment was called the smart Regt., the intelligent Regt. The Colonel was considered to be the father of the Signal Regiment, who built it up from its infancy. This appreciation will not be complete without mentioning a very interesting episode about the Colonel. After many years our paths crossed in Melbourne Australia. I met him at a "get together party" hosted by Ex-Signalers in Melbourne. Colonel had come all the way from Sydney to meet his men. He appeared too young, trim and sprightly for his age. He recognized me instantly, I walked up to him with the usual Sri Lankan greeting 'how are you sir' I noticed that he was not amused at my greeting. With a stern look he put his arm around my shoulder, and these were his own words "cut the crap, to you I am Dougy, call me Dougy". I was pleasantly surprised. I could not bring myself to call him Dougy, instead I told him "let us compromise, I'll call you Colonel and you can call me Francis, because here all my friends call me Francis". Back home the colonel called me Jayaman. He paused for few seconds and said "OK, whatever you say Francis". That was Colonel Brohier, an officer, gentleman and a scholar. May his soul rest in Peace. F. S. R. Jayamanne , Melbourne |
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