First death anniversary of Air Marshall Harry Goonetileke falls today:

An airman, but down-to-earth!

Exactly an year ago a telephone call from Ranaviru Family Counselling Service at Polhengoda camp conveyed the sad news of your sudden and peaceful departure from us while watching your favourite cricket match on the TV. It is hard to believe that an year has passed because the memories you had left behind during the period that I worked as the project Coordinator of Ranaviru Family Counselling Service (RFCS) headed by you, still vivid in my memory. It was at the Ex-servicemen's Association meetings I came to know you first and I admired you as a very straightforward and honest leader who could not bear injustice and corruptions in the society.

At the same time I found you a very humble who never lost his head by positions and at times I felt you would have been the most humble service Commander the country ever had.

You rendered an invaluable services to the Ex-Servicemen's Association as its President for three years. It was your initiative to form the RFCS in 2003 as the pilot project of the Association of Flag Rank Officers which helped the war widows and their children to come out from cocoon caused by the trauma and pick up their lives from where the heroes had left off. You had invited me to support in coordinating its activities at the inception and I willingly accepted the opportunity to serve for a worthy cause.

You had organised counselling sessions, self-employment training programs for widows and get-togethers for their children from far away places like Anuradhapura, Matara, Kandy, and Kurunegala. You had once organised a get-together for twenty-five widows and children of Tiger victims from Jaffna to meet the widows and children of soldiers in the South to share their experiences which was an historical event. You had equally shared your sympathies of all war widows of the country with your young daughter-in-law as well, wife of your younger son Group Captain Shirantha Goonetilake who made the supreme sacrifice for the sake of the motherland.

In 2004 you had proposed to the Government to pay reasonable compensation and allow those war widows to get married if they so wish to solve their social and personal problems they faced in life.Unfortunately the discussions collapsed due to political reasons. It was also your dream to see a separate hospital coming up for the ex-servicemen and service women. I remember how you were eager to see this hospital project being implemented during your lifetime, in the interview you had with the 'Daily News' on 18 November, 2006. I could imagine what would have been your pride to see the great performances of your elder son, the present Air Force Commander. Air Vice Marshall Roshan Goonetileke.

I remember one day you told me that your grandson would also join the Sri Lanka Air Force! As an officer from the first batch of Sri Lanka Air Force who rose to the highest position as its commander your invaluable services to the country were immeasurable. You continued to serve the motherland till you breathed your last.

The knowledge and experience that I have gained by working with you has helped me immensely to serve the country in my capacity as an ex-service woman. "I would like to conclude this tribute with an advice given to me by you: Ramani, if you find your subordinates don't respect you, find out whether anything has gone wrong on your side. If you are pretty certain that you have not, then take action against that person. That is what I have done even during my young officer days." May your dreams for the country come true in the near future.

Major Ramani Kangaraarachchi