My Grandfather's War Service

 



2nd Lt. D.C.O.T. Ameresekere

This month, where Remembrance Day falls, I thought I’ll write about my grandfather, D.C.O.T. Ameresekere, who served as a young soldier during World War 2.  He had joined the Ceylon Garrison Artillery (CGA) as a Gunner before the war (in 1938) and served throughout the war, rising through the ranks to be commissioned as a 2^nd Lieutenant in 1945.  The Ceylon Garrison Artillery was part of the Ceylon Defence Force and saw action when the Japanese attacked Ceylon on Easter Sunday 1942. 

He had enlisted in the 1st Coast Regt. CGA (Regt.No. 1763) as a Gunner on 1 Oct 1938. He was mobilised for War Service on 2 Sept 1939 and was appointed Acting Lance Bombardier on 6 June 1942; Lance Bombardier on 26 March 1943; Temporary Bombardier on 1 Nov 1944 and Bombardier on 1 Feb 1945.

He was commissioned in the CGA as a 2^nd Lieutenant (#987) on 28 Oct 1945. He was awarded the Efficiency Medal [Ceylon] on 20 Aug 1948, the War Medal and the Defence Medal. He was posted to the Reserve on 1 Oct 1948 and resigned his commission on 22 Feb 1951.

 
He was also very active in the Boy Scouts movement, St John’s Ambulance Brigade and the Lion’s Club, both in Sri Lanka and here in Canada.

You can find full details about him on my Dad’s website at: www.ceylonmedals.com/dcot.htm

Unfortunately, I never met my grandfather as he passed away a few days before I was born.



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