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{{short description|Sri Lankan general}}
{{More footnotes|date=April 2020}}
{{Infobox military person
{{Infobox military person
| honorific_prefix = [[General (Sri Lanka)|General]]
| honorific_prefix = [[General (Sri Lanka)|General]]
| name = Cecil Waidyaratne
| name = Cecil Waidyaratne<br />සිසිල් වෛද්‍යරත්න
| honorific_suffix = [[Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya|VSV]], [[Uttama Seva Padakkama|USP]]
| honorific_suffix = [[Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya|VSV]], [[Uttama Seva Padakkama|USP]]
| native_name =
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| native_name_lang =
| image =
| image =General L D C E Waidyaratne.jpg
| image_size =
| image_size =
| alt =
| alt =
| caption =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1938|06|16}}
| birth_date = {{birth date|1938|06|16}}
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2001|12|18|1938|06|16}}
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2001|12|18|1938|06|16}}
| birth_place = [[Ceylon]]
| birth_place = [[Ceylon]]
| death_place = [[India]]
| death_place = [[India]]
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| branch = [[Sri Lanka Army]]
| branch = [[Sri Lanka Army]]
| serviceyears = 1961–94
| serviceyears = 1961–94
| rank = [[General (Sri Lanka)|General]]
| rank = [[General (Sri Lanka)|General]]
| servicenumber = <!--Do not use data from primary sources such as service records.-->
| servicenumber = <!--Do not use data from primary sources such as service records.-->
| unit = [[Sri Lanka Armoured Corps]]
| unit = [[Sri Lanka Armoured Corps]]
| commands = [[Commander of the Army (Sri Lanka)|Commander of the Sri Lankan Army]]
| commands = [[Commander of the Army (Sri Lanka)|Commander of the Sri Lankan Army]]<br>[[Chief of Staff of the Army (Sri Lanka)|Chief of Staff of the Army]]<br>[[Operation Combine]]<br>[[11th Division (Sri Lanka)|1 Division]]
| battles = [[1987–89 JVP Insurrection]]<br>[[Sri Lankan Civil War]]
| battles = [[1971 JVP insurrection]]<br>[[1987–89 JVP Insurrection]]<br>[[Sri Lankan Civil War]]
| battles_label =
| battles_label =
| awards = [[Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya]]<br>[[Uttama Seva Padakkama]]
| awards = [[Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya]]<br>[[Uttama Seva Padakkama]]
| memorials =
| memorials =
| spouse = <!-- Add spouse if reliably sourced -->
| spouse = <!-- Add spouse if reliably sourced -->
| relations =
| relations =
| laterwork = Sri Lankan Ambassador to Thailand
| laterwork = Sri Lankan Ambassador to Thailand
| signature =
| signature =
| website = <!-- {{URL|example.com}} -->
| website = <!-- {{URL|example.com}} -->
| module =
| module =
}}
}}
[[General (Sri Lanka)|General]] '''Cecil Waidyaratne''', [[Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya|VSV]], [[Uttama Seva Padakkama|USP]], [[National Defence College, India|ndc]], [[psc (British Army)|psc]], [[Sri Lanka Armoured Corps|SLAC]] (May 16, 1938 – December 18, 2001) was a [[Sri Lanka]]n [[general]]. He was 12th [[Commander of the Army (Sri Lanka)|Commander of the Sri Lankan Army]] and a former Sri Lankan [[Ambassador]] to [[Thailand]].<ref name=Commandants>{{cite web|title=Commandants|url=http://ceylondatabase.net/military.html|publisher=ceylondatabase.net|accessdate=21 March 2014}}</ref><ref name="roots">[http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~lkawgw/appreciation08.htm Proud soldier who proved himself a noble son of Lanka]</ref>
[[General (Sri Lanka)|General]] '''L. D. E. Cecil Waidyaratne''', [[Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya|VSV]], [[Uttama Seva Padakkama|USP]] (16 May 1938 – 18 December 2001) was a [[Sri Lanka Army]] [[general]]. He was 12th [[Commander of the Army (Sri Lanka)|Commander of the Sri Lankan Army]] and a former Sri Lankan [[Ambassador]] to [[Thailand]].<ref name=Commandants>{{cite web|title=Commandants|url=http://ceylondatabase.net/military.html|publisher=ceylondatabase.net|access-date=21 March 2014}}</ref><ref name="roots">[http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~lkawgw/appreciation08.htm Proud soldier who proved himself a noble son of Lanka]</ref>


==Education==
Educated at [[St. Benedict's College, Colombo]], he joined the [[Ceylon Army]] on June 26, 1959, as a cadet officer and received his officer training at [[Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst]]. On July 28, 1961, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Ceylon Armoured Corps. On January 1, 1980, he was promoted to the rank of [[lieutenant colonel]] and took over command of the [[Sri Lanka Electrical and Mechanical Engineers]]; 1st Battalion, [[Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment]] and 1st Battalion, [[Rajarata Rifles]]. He went on to become the commanding officer 1st Reconnaissance Regiment, Sri Lanka Armoured Corps.
Educated at [[St. Benedict's College, Colombo]], where he played for the college cricket team.<ref name="Island">{{cite news |last1=de Zoysa |first1=Major Mahesh |title=Appreciation General Cecil Waidyaratne |url=http://www.island.lk/2003/05/24/opinio02.html |access-date=13 April 2020 |publisher=Island}}</ref>


==Military career==
In 1985, he became the Commander Northern Area and thereafter Commander Southern Area before becoming the [[General Officer Commanding]], [[11th Division (Sri Lanka)|1 Division]]. He served as Commander of Combined Operations in 1989 and he was responsible for the security of Colombo Metropolitan area. He led the operation which ended the [[1987–89 JVP Insurrection|second JVP insurrection]]. In 1989, he was promoted to the rank of [[major general]] and appointed [[chief of staff]] of the Sri Lankan Army.<ref name="roots"/><ref>[http://www.island.lk/2003/05/24/opinio02.html General Cecil Waidyaratne]</ref>
===Early career===
Waidyaratne joined the [[Ceylon Army]] on 26 June 1959, as a [[cadet officer]] and received his officer training at the [[Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst]]. On 28 July 1961, he was commissioned as a [[second lieutenant]] in the 1st Reconnaissance Regiment, [[Ceylon Armoured Corps]]. He served with the 1st Reconnaissance Regiment during the [[1971 JVP insurrection]] and in 1973, he attended the [[Defence Services Staff College]] in [[Wellington Cantonment|Wellington]] gaining his [[psc (British Army)|psc]] qualification.<ref name="Island"/>


===Field command===
On November 16, 1991, he was promoted to [[lieutenant general]] and was appointed as Commander of the Sri Lankan Army. He held the post until December 31, 1993, when he resigned following the [[Battle of Pooneryn]]. He was succeeded by [[G. H. De Silva]]. He was promoted to [[General (Sri Lanka)|General]] on January 1, 1994 and retired from the army. Following his retirement he was appointed Sri Lankan Ambassador to Thailand and held the post till December 1994.<ref name="roots"/>
On January 1, 1980, he was promoted to the rank of [[lieutenant colonel]] and was appointed [[commanding officer]] of the [[Sri Lanka Electrical and Mechanical Engineers]] when fraud and robbery was reported in army workshops. In March 1981, he was appointed commanding officer of the 1st Battalion, [[Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment]] and tasked with undertaking disciplinary action following a clash between Sinha Regiment troops and police officers of the Fort Police Station on 20 January that year. He was thereafter appointed commanding officer of the 1st Reconnaissance Regiment, Sri Lanka Armoured Corps from July 1982 to June 1983. In May 1983, he was then sent to take control of what the army command thought of a possible [[mutiny]] in the [[Rajarata Rifles]]. Taking command of the [[Rajarata Rifles]], Colonel Waidyaratne had it disbanded, retrained and merged its remaining officers and men with that of the [[Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment]] in October 1983 to form the [[Gajaba Regiment]] under the command of Lieutenant Colonel [[Vijaya Wimalaratne]].<ref name="Island"/>


===Higher command===
⚫
He married Thileka Jayewardene, daughter of [[Major]] [[T.F. Jayawardena]].<ref name="roots"/>
In 1985, he became the Commander Northern Area and thereafter Commander Southern Area before becoming the [[General Officer Commanding]], [[11th Division (Sri Lanka)|1 Division]]. In 1988, he attended the National Security and Strategic Study course at the [[National Defence College, India]]. In 1989, he was promoted to the rank of [[major general]] and appointed [[Chief of Staff of the Army (Sri Lanka)|Chief of Staff of the Army]]. In August 1989, amidst of the [[1987–89 JVP Insurrection|second JVP insurrection]] in the southern parts of the island, Waidyaratne was appointed concurrently as the Commander of [[Operation Combine]] with responsibility for the security of [[Colombo|Colombo Metropolitan area]]. He led the Operation Combine to systematically suppress the military branch of the JVP, the [[Deshapremi Janatha Viyaparaya|DJP]] with brutal [[Counterinsurgency|counter-insurgency operations]] which lead to the end of the second JVP insurrection following the death of its leader [[Rohana Wijeweera]] in November 1989.<ref name="roots"/><ref name="Island"/>

===Commander of the Sri Lankan Army===
On 16 November 1991, he was promoted to [[lieutenant general]] and was appointed as Commander of the Sri Lanka Army. Taking command of the army during the [[Eelam War II]] phase of the [[Sri Lankan Civil War]], Waidyaratne introduced a program of re-training and re-equipping to face the [[conventional warfare]] tactics adopted by the LTTE with the [[First Battle of Elephant Pass]]. He proposed a long term strategy to defeat the LTTE aimed at defeating the LTTE in the [[Eastern Province, Sri Lanka|Eastern Province]] and thereafter bringing overwhelming force to bare on LTTE controlled areas in the [[Northern Province, Sri Lanka|Northern Province]]. However, the LTTE was able to keep the army on the defensive by ambushing its patrols and launching attacks on isolated detachments like in the case of the [[Battle of Janakapura]] and the [[Battle of Pooneryn]]. Following Pooneryn, Waidyaratne resigned on 31 December 1993,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://archives.dailynews.lk/2002/12/18/fea05.html|title=Appreciations : General L.D. Cecil. E. Waidyaratne - revered public figure|website=dailynews.lk|date=18 December 2002}}</ref> and was promoted to [[General (Sri Lanka)|General]] on 1 January 1994 and retired from the army. He was succeeded by Major General [[G. H. De Silva]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Chandraprema |first1=C. A. |title=Gota's War |date=2012 |publisher=Piyasiri Printing Systems |location=Colombo |pages=215-216}}</ref><ref>[http://www.island.lk/2002/02/01/featur01.html June '93 peace moves preceded stunning battlefield defeats]</ref>

==Honors==
He had been awarded the [[Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya]] (VSV) for distinguished service, his other medals include the [[Sri Lanka Army 25th Anniversary Medal]], [[Ceylon Armed Services Long Service Medal]], [[Sri Lanka Armed Services Long Service Medal]], [[President's Inauguration Medal]], [[Purna Bhumi Padakkama]].

<div class="center">
[[File:Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya medal bar.svg|110px]]
[[File:Republic of Sri Lanka Armed Services ribbon bar.svg|110px]]
[[File:Sri Lanka Army 25th Anniversary Medal ribbon bar.svg|110px]]

[[File:Ceylon Armed Services Long Service Medal ribbon bar.svg|110px]]
[[File:Sri Lanka Armed Services Long Service Medal ribbon bar.svg|110px]]
[[File:President's Inauguration Medal.svg|110px]]
[[File:Purna Bhumi Padakkama ribbon bar.svg|110px]]

</div>

==Later life==
Following his retirement he was appointed Sri Lankan Ambassador to Thailand and held the post till December 1994. He died on 18 December 2001, while undergoing medical treatment in India.<ref name="roots"/><ref name="Island"/>

==Family==
⚫
He married Thileka Jayewardene, daughter of [[Major (rank)|Major]] [[T. F. Jayewardene]].<ref name="roots"/>


==References==
==References==
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[[Category:2001 deaths]]
[[Category:2001 deaths]]
[[Category:Commanders of the Sri Lanka Army]]
[[Category:Commanders of the Sri Lanka Army]]
[[Category:Sri Lankan generals]]
[[Category:Sri Lankan full generals]]
[[Category:Graduates of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst]]
[[Category:Graduates of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst]]
[[Category:Ambassadors of Sri Lanka to Thailand]]
[[Category:Ambassadors of Sri Lanka to Thailand]]
[[Category:Sinhalese people]]
[[Category:Sinhalese military personnel]]
[[Category:Sinhalese military personnel]]
[[Category:Sri Lanka Armoured Corps officers]]

Latest revision as of 21:45, 30 July 2024

General

Cecil Waidyaratne
සිසිල් වෛද්‍යරත්න

VSV, USP
Born(1938-06-16)June 16, 1938
Ceylon
DiedDecember 18, 2001(2001-12-18) (aged 63)
India
AllegianceSri Lanka
Service / branchSri Lanka Army
Years of service1961–94
RankGeneral
UnitSri Lanka Armoured Corps
CommandsCommander of the Sri Lankan Army
Chief of Staff of the Army
Operation Combine
1 Division
Battles / wars1971 JVP insurrection
1987–89 JVP Insurrection
Sri Lankan Civil War
AwardsVishista Seva Vibhushanaya
Uttama Seva Padakkama
Other workSri Lankan Ambassador to Thailand

General L. D. E. Cecil Waidyaratne, VSV, USP (16 May 1938 – 18 December 2001) was a Sri Lanka Army general. He was 12th Commander of the Sri Lankan Army and a former Sri Lankan Ambassador to Thailand.[1][2]

Education

[edit]

Educated at St. Benedict's College, Colombo, where he played for the college cricket team.[3]

Military career

[edit]

Early career

[edit]

Waidyaratne joined the Ceylon Army on 26 June 1959, as a cadet officer and received his officer training at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst. On 28 July 1961, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the 1st Reconnaissance Regiment, Ceylon Armoured Corps. He served with the 1st Reconnaissance Regiment during the 1971 JVP insurrection and in 1973, he attended the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington gaining his psc qualification.[3]

Field command

[edit]

On January 1, 1980, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel and was appointed commanding officer of the Sri Lanka Electrical and Mechanical Engineers when fraud and robbery was reported in army workshops. In March 1981, he was appointed commanding officer of the 1st Battalion, Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment and tasked with undertaking disciplinary action following a clash between Sinha Regiment troops and police officers of the Fort Police Station on 20 January that year. He was thereafter appointed commanding officer of the 1st Reconnaissance Regiment, Sri Lanka Armoured Corps from July 1982 to June 1983. In May 1983, he was then sent to take control of what the army command thought of a possible mutiny in the Rajarata Rifles. Taking command of the Rajarata Rifles, Colonel Waidyaratne had it disbanded, retrained and merged its remaining officers and men with that of the Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment in October 1983 to form the Gajaba Regiment under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Vijaya Wimalaratne.[3]

Higher command

[edit]

In 1985, he became the Commander Northern Area and thereafter Commander Southern Area before becoming the General Officer Commanding, 1 Division. In 1988, he attended the National Security and Strategic Study course at the National Defence College, India. In 1989, he was promoted to the rank of major general and appointed Chief of Staff of the Army. In August 1989, amidst of the second JVP insurrection in the southern parts of the island, Waidyaratne was appointed concurrently as the Commander of Operation Combine with responsibility for the security of Colombo Metropolitan area. He led the Operation Combine to systematically suppress the military branch of the JVP, the DJP with brutal counter-insurgency operations which lead to the end of the second JVP insurrection following the death of its leader Rohana Wijeweera in November 1989.[2][3]

Commander of the Sri Lankan Army

[edit]

On 16 November 1991, he was promoted to lieutenant general and was appointed as Commander of the Sri Lanka Army. Taking command of the army during the Eelam War II phase of the Sri Lankan Civil War, Waidyaratne introduced a program of re-training and re-equipping to face the conventional warfare tactics adopted by the LTTE with the First Battle of Elephant Pass. He proposed a long term strategy to defeat the LTTE aimed at defeating the LTTE in the Eastern Province and thereafter bringing overwhelming force to bare on LTTE controlled areas in the Northern Province. However, the LTTE was able to keep the army on the defensive by ambushing its patrols and launching attacks on isolated detachments like in the case of the Battle of Janakapura and the Battle of Pooneryn. Following Pooneryn, Waidyaratne resigned on 31 December 1993,[4] and was promoted to General on 1 January 1994 and retired from the army. He was succeeded by Major General G. H. De Silva.[5][6]

Honors

[edit]

He had been awarded the Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya (VSV) for distinguished service, his other medals include the Sri Lanka Army 25th Anniversary Medal, Ceylon Armed Services Long Service Medal, Sri Lanka Armed Services Long Service Medal, President's Inauguration Medal, Purna Bhumi Padakkama.

Later life

[edit]

Following his retirement he was appointed Sri Lankan Ambassador to Thailand and held the post till December 1994. He died on 18 December 2001, while undergoing medical treatment in India.[2][3]

Family

[edit]

He married Thileka Jayewardene, daughter of Major T. F. Jayewardene.[2]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Commandants". ceylondatabase.net. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
  2. ^ a b c d Proud soldier who proved himself a noble son of Lanka
  3. ^ a b c d e de Zoysa, Major Mahesh. "Appreciation General Cecil Waidyaratne". Island. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
  4. ^ "Appreciations : General L.D. Cecil. E. Waidyaratne - revered public figure". dailynews.lk. 18 December 2002.
  5. ^ Chandraprema, C. A. (2012). Gota's War. Colombo: Piyasiri Printing Systems. pp. 215–216.
  6. ^ June '93 peace moves preceded stunning battlefield defeats
Military offices
Preceded by Commander of the Sri Lankan Army
1991–93 		Succeeded by
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