1. General Deshamanya Don Sepala Attygalle, was a Sri Lankan army officer, civil servant and diplomat.
19 Facts About Sepala Attygalle
1. 2.
Sepala Attygalle is most notable for successfully crushing the 1971 Insurrection in a matter of months and becoming the first Sri Lankan army officer to be promoted to the rank of full general.
3.
Sepala Attygalle is known as the "Father of the Armoured Corps" and was The Equerry to Queen Elizabeth II during her coronation in 1953.
4.
Sepala Attygalle underwent basic officer training at Diyatalawa, where he took the sword of honour at the army passing out parade in 1941 and thereafter underwent advanced training in India.
5.
Sepala Attygalle was promoted to the temporary rank of Captain in 1943.
6.
Sepala Attygalle was demobilized 9 March 1946, and had been the Defence Services 100-metre Champion until 1944.
7.
Sepala Attygalle was promoted to rank of major on 1 January 1952 and was appointed GSO2, Army Headquarters in February.
8.
Sepala Attygalle was tasked with raising a reconnaissance unit and on 10 October 1955, he formed the 1st Reconnaissance Squadron as the Cavalry Arm in the Ceylon Army in the lines of 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards, with himself as officer commanding.
9.
On 17 December 1955 a Combined Services Buddhist Mission led by Major Sepala Attygalle left for Burma on board HMCyS Vijaya, to represent the Armed Forces of Ceylon at the Buddha Jayanthi commemoration celebrations, and present a gift of a Bodhi tree sapling.
10.
Sepala Attygalle attended a training with the Royal Armoured Corps from March to April 1959.
11.
Sepala Attygalle was then appointed Chief of Staff of the Army on 21 March 1964.
12.
Sepala Attygalle relinquished command of the Task Force Anti Illicit Immigration on 30 June 1965 and in 1966 he attended the Imperial Defence College.
13.
On 1 October 1967, Sepala Attygalle was promoted to the rank of Major General and confirmed as Commander of the Army.
14.
Sepala Attygalle played a major role during the Vadamarachchi Operation which was stopped midway by Indian intervention.
15.
Sepala Attygalle died on 15 January 2001 in Colombo following a brief illness and his military funeral took place at the General Cemetery, Borella on 17 January.
16.
Sepala Attygalle was married to Brighty Attygalle who died in July 2010, they had one son Suraj and two grandsons Damin and Shaminda.
17.
Sepala Attygalle's brother was Dr Gamini M Attygalle, FRCS a leading anaesthesiologist, who was married to Kalyani Wijewardene, daughter of Don Walter T Wijewardene and sister of Upali Wijewardene.
18.
Sepala Attygalle was made a Member of the Royal Victorian Order by Queen Elizabeth II during her Majesty's visit to Ceylon in 1954, which was later upgraded to Lieutenant in 1984.
19.
Sepala Attygalle received the Vadamarachchi Operation Medal during his service as Secretary of Defence.