Oldest living pioneer of the Air Force

Wg.Cdr. Joe JEYARETNAM

TRIBUTE: A distinguished officer, Group Captain P. G. Walpita turned 91 recently. This is a tribute by an Air Force colleague.

Having graduated from the University of London gaining a Bachelor of Science Honours Degree, Walpita was Commissioned in the Royal Ceylon Air Force (R.Cy.A.F.), in its infancy in April 1952, in the rank of Flight Lieutenant.

He rose to become the head of the Administrative Branch. He was primus inter pares amongst the Directors of the R.Cy.A.F. The Air Force (AF) pioneer that he was, is now the oldest living retired Air Force Officer.

During those early years when Group Captain held his rank there was only one other of his or higher rank who later became the first Sri Lankan Commander of the Air Force.

The need for a competent Education Officer arose with the formation of the R.Cy.A.F. in 1951. Group Captain (Gp.Capt.) was selected for this exacting role.

During the formative years of the R.Cy.A.F. (1951-1971) he served under the first three Commanders-in-chief of the R.Cy.A.F. Gp. Capt. Bladon, Air Vice Marshal Barker and Air Vice Marshal Rohan Amarasekera.

He has had the distinction of being selected to undergo advanced training in the UK viz, RAF Officers Advanced Training and Service Accountant Officers Courses at Bircham, Newton and the Royal Air Force Staff College at Andover, where he was awarded the p.s.a.

In the R.Cy.A.F. he held several staff appointments with distinction in the Administration Branch, at Air Force Headquarters. He was, inter alia, Officer Commanding R.Cy.A.F. Headquarters Unit, Officer Commanding Administrative Wing at R.Cy.A.F. Base Katunayake.

He was chosen to Command the R.Cy.A.F. contingent at two successive Independence Day Parades, where the Governor General took the salute of the three Armed Services.

He was often requested by the Commander in chief to represent him at annual inspections at Air Force Bases - Diyatalawa, China Bay and others.

Little is known of Gp. his non-military career and his professional qualifications and reputed professional affiliations. He is a member of the British Institute of Management (M.B.I.M.) and an Associate Fellow of the British Inter-Planetary Society.

Many are the testimonials that bear witness to his outstanding professionalism ethical conduct and undisputed, unwavering integrity.

The testimonial he values most is a letter of appreciation of his services, afforded to him by William Gopallawa, Governor General of Sri Lanka.

Since his retirement from the AF in November 1970, he has continued to impart knowledge to those deserving. Blessed with an active mind and versatility he took to teaching his favourite subjects of Mathematics and Physics to students in Scotland and later in Nigeria for a period of 10 years.

His penchant to impart knowledge in his fields of expertise had not dimmed even after his return to Sri Lanka.

Group Captain Walpita is the eldest son of the late Mr. and Mrs. D. L. Walpita of Horana. His three illustrious younger brothers were the late S.W., a Justice of the Supreme Court, S.J., one time Vice Chancellor University of Peradeniya and Ambassador for Sri Lanka in Germany; and Dr. P.R., Senior Paediatric Surgeon at Lady Ridgeway Children’ Hospital. His four sisters are Karuna, Soma and the late Laura and Sujatha.

He his primary and secondary education at the esteemed seat of learning which gave this land erudite professionals and Public Servants of repute - St. John’s College, Panadura.

He gained Honours and Distinctions at the Junior and Senior Cambridge examinations in science subjects.

Having gained an Honours degrees in Physics and Mathematics from the University of London, he was a lecturer in Physics at Ananda College, Colombo. Later, he became the first Principal of Sitawaka Vidyalaya, Avissawella.

Thereafter, he served as an Asst. Food Controller for the Nuwara Eliya District. When the Ceylon Technical College (CTC) started tutoring students for the Engineering Degrees of the University of London, Gp.Capt. Walpita was a member of the faculty of Physics at the CTC.

His wife Rane passed away in 1992. He shuns publicity. He prefers to live in quiet solitude, reminiscing those early days/days of yore, when as a founder member of a devoted team of officers and airmen, he saw the R.Cy.A.F. get underway.

The AF has expanded much, so much so, the pioneering spirit of those officers and airmen of redoubtable quality who manned the bastions of the services may now be forgotten.

Gp.Capt. deserves more than this accolade:

Old Servicemen never die,

Service life and beyond try,

Educate big and small fry,

To take Lanka to new heigh(ts).

The writer is a retired Air Force officer.