Gift from Ex-Servicemen in Australia to Army Hospital

The Australian Branch of the Sri Lanka Ex-Servicemen’s Association (SLESA) through its parent body in Sri Lanka gifted 42 hospital beds and six wheel chairs for use at the Army Hospital, Narahenpita, when informed of the need to increase the capacity of the military hospital.

Arden Perkins, Vice-President of the Sri Lanka Ex-Servicemen’s Association, Melbourne, Australia made the presentation of the hospital beds and wheel-chairs, fully configured to hospital requirement and patient needs, to General Hamilton Wanasinghe, President of the Sri Lanka Ex-Servicemen’s Association.

In making this gift to the Army Hospital, Perkins said the SLESA Australia Branch will continue to make such gifts and provide other assistance to servicemen in Sri Lanka, in the future too, as their members remember the country of their birth especially at this hour of the country’s need.

Perkins, an old Trinitian who served in the CLI, was the winner of the coveted Earl of Caithness Shield and Baton for the best recruit in Intake 30 at the Army Training Centre, Diyatalawa.

President of the Australian Branch of the SLESA is Leslie Fernando, who served in the Ceylon Signals. The need for the beds and wheel-chairs was brought to the notice of the Australian Branch of the SLESA by Major W. M. Weerasooriya, former President of the SLESA while on a visit to Australia.