Ex-Services News

Office - bearers of Ex-Commando Legion

The following office - bearers were elected for year 2012/2013 at the Annual General Meeting of the Ex-Commando legion on August 18. Patron: Lt Colonel S D Peiris, President: Major General P Chandrawansa, Vice Presidents : Colonel K A N S Fernando and Major S M Sumanaweera, Hony Secretary: Major G W Ranatunga, Assistant Secretary: Colin Silva, Treasurer: S M G Chandrapala and Assistant Treasurer B Pitigala.

A group of 13 members were also elected for the Executive Committee. The new office complex was opened by Lt Col Sunil Peiris accompanied by SLESA president Captain Patrick Jayasinghe. The invitees and members of the Ex-Commando Legion laid poppy wreaths at the memorial for Ex-Commandos who laid down their lives in the defence of the motherland. The events were concluded with a fellowship.

Enhancement of death donation

The Sri Lanka Light Infantry Association increased the death donation to Rs 50,000 from September 1, 2012. Those members who have completed the contribution will only be eligible for this payment.

Experience of a young Naval surgeon in Royal Ceylon Naval Volunteer Reserve

There is an old saying even if you are born low in life, one must not be born the youngest. In the Eastern way of life, in the context of the Navy, it means that everybody has somebody to push around except the last one. Yet, being the youngest has its advantages in that any misdemeanor is excused because of inexperience.

I joined the Navy during the tail end of the war as a Surgeon Lieutenant without any knowledge of what would be expected of one. The only reason for my joining was an unpleasant experience in the course of my work at a civil hospital shortly after qualifying. Rather than face similar experiences in other hospitals, I applied for the vacancy in the Navy.

The then Principal Medical Officer, Surgeon Commander S R Gunawardena was cordial at the interview, and fixed up a date for a final selection by a board of officers.

At this time, there were two applicants. On the appointed day, when the other applicant heard that he had to go to sea in what appeared to him to be tin cans, he failed to run up for the interview. The selection board having inquired, why I chose to leave the medical department, were prepared to appoint me, provided I could bring a letter from the then Director, Medical and Sanitary Services that he had no objections to my joining the Navy.

My attempts to obtain this from a staff officer of the Department of Health was a failure. When leaving the Department office, I came across an old school mate who was employed in the clerical service of the same office. On hearing of my predicament, he assured me that he would get such a letter. With doubts, I watched him type a letter as required by me, and then proceeded with me to the same staff officer, and requested the latter to sign it.

He did so without any ado, and having profusely thanked my powerful school mate, I produced the letter to the Naval authorities. Thus by strange quirks in my fate, I found myself in the Navy.

There was no scheme of training, at least for surgeons, at that time, and I had to find my way to the best of my ability. It was lucky, that on the first occasion I was wearing uniform, the shoulder straps were correctly worn.

I later learnt, through the experience of another officer, the penalty for going astern. On the first Sunday divisions, I was on parade with other officers for inspection by Captain W G Beauchamp who was our Commanding Officer.

I can only describe him as a mountain of a man with the heart of a lamb. At the inspection, he stopped in front of me and proceeded to straighten the buttons of my No10 Tropical Uniform, which were facing in all directions on my tunic, and went away. The greatness of the man was, is his appreciation of my lack of service knowledge, and the very innocent way he made one understand the error.

At sick parade, most of the hard nuts of the Navy would prefer to see me, to the other senior surgeons. The reason was obvious in a short time. Having no experience of ships, I relied on their statements with regard to the rigours of work on board, and my sympathy gave them days off. This story spread to others, and soon, I became a much sought after doctor.

Of course, I incurred the wrath of the Commanding Officers of the ships, as their sailing was affected by certain key men being placed sick. With time, I learnt about the Navy, and soon I found that my popularity with the patients was waning. There are three incidents are worth repetition. The first was a patient who came from a ship repeatedly complaining of a purulent discharge from one ear. He had been seen by my seniors before, and treated for ear disease. The discharge was thick and creamy yellow in colour. On seeing this I continued the treatment and placed him sick.

After prolonged period of treatment with no improvement, I decided to examine the pus under the microscope, and to my horror found that the discharge was not pus but condensed milk. Confronted with this the patient got promptly better, and went back to work and I forgot to bring him up, on a charge of malingering. The second case was equally interesting. A patient again from a ship reported to me and said that, he was suffering from appendicitis. To my question, whether he was qualified in medicine, he had no answer but insisted he had appendicitis. Having examined him and found no evidence to substantiate his diagnosis, I inquired whether he knew what the treatment was. The patient was silent. I ordered the SBA to have the patient admitted and placed on the Oschner Scherron treatment, which was, temperature and pulse four hourly, only sips of water by mouth for 24 to 48 hours. The next morning, as if to reinforce his diagnosis, the patient appeared with a bowl of vomit, in which, could be seen grains of rice. Without any further questioning, I placed him on duty, and he went away with a smile. He forgot that a diet of water for 24 hours, you cannot vomit rice. The third incident was a slick confidence trick, which took me and the Commanding officer of the ship for a ride. Few hours before the ship was due to sail, a sailor appeared before the Commanding Officer and requested permission to stay ashore as his child was seriously ill.

The Commanding Officer ordered the sailor to produce the child to be examined by me, and if I would say that, the child was seriously ill the sailor could stay ashore. The sailor promptly brought a child of about two years, who on examination, was found to be suffering from broncho-pneumonia. Accordingly, I sent a signal to the ship, and the sailor stayed behind to look after the sick child. At sea the Commanding Officer did some checking up on the sailors documents, and when he returned to base the Commanding Officer told me, that the sailor was not married and that the child which received treatment from me, belonged to the next door neighbour. Thus, with time one learns of the pitfalls in placing explicit credence to a sob story. Besides these incidents, it is usual when a patient is making good progress in the Ward, and he feels he is fit enough he receives a telegram, that either his wife, or one of his children is ill. Even though these cases have been found to be false they keep trying with poor success. How does working in the Navy compare with either that of a private practitioner or in a civilian hospital? One would think that medicine would be same everywhere, but it is not so. Firstly, there are a number of illnesses associated with the nature of their work. Secondly, on ships, accommodation is extremely restricted and washing facilities poor. Thirdly, the men are away from the congenial atmosphere of the home, and are often worried about the family.

Finally there is the case of an individual who having joined the Navy, does not like it. He has imaginary complaints and never seems to get well. The patients in a civil hospital are the passers by, who may never come again, whereas in the Navy the patients are like the members of a family, whom one comes into contact all the time, and whose entire medical history is known to you. This is of great help in treating the cases. Also preventive inoculations are administered and recorded and this eliminates waste in unnecessary laboratory tests.

The families are also looked after medically, and this brings the family into the Naval atmosphere. It is probably correct to say that, the services is the only department which maintain a continuous record of the medical status of an individual. My first sea-voyage was more exciting to the ships crew, than myself, as they were anxious to know how badly I would face the sea. On board while others had a meager breakfast, I was served bacon and eggs swimming in oil. I was assured that, this would be useful in case, I became sick. Unfortunately for them, I had taken the precaution of taking an anti-sea sick pill and all I felt was the drowsiness. Later on, I had no use for the pill, and strangely enough, never felt sea sick.

Of course, it is foolish to state that, whatsoever the state of the sea a good sailor is never sea sick. It is true he does not vomit, but he does not feel at ease and his appetite is poor. Some will not admit this, but, it is true while at sea the number of patients drops to near zero.

Everyone is prepared to do full duties with injuries and illness, for which they would take at least a week or two of sick leave ashore. Hence the medical officer, has time on his hands. The spare time is mostly spent on the bridge where you may try your hand at steering the ship or spotting a landmark. Occasionally, a visit to the engine room to see the conditions under which men work is rewarding. At times you just walk through the spaces in the ship, and see people at work and at rest. Later in the evening, you spend a little time with the Captain. Fortunately, there is hardly any duty at night for the medical officer and, he is probably the only officer who gets a good night's sleep. A tour of duty at sea, brings you much closer to the officer and more than a much longer period of acquaintance ashore. This togetherness, is prevalent among all sea-going people of varied nationalities both in the navies and in the merchant marine. In conclusion, I would state that though I joined the Navy without knowing anything about it, I learned to like the life, at sea. I found myself belonging to one large family, where one shared their joys and sorrows. The friends made are rarely forgotten, even years after they have retired. Most disputes are settled with a drink and enemies become buddies. Though there are ranks as in the other services, the most junior sailor will come up to the Captain, with a problem and get a patient hearing. In short, though there are classes there are no rigid barriers. I have enjoyed being in the Navy and am thankful to have had this opportunity. Surgeon Captain A Balakrishnan, RCyN Contributing to the Silver Jubilee Souvenir of CRNVR Association 1970.