I can still vividly remember my grandfather, Charlie Rajasingham, proudly displaying his small collection of Second World War memorabilia to me, back in the late 1960s, early ’70s. Among these was a shaded night lamp, and a small piece of wreckage from the wing of a downed Japanese aircraft.
He served as one of the Air Raid Precaution Officers (ARP), deployed by the British, for duty on the streets of Colombo, Sri Lanka (the then Ceylon). The Japanese Airforce, commandeered by Adm. Mitsuo Fuchida (who also led the attack on Pearl Harbour), dropped bombs over Colombo on Easter Sunday, April 5, 1942.
My maternal grandparents, my mother and her siblings were leaving St. Michael and All Angels Church, Colpetty, when they heard the shocking news of the attack, which was subsequently repulsed during an hour-long battle, at heavy cost to the British garrisons. At least 12 Japanese planes were shot down. The British lost 27 aircraft, two warships (HMS Dorsetshire, and HMS Cornwall), and more than 400 dead.
More Japanese attacks were to follow the next few days over Trincomalee and Batticaloa, the latter town, my wife’s birth place.
Even though he was an NCO, I still appreciate his role in the war, and I also salute the men and women who gave their lives and who fought in this war.
I have lived in Canada for the past 24 years, a proud citizen of my foster country since 1993. My wife Joy became a citizen in 1995. Our two children are second-generation Canadians.
As a family, we count our many blessings, as we commemorate this hallowed day.
Raj Navaratnam
Red Deer