On the 11th of November 2018, a special Armistice Centenary Service was held at the College Chapel to remember and honour the Trinitians who served in WWI and in all other conflicts.
The service commenced at 9.30am with an opening hymn “All my hope in God is founded” sung by the College Choir, this was followed by the welcoming and opening prayer by the chaplain, Rev. Sanath Madagamgoda.
The Principal, Mr Andrew Fowler-Watt then recited the poem “In Flanders Fields” by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae. The poem speaks about McCrae’s preoccupation with death and how it stands as the transition between the struggle of life and the peace that follows. It is written from the point of view of the dead. It speaks of their sacrifice and serves as their command to the living to press on.
Lt. Col. Leonard De Alwis (former Principal) was also invited to the occasion. He spoke about the “Men of Trinity in bravery and sacrifice” and about the determination that Trinitians had shown to serve the country as well as their school.
Shortly after the chaplain’s sermon, the prayers of remembrance and intercession were performed by a fellow chorister.
The chaplain dismissed the congregation to the quadrangle to witness the commemoration ceremony by the Cadet Band, Cadet Platoon, Senior Scouts, Junior Scouts and the Choir. Mr Ananda Marasinghe (Co-Vice Principal) read the names of the brave Trinitians who sacrificed their lives for the benefit of many others.
Here we state the names of those who served in the Great War (1914-1918):
PRO PACE MORTUI [trans. “Died for peace”]
AIYADURAI R.
CAMPBELL N.P.
DE VOS H.A.E.
DRIEBERG F.
FORSTER H.G.
GRIGSON RANKINE J.H.
HAYDEN T.
KENT C.F.H.
LOOS J.
MURRAY K.
PARAMANANTHAN A.
PERERA A.G.F.
SCOTT-COATES P.
SKIPP R.
WELLS A.J.
HI QUOQUE SERVIERUNT [trans. “They also served”]
ALUWIHARE R.
ANDARAWEWA P.A.
ANDREW J.
ARNDT. C
ASCHE H.C.J.
ASIRVADEM S.
BARTHOLOMEUSZ J.W.S
FRASER A.G.
GARVIN H.E
GOONERATNE C.
GOONETILEKE .A
GRIGSON RANKINE E. Y.
GRIGSON RANKINE G.C.
GUNASEKARA A.W.
HALANGODE A.B.
HENRY J.A.E
HILL F.
HOULDER A.C.
JANSEN .R
JONES R.L.
MACDONALD R.
MC GREGOR L.D.
MARTIN O.
MODDER V.
MULGRUE G.R.
ONDATJE R.
PATE W.H.
PAYNTER A.G.
PAYNTER H.S.
PELPOLA P.D.
PEREIRA A.E.
PERERA H.A.
PILAPITIYA D.L.
RENFREW J.
ROBERTS .J
ROBERTS W.H.
RUDRA A.
SAUNDERS P.
SELVADURAI E.M.
SENEVIRATNE D.B.
SQUIRE E.C.
STEWART R.
THEIN P.E.
THOMSON R.D.
VAN DER POORTEN A.
WAGISWERA W.D.K.
WALMSLEY A.M.
WEERAKDOY T.
WEINMANN C.O.
WHITE O.
YOUNG C.
The Principal and Lt. Col. Leonard De Alwis showed their respect by placing two poppy wreaths at the German Machine Gun.
Then a member the Cadet Band played “The Last Post” to respect and honour those who had served.
To conclude the ceremony, the Choir sang “O God, our help in ages past“, and the Cadet Band proceeded with the National Anthem.
“As we commemorate the centenary year since the end of World War I, it is not to romanticize or glamorize war that we remember this fateful journey in the lives of men who sacrificed their lives for peace. It is merely to share with everyone, that these soldiers were mere schoolboys who suddenly became soldiers, suddenly became men and fought with great valour and distinction in that savage war as they went from the playing fields of Trinity to the killing fields of France.”
Review by Kevin Tennekoon
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