Ceylon Cadet Corps

CEYLON CADET CORPS – HISTORY THROUGH THE AGES

By Brigadier AER Abeyesinghe

Compiled by Major Anton Edema

The Colonial Period 1881 to 1949

In 1881 a Volunteer Unit was formed under the aegis of Royal College, Colombo, for
the purpose of promoting discipline among students by doing drill – the principle
role of this endeavorur being the training of youth to become law abiding and useful
citizens in the community at larger by instilling in them a keen sense of discipline
and responsibility; and the capacity to lead and to follow, and to command and
obey. The values of drill has been commented on by Lord Gort of the Grenadiers, in
1917, as “in peacetime training eh great thing is Drill. No doubt you want something
to help you over your fears and if you can get control over your nerves, as you do in
drill, it helps largely and helps to drive men forward in war…… the feeling of
unionism of moving together – is a great help, and this is got by training – Drill”.

Since 1902 a movement was initiated to set afoot a Cadet Battalion recruit from
schools to be attached to the Ceylon Light Infantry. Companies were formed at
Royal, St. Thomas and Wesley College in Colombo, Trinity and Kingswood Colleges
in Kandy, and Richmond College in Galle. Officers were selected from teachers and
senior students. It is said that military discipline was so evident that the Principal of
Royal College, who was a Private in Ceylon Planter’s Rifle Corps, would salute
student Lieutenants whenever they appeared in uniform! In time, 17 School
Contingents were affiliated to the Ceylon Light Infantry.

The Cadet Battalion first identified as CB-CLI in 1910, was later reorganized in 1920
as the Ceylon Cadet Battalion with two divisions, under the Ceylon Defence Force.
The Junior Division which had school cadets between the ages of 12-16 years
formed into Companies commanded by teachers. The Senior Division which
consisted of those teaching 16 years of age, formed Passed Cadet Companies of the
Ceylon Light Infantry, commanded by officers seconded from the Ceylon Light
Infantry.

In accordance with the Ceylon Defence Force Regulations, Cadets were not called
out on Active Service. Further, the junior Division of Cadets did not form part of the
Ceylon Defence Force, but was only affiliated to the Ceylon Cadet Battalion; and
was funded by the Education Department of the Government.

For lack of authentic records available at the time of writing, the training curriculum
of the Cadet Battalion during the colonial period cannot be commented on, save
noting that individual training was been conducted in school under the supervision
of officers at the school, and collective training of the Battalion was conducted

Compiled by Major Anton Edema

Ceylon Cadet Corps

annually; initially at Urugasmanhandiya, and later at Diyatalawa. The junior Division

held its Annual Training Camps at Boossa, in Galle.

Senior Cadets of the Ceylon Cadet Battalion have been trained to handle and fire
both the .22 and .303 calibre rifles, and there is evidence that teams of selected
cadets have competed on equal terms with adults in open rifle shooting
competitions, and proved their mettle by winning trophies at one time of another.

The association Battalion officers had with defence duties during World War I is
obscure; however officers of the Cadet Battalion were attached on Active Service to
the Ceylon Light Infantry during World War II. When World War II terminated and the
Ceylon Defence force commenced reorganizing itself to peacetime strength, a
Colonel of the Cadet Battalion officiated as the Commandant of the Ceylon Defence
Force.

THE DOMINION PERIOD 1949 to 1972

In 1949, with other units of the reorganized Ceylon Defence Force, the Ceylon Cadet
Battalion, comprised of school teachers and school boys, and geared to a non
combatant role, became a constituent Unit of the Volunteer Force of the Ceylon
Army.

In 1950, the Ceylon Cadet Battalion was reorganized into two battalions and
redesignated as the Ceylon Cadet Corps, and it pushed itself to expand – to live its
role of training its members to be law abiding citizens in the community by instilling
in them a sense of discipline and responsibility, and a capacity to lead and to obey;
and, simultaneously provide a disciplined and responsible feeder base of school
leavers with limited rudimentary military knowledge, as prospective candidates for
selection as Officer Cadets and recruits in the country’s Armed Services.

The 1st Battalion initially had its headquarters ad Kalutara, and the 2nd Battalion had
its Headquarters in Kandy. In 1953 3rd Battalion was raised in Colombo, and the 1st
Battalion was relocated in Galle. A 4th Battalion was raised in 19634 at Kurunegala;
and the 5th Battalion in 1968, at Anuradhapura.

Though performing a non Combatant role, the Ceylon Cadet Corps held a peculiarly
unique position in the Ceylon Volunteer Force during this period; in that, since 1968,
it was the only Regiment comprised of five Battalions commanded by a Regimental
Commander, among the integrant units of the Volunteer Force – and perhaps also
the largest single unit of the Ceylon Army at the time!

All school Cadets were not called out on Active Service; and the Junior Division of
the Ceylon Cadet Corps was no part of the Ceylon Volunteer Force of the Ceylon
Army, but was only affiliated to the Ceylon Cadet Corps, and was funded by the
Ministry of Education, This status quo remained until the junior Division was
subsequently disbanded years later.

Compiled by Major Anton Edema

Ceylon Cadet Corps

While Officers commissioned into the Ceylon Cadet Corps received such levels of
initial training compatible with that imparted to Officer Cadets of Arms and Service
Units of the Volunteer Force; Senior Cadets, apart from training in Drill with and
without Arms, received only rudimentary military training in subjects such as
weapon training on the .22 and .303 Calibre rifles, Field Craft, Map Reading and
First Aid. Cadets of the Junior Division were not inducted into rudimentary military
subjects. The main aspects of their curriculum of training were, Physical Training,
Drill, Firing the .22 calibre rifle and First Aid. Training programmes were drawn up
by Regular Force Officers of the permanent Staff of the Corps. Training of Cadets
under Supervision of their own Platoon Officers was carried out at School level twice
weekly; and once monthly training was conducted under the supervision of
permanent staff. Collective Training at battalion level was conducted at the Ceylon
Volunteer Force Camp, Diyatalawa. Coveted Challenge Trophies were presented
annually to the best platoon in the Senior and the Junior Division; which made the
preparation and competitions for overall efficiency very keen and enthusiastic
throughout all Platoons. As time went by, Battalions of the Corps raised Western or
Oriental Band Platoons, and as they grew in numbers and skills, the Band Platoons
competed for the challenge Trophies special to them.

School Cadets and their Officers paraded to provide Guards of Honour to VIPP
visiting their schools and institutions; and participated in the annual Independence
Day Armed Services Parade.

Ceylon Cadet Corps Officers have amply demonstrated their combat preparedness,
initiative, and their administrative and professional capabilities as teachers during a
diversity of national emergencies and other exigencies, when attached on Active
Service to Units and institutions of the Regular and Volunteer Forces of the Ceylon
Army.

Two separate episodes during this period have gratified the Ceylon Cadet Corps.
The majority out of the very first batch of ten prospective officer cadets selected for
the Regular Force of the nascent Ceylon Army; and sent to England for
training at the Mons Officer Cadet School in Aldershot and thereafter the Royal
Military Academy in Sandhurst in 1949, were one time Senior Cadets who cut their
teeth on rudimentary military training in the Ceylon Cadet Battalion. Two of them
went on to command the Sri Lanka Army later. In Pioneer Corps of the Volunteer
Force, and be its first Commanding Officer, which appointment he held for five
years.

THE REPUBLICAN PERIOD 1972 -

In 1979 The Sri Lanka Cadet Crops raised its 6th Battalion in Diyatalawa. In 1981 the
Corps commemorated the Centenary of its raising with many celebratory events.
The Corps whose origins in 1881 were a small band of students and teachers in one
school; had, at its Centenary, six battalions comprised of ninety five Senior Cadet

Compiled by Major Anton Edema

Ceylon Cadet Corps

Platoons, three hundred and nine affiliated Junior Platoons and fifteen Band
Platoons; organized in three hundred and nine schools throughout the island.

While the training curriculum and military ceremonial commitment of the Cadet
Corps remained more or less the same as that of the Dominion period; time and
again some of their officers were mobilized into Active Service to serve the Corps
itself, and to be attached to Regular and Volunteer force Units and institutions when
a need arose.

In 1981 discussions had taken place among the authorities to raise a National Cadet
Corps, and disband the existing Junior Division o the Sri Lanka Cadet Corps. By 1985
the Junior Division of the Corps was disbanded; and, for the first time, Girls’ Platoons
with Lady Officers in charge were raised in schools., In 1985 the raising of a national
Cadet Corps became a certainity; and while students of the Sri Lanka Cadet Corps
would automatically transit to the National Cadet Corps; its officers were given the
option to apply or transfers to other Units of the Volunteer Force, which was availed
of by some.

In April 1988, after an association of a hundred and seven years with the Volunteer
Force of the Sri Lanka Army, The Sri Lanka Cadet Corps was weaned away from its
parent organization by the Government, to find for it a separate and independent
existence with a new vision; bearing the designation “National Cadet Corps”, and
coming under the purview of the ministry of Manpower mobilization.

One, out of the hills cradling the vallies of Diyatalawa, familiarly known as “Stag
Hill”, still visible at a distance from many vantage points in and around Diyatalawa:
bearing on one face the insignia of the Ceylon Cadet Corps with its symbolic stag
head, all figured in outline with chunks of quartz; will go on to doubtlessly stir
nostalgic memories of this bygone institution and its mores, among its once recent
members and those before them.

Compiled by Major Anton Edema