Colombo War Cemeteries Sri Lanka Our first stop was the Kanette/Borella War Cemetery in Colombo about a 25 min bus ride from the Port. We had to walk through the unkempt local cemetery to reach the Commonwealth War Cemetery, the local cemetery is very untidy; leaves from deciduous trees all over the place, broken graves that are discoloured from the Colombo smog and dirt. They all need a good Gerni, Sugarsoap and sweep. I visited three guys in the cemetery and as a measure of irony the three were actually all side by side. I wanted to visit one Army member and two RAAFies and in a stroke of luck they were all three together that was not planned. Gunner Bruce Chapman NX21715 age 21 Artillery (Plot 6B Row O Grave 16A). Gunner (GNR) Chapman enlisted on 28 May 1941; and was involved in heavy fighting down the Malayan Peninsula against the Japanese in WW2. GNR Chapman was wounded at Namazie Estate on 27 Jan 1942 (before the Fall of Singapore) when his gun position was bombed by the Japanese; this same action saw another Australian Gunner killed and two wounded. GNR Chapman was taken to Jahore Bahru for treatment and was sent to Colombo around 10 Feb 1942 GNR Chapman at 21 years old, died as a result of his wounds and Malaria at the Australian General Hospital (Colombo) on 19 March 1942. 1
Right next to GNR Chapman (pictured left (AWM); Im holding the same picture above at his grave) was the two RAAFies I wanted to visit these guys are in the first row as you walk in the side gate. We visited Sergeant (SGT) Sydney White 404191 Age 24 and SGT Noel Watt 404223 Age 21. These guys were on board a Blenheim aircraft (Serial: Z7968) at Satmalana near Colombo with 11 Squadron Royal Air Force they crashed at 1415 hours, 15 March 1942 as a result of engine failure on take-off. They had been detailed to locate and attack 50 seaborne enemy aircraft which was reported on the NW side of Ceylon (Sri Lanka). After the aircraft became airborne, around 50 feet, the starboard engine failed where the aircraft spun to the right and unfortunately into Coconut Trees; the Blenheim was carrying 4 X 250lb bombs. Most were killed on board with some survivors. I laid down three Poppies for these boys - Lest We Forget. The Commonwealth War Cemetery is well-kept; nice local flora between the Portland Stone graves (Kranji War Cemetery style) however, I did notice the omission of the Cross of Sacrifice and no Stone of Remembrance either. I will contact OAWG Commission and ask why (at least) there is no Cross of Sacrifice in the Allied War Cemetery. Blenheim Aircraft 2
SGT Watt SGT White On our way to the next war cemetery about 5 mins on the bus and we alighted at Liveramentu War Cemetery. As we walked in, several kids were playing cricket in the local cemetery using what looked like a headstone as cricket stumps on closer inspection it was a couple of bricks. Same colour and shape as the Portland Stone you see in most Allied War Cemeteries. Our plan was to visit two RAAFies and the aircrew aboard the Liberator Bomber (Serial: BZ864) from 160 Squadron RAF. They died on take-off after their aircraft crashed at Sigiriya for a dive bombing attack on an enemy convoy on 19 April 1944. It attained a height of 50 feet before crashing into a gun site and bursting into flames. Six of the nine crew died and are buried alongside each other. The two RAAFies we visited were: Flight Sergeant (FSGT) Fred Brissenden 422118 (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner) RAAF; and FSGT Warwick Beauchamp 421880 (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner) RAAF. Alongside these two RAAFies were five other members of the same aircrew so seven men all together in a row who perished in that crash on the runway. A well-kept cemetery (with a Cross of Sacrifice standing to the front of the cemetery); it was very humid and hot outside in the Colombo sun as the time snaked towards midday. Liberator 3
FSGT Brissenden FSGT Beauchamp War time photos Burial Party Liberator Crew. (AWM) Crew of the Liberator together 4
Next to the two RAAFies is a Kiwi: 22 year old SGT Reg Holbrook (Flight Engineer) from Wellington NZ; next to him the three pilots of Liberator BZ864: SQNLDR J. Percival (Captain Pilot) Royal Air Force (RAF), FLGOFF K. Winfield (Pilot) Royal Canadian Air Force, and PLTOFF W. Crawford, (Pilot) RAF Sources: Australian War Memorial Commonwealth War Graves Commission Google Images Mudie, Robyn (2014) Address by HE, Australian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, at the Dawn Service for ANZAC Day at Jawatta Cemetery, Colombo, on 25 April 2014 http://www.srilanka.embassy.gov.au/clmb/2542014anzacdayaddressbyhom.html Storr, Alan (2006) RAAF WW3 Fatalities as contained in: http://static.awm.gov.au/images/collection/pdf/rc09125_006--1-.pdf 5