Colombo Town Guard was a regiment attached to the Ceylon Defence Force which was the predecessor to the

Sri Lanka Army The Sri Lanka Army (; ) is the oldest and largest of the Sri Lanka Armed Forces. The army was officially established as the Ceylon Army in 1949, though the army traces its roots back in 1881 when Ceylon Light Infantry Volunteers was created; ...

prior to 1949 when the Ceylon Army was formed. It was a volunteer ( reserve) regiment was based in

Colombo Colombo, ( ; , ; , ), is the executive and judicial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka by population. The Colombo metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of 5.6 million, and 752,993 within the municipal limits. It is the ...

History

The Town Guard regiment was mobilized only on two occasions, these were during

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

and

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. Primarily operating as a defensive force for

Ceylon Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, also known historically as Ceylon, is an island country in South Asia. It lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, separated from the Indian subcontinent, ...

's then capital

the regiment was made up of residents of Colombo with both British and Ceylonese Officers. Members of the regiment included many personalities who became important figures in Sri Lankan history. When formed in both 1914 and 1939 the primary task of the regiment was the defence of Colombo from enemy invasion and had the secondary task of protecting the

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

control over the colony. In 1915 during the Sinhalese-Moor Riots the Town Guard was called to restore public order with authorization to summarily execute anyone they deemed to be a rioter during the 100-day long period of

martial law Martial law is the replacement of civilian government by military rule and the suspension of civilian legal processes for military powers. Martial law can continue for a specified amount of time, or indefinitely, and standard civil liberties ...

in the colony.

Town Guard Artillery

This was the artillery element formed to support the Colombo town guard formed at the outset of

. This was absorbed into the Ceylon Garrison Artillery when it was formed in 1918.

Recent years

In 2006 due to the Sri Lankan Civil War the Sri Lankan Government announced a formation of a

Home Guard Home guard is a title given to various military organizations at various times, with the implication of an emergency or reserve force raised for local defense. The term "home guard" was first officially used in the American Civil War, starting ...

unit made up of residents of

for deployments within the city. This was not a reforming of the town guard as the new unit came under the authority of the Department of Civil Defence (Sri Lanka) unlike the town guard that came under the command of the army. This was the first time a home guard unit was formed within Colombo.

Notable members

* The Rt. Hon. Don Stephen Senanayake – the first

Prime Minister of Ceylon The prime minister of Sri Lanka, officially the prime minister of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is the most senior member of parliament in the cabinet of ministers. It is the second-most powerful position in Sri Lanka's exec ...

. * Sir

Razik Fareed Sir Razik Fareed, Order of the British Empire, OBE, Unofficial magistrate, JP, UM (29 December 1893 – 23 August 1984), also known as A. R. A. Razik, was a Ceylonese (Sri Lankan) landed proprietor, politician and philanthropist. He was the form ...

(29 December 1893 – 23 August 1984) – Ceylonese (Sri Lankan) lawyer, politician, diplomat and philanthropist. He was the former Cabinet Minister of Trade, Senator, member of parliament and the state council. He had also served as Ceylon's High Commissioner to Pakistan. *

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

Henry Pedris – prominent figure executed by the British. * Sir Oliver Goonetilleke – Governor-General of Ceylon

References

External links and sources

Sri Lanka Army

Sri Lanka Artillery

{{Sri Lanka Army Regiments

Town Guard A city guard, city watch, town guard, or town watch were local militia companies formed to enforce municipal laws. Usually subordinate to the local municipal government, many cities had their own guard formations which doubled as police and mili ...