The Navy At War
Naval activity in Ceylon , as this country was known till 1972, re-commenced only under British colonial rule, and in pursuance of the British Empire's global strategy and concerns. During the first of this century's two World Wars, German raiders had infiltrated the Indian Ocean and inflicted heavy losses on allied shipping. Hence, when it was apparent that a resurgent Germany would be a major threat, an Imperial Defence Conference in London, in 1932, promulgated a principle that each part of the Empire, whether Dominion, Colony or Protectorate, irrespective of whether it had been represented at the conference or not, had to assume a responsibility for and make its own contribution towards the defence of its territory and the Empire.
In Ceylon, this decision was given effect to by the "Volunteer Naval Defence Force, Ordinance No. 1 of 1937". In January, 1938 the first Officers were commissioned, two English Master Mariners and two Sri Lankans, the latter being Paymaster Lieutenants E.F.N. Gratiean (later Justice of the Supreme Court) and D. Susantha de Fonseka (later Ambassador to Burma and Japan). The Commanding Officer of the Ceylon Naval Volunteer Force (CNVF), Commander W.G. Beauchamp (a Director of J.M. Robertson & Co. Ltd.) was appointed soon after.
An Officer intake of experienced British seamans and of a greater number of Ceylonese followed, and training commenced. They were followed by an intake of 'Signalman Gunners', for operating armaments and communications, 'Seaman (Lascars)' for general seaman duties and 'Stoker Mechanics' for manning the engine room. For training, an Officer Instructor and a retired Warrant Officer were attached: the post of "Officer Instructor", or "01/VNF" persons to date. It was during this period that the traditional Volunteers, week-end training camps commenced.
At 2100 hrs on 31st August 1939, the CNVF was mobilized for war duties. Three years later, the CNVF was offered to, and accepted by the Royal Navy (RN) as a Volunteer Reserve, the "Ceylon Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve", or CRNVR. It continued under RN operational and administrative command till March 1946. With the end of the war, it reverted to Ceylon Government Control, though yet CRNVR in name.
In the 1939-1946 period, the CRNVR carried out several operational duties, mainly at sea. Cutting its teeth on the Port Commission Tugs SAMSON and GOLIATH, it later manned and operated trawlers and Antarctic whalers converted as Minesweepers and fitted out with guns, submarine detection equipment and anti-submarine weaponry. They were the H.M. Ships OVERDALE WYKE (the first ship to be purchased by the Government of Ceylon), OKAPI, SEMLA, SAMBHUR, HOXA, BALTA and H.M Tugs BARNET and C 405. In addition it manned several Motor Fishing Vessels (MFV) and miscellaneous auxiliary vessels. All were manned exclusively by CRNVR personnel. These ships were meant to sweep and guard the approaches the harbours but were often used on extended missions outside Ceylon waters. Among these operations were;
- Escort Duties: Providing protection for ships bound for Indian ports, Addu Atoll, Male and Diego Garcia and for the QUEEN MARY, QUEEN ELIZABETH, MAURITANIA and AQUITANIA which were now converted as troopships.
- Guard ship Duties: Staying alongside suspicious neutral ships, both in local ports and in "Port T", the code name for Addu Atoll.
- Search and Rescue at sea: Going to the aid of ships torpedoed and sunk between Ceylon and the Maldives. It saved 248 lives and towed several vessels to port.
- Patrolling and Lighthouse relief: Servicing the lighthouses around the island and on Minicoy. Patrolling the approaches to Colombo and Trincomalee and manning Boom Defences and controlled mine-fields.
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