T S B Sally

Ceylon Defense Force

Born and educated in Kandy, Sally joined the Ceylon Defence Force during World War II in 1942 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the 5th Battalion, Ceylon Light Infantry. He specialized as a 3" mortar platoon commander and was demobilized after the war with the rank of lieutenant. In 1947, he joined the Royal Military Police (Ceylon) serving in Singapore and Malaya. In 1948 he was promoted to captain.

Ceylon Army

With the formation of the Ceylon Army he was commissioned as lieutenant in the 1st Battalion, Ceylon Light Infantry in 1950. The year after he was sent to the British School of Infantry at Netheravon. Participated in NATO manoeuvers with the British Army of the Rhine, Germany and on his return he was promoted to captain, and appointed adjutant of the battalion in 1955.

He transferred to the newly raised Ceylon Sinha Regiment in 1956 and was appointed company commander in 1957. Having attended a Company Commander's course at the School of Infantry, Warminster, he was promoted to Major in 1961. Was posted to the Army Training Center, Diyatalawa in 1963, and made acting commander of 1st Battalion, Gemunu Watch in 1965. He then attended a course in Tactics and Counter- Insurgency at Jungle Training Center, Canungra and promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and served as acting Commanding Officer, 1st Battalion Ceylon Light Infantry in 1967.

He was made the commanding officer of the 1st Battalion of the Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment in 1968, and was subsequently sent on a six months' training course in financial management at the U.S. Army Finance School and training in personnel management at the United States Army Adjutant General School both in Fort Benjamin Harrison. Subsequently, took up appointment at Army HQ Colombo. He was appointed extra aide-de-camp to President William Gopallawa and later to Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike in 1972. Promoted to Colonel in 1974.

Promoted to Brigadier on 5 August 1977. He was appointed chief of staff on 1 December 1977 until his retirement on 18 March 1979. He was acting commander on two occasions, on 18 February 1978 and 16 October 1978, and was the last officer from the Ceylon Defence Force to leave active service.

For wartime service in World War II, he had earned the Defence Medal (United Kingdom) and the War Medal 1939–1945, and for service in the Ceylon Army, he received the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal, the Ceylon Armed Services Long Service Medal, the Republic of Sri Lanka Army 25th Anniversary Medal, President's Inauguration Medal, and the Ceylon Armed Services Inauguration Medal.

Later life

Following his retirement he served as the first secretary general of The Sri Lanka Malay Confederation (SLAMAC), Vice president/patron- Colombo Malay Cricket Club, General secretary- Sri Lanka Malay Association, president- Sri Lanka- Indonesia Friendship Association (SLIFA), treasurer- Sri Lanka- Malaysia Friendship Association, chairman- Welfare Grants Committee, Sri Lanka Ex-Servicemen's Association (SLESA), representative member (Defence)- Organisation of Professional Associations of Sri Lanka (OPA), committee member- Sri Lanka Malay Association Rupee Fund, president- Association of Retired Flag Rank Officers (ARFRO), president- Manning Lux Residencies.

Death

Brigadier Sally was hospitalized, having received a stroke in June 2012, which left him disabled on the right side of his body, and was in bed throughout this time. He was visited by his family members and others everyday until his death on Friday, 3 August 2012, in Colombo. At the age of 88, he was the oldest surviving officer in the armed forces from World War II. He was given a military funeral with full honours.