General Don Sepala Attygalle LVO, SLAC |
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General Deshamanya D.S. Attygalle, LVO, SLAC
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Born | 1922 |
Died | January 2001 |
Allegiance | Sri Lanka |
Service/branch | |
Years of service | 1942–1977 |
Rank | General |
Unit | |
Commands held |
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Battles/wars | awards |
Other work |
Permanent Secretary Ministry of Defence, Sri Lankan High Commissioner to the United Kingdom |
General Deshamanya Don Sepala Attygalle, LVO, ADC, idc, psc, SLAC (1922 – January 2001) was a Sri Lankan military leader, civil servant and diplomat. The longest serving Commander of the Sri Lankan Army (1967–1977), he went on to serve as the Permanent secretary to the Ministry of Defence and Sri Lankan High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.
He is most notable for successfully crushing the 1971 Insurrection in a matter of months and becoming the first Sri Lankan army officer to be promoted to the rank of a four star General. He is known as the "Father of the Armoured Corps" and was The Equerry to The Queen during her coronation in 1953.
Sepala Attygalle was educated at the Royal College, Colombo where he became the Head prefect, won colours in both athletics and rugby and was the Senior Sergeant of the Cadet Contingent of Royal. Thereafter he went on to the University of Ceylon. He graduated from the Staff College, Camberley in 1953 and the Imperial Defence College in 1966.