Cyril Nicholas
Encyclopedia
Captain Cyril Wace Nicholas, MC
, KRR (1898-1961) was a Ceylonese soldier
, civil servant and forester
. He was the first Warden of the Wild Life Department
.
Educated at the prestigious Royal College Colombo
, he went on to study at the University of Cambridge
. However he left before finishing his degree due to the out set of World War I
to join the British Army
and was commissioned in to the King's Royal Rifles. He became a subaltern, later promoted to captain. He saw action on the western front, winning a Military Cross
for bravery in the field. After being wounded in battle he left the army on medical grounds and return to Ceylon.
Sitting for the Special Civil Service Examination for War Service personnel, he was placed first on the list but was not appointment to the Ceylon Civil Service
on medical grounds. He was accepted to the Department of Excise and became an Assistant Superintendent of Excise in Batticaloa and served in many parts of the island. He was promoted as Deputy Commissioner of Excise. In December 1950 he became the first Warden of the newly established Wild Life Department.
A few days before his death the Royal Asiatic Society
was on the point of awarding him its gold medal and the University of Ceylon
award a Honorary Doctorate to him posthumously.
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
, KRR (1898-1961) was a Ceylonese soldier
Soldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
, civil servant and forester
Forester
250px|thumb|right|Foresters of [[Southern University of Chile|UACh]] in the [[Valdivian forest]]s of San Pablo de Tregua, ChileA forester is a person who practices forestry, the science, art, and profession of managing forests. Foresters engage in a broad range of activities including timber...
. He was the first Warden of the Wild Life Department
Department of Wildlife Conservation (Sri Lanka)
The Department of Wildlife Conservation is a non-ministerial government department in Sri Lanka. It is the government department responsible for maintaining national parks, nature reserves and wildlife in wilderness areas in Sir Lanka. Forest reserves and wilderness areas are maintained by the...
.
Educated at the prestigious Royal College Colombo
Royal College Colombo
The Royal College of Colombo was founded in January 1835 in Colombo. It is considered to be the leading Public School in Sri Lanka...
, he went on to study at the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
. However he left before finishing his degree due to the out set of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
to join the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
and was commissioned in to the King's Royal Rifles. He became a subaltern, later promoted to captain. He saw action on the western front, winning a Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
for bravery in the field. After being wounded in battle he left the army on medical grounds and return to Ceylon.
Sitting for the Special Civil Service Examination for War Service personnel, he was placed first on the list but was not appointment to the Ceylon Civil Service
Ceylon Civil Service
The Ceylon Civil Service, popularly known by its acronym CCS, originated as the elite civil service of the Government of Ceylon under British colonial rule in 1833 and carried on after independence, until May 1, 1963 when it was abolished and the much larger Ceylon Administrative Service was...
on medical grounds. He was accepted to the Department of Excise and became an Assistant Superintendent of Excise in Batticaloa and served in many parts of the island. He was promoted as Deputy Commissioner of Excise. In December 1950 he became the first Warden of the newly established Wild Life Department.
A few days before his death the Royal Asiatic Society
Royal Asiatic Society
The Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland was established, according to its Royal Charter of 11 August 1824, to further "the investigation of subjects connected with and for the encouragement of science, literature and the arts in relation to Asia." From its incorporation the Society...
was on the point of awarding him its gold medal and the University of Ceylon
University of Ceylon
The University of Ceylon was the only university in Sri Lanka from 1942 until 1972. It had several constituent campuses at various locations around Sri Lanka. The University of Ceylon Act No. 1 of 1972, replaced it with the University of Sri Lanka which existed from 1973 to 1978. In 1978 it was...
award a Honorary Doctorate to him posthumously.