Rex De Costa
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant Colonel
Dr. Anthony St. Clare Rex de Costa, MBE
, CAVF
(June 15, 1920 - April 9, 1971) was a reputed Sri Lankan medical doctor and soldier. He was the commanding officer
of the Ruhunu Regiment
, a Doctor in the Ceylon Defence Force during world war 2 and a Vice President of the World Veterans Federation. He was assassinated by the JVP
during the 1971 Insurrection.
Born to Dr Marceline de Costa and Lilia De Costa nee Rajapaksha. He was educated at the prestigious Royal College, Colombo and at the Colombo Medical College. After graduating, de Costa joined the Ceylon Medical Corps of the Ceylon Defence Force as a Lieutenant
during world war 2 and served in active duty until the demobilization at the end of the war, yet stayed on as a reservist with the rank of Captain
. His brother Malcolm de Costa joined the Ceylon Navy Volunteer Reserve and served with the Royal Navy
during the war.
When the Ceylon Army was formed in 1949 after Ceylon gained its independence, de Costa strayed with the newly created Ceylon Army Volunteer Force
as a Major
and played a significant part in its early stages. In 1954, with the formation of the Ruhunu Regiment
a reserve force raised from personal from the southern province he transferred to it.
He became the commanding officer of the 1st Battalion, Ruhunu Regiment based in Galle
with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel
. During this time his adjutant
was Lt. Tissa Weerathunga who would later become the head of the Sri Lankan Army. Following the general election of 1956, when S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike became Prime Minister, he disbanded the Ruhunu Regiment as he considered it loyal to the previous UNP government. Lt. Col. de Costa requested a transfer to his old unit the Ceylon Army Medical Corps
which was turned down. Therefore at the age of 36 he retired from the army as one of its youngest Lieutenant Colonels. For his war time service he had earned the Defence Medal
and the War Medal 1939–1945
, and for service in the Ceylon Army, he received the Ceylon Armed Services Inauguration Medal
, and the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal
.
Thereafter he took up the cause of world war
veteran
s around the world and joined the World Veterans Federation. He
traveled to several countries for WVF work and became its Vice President from 1961 to 1963. For his service he was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire
by HM
Queen Elizabeth II and retired to a quite life to his family home in Deniyaya in 1967. There he continued his medical practice for the benefit of the poor in the area.
On April 5, 1971 the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna
lunched an insurrection against the government. Since the insurrection had taken the Ceylon Government by surprise the many of the small police station in rural areas were unprepared and over run in the initial days with many constables and officers killed. The small police station in the town of Deniyaya also came under insurgent attacks and Dr. Rex de Costa volunteered his help in the form of medical aid to wounded constables and in weapons training which the police laked. When the situation became critical on April 8 the OIC
of the Deniyaya Police Station decided to withdraw his personal to the safety of larger Police Station in Rakwana
. The Inspector asked Dr. Rex de Costa to come with them. Since his children were sick Col de Costa refused and stayed behind. After the police withdrew from Deniyaya town and its police station releasing the detainees held there. As the insurgent learnt of Dr. Rex de Costa assistance to the police a insurgent unit went to his house around 9 am on April 9, Good Friday and demanded that he come out. As he came out from front door with hands raised, he was cut down by a hail of bullets. Dr. Rex de Costa died instantly in front of his wife.
The assassination of Dr. Rex de Costa was one of the major incidents of the 1971 JVP Insurrection. Justice
A. C. Alles a member of the Commission of Inquiry established under the Criminal Justice Commissions Act following the insurrection dedicated an entire chapter in his book about the insurrection to De Costa Murder.
He was married to his cousin Doreen de Costa nee Gunathilake and four children Marcel, Cheryl, Rex and Eric. After his death the family was involved in community work in the town of Deniyaya and had close links to his old regiment, 2nd(V) Sri Lanka Army Medical Corps.
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
Dr. Anthony St. Clare Rex de Costa, MBE
MBE
MBE can stand for:* Mail Boxes Etc.* Management by exception* Master of Bioethics* Master of Bioscience Enterprise* Master of Business Engineering* Master of Business Economics* Mean Biased Error...
, CAVF
Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force
The Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force is the principal and Volunteer reserve force component of the Sri Lanka Army. It is a collective name for the reserve units and the Sri Lanka National Guard of the Sri Lankan Army. The SLAVF is made up of part-time Officers and soldiers paid at a similar rate,...
(June 15, 1920 - April 9, 1971) was a reputed Sri Lankan medical doctor and soldier. He was the commanding officer
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
of the Ruhunu Regiment
Ruhunu Regiment
The Ruhunu Regiment was a former Military reserve force of the Ceylon Army. The regiment was raised in 1954 in Galle with a detachment in Matara. It was disbanded in 1956 when S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike became prime minister as he considered the unit to be loyal to the opposition. Its personnel made up...
, a Doctor in the Ceylon Defence Force during world war 2 and a Vice President of the World Veterans Federation. He was assassinated by the JVP
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna
The Janathā Vimukthi Peramuṇa is a Marxist-Leninist, Communist political party in Sri Lanka. The party was involved in two armed uprisings against the ruling governments in 1971 and 1987-89...
during the 1971 Insurrection.
Born to Dr Marceline de Costa and Lilia De Costa nee Rajapaksha. He was educated at the prestigious Royal College, Colombo and at the Colombo Medical College. After graduating, de Costa joined the Ceylon Medical Corps of the Ceylon Defence Force as a Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
during world war 2 and served in active duty until the demobilization at the end of the war, yet stayed on as a reservist with the rank of Captain
Captain (OF-2)
The army rank of captain is a commissioned officer rank historically corresponding to command of a company of soldiers. The rank is also used by some air forces and marine forces. Today a captain is typically either the commander or second-in-command of a company or artillery battery...
. His brother Malcolm de Costa joined the Ceylon Navy Volunteer Reserve and served with the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
during the war.
When the Ceylon Army was formed in 1949 after Ceylon gained its independence, de Costa strayed with the newly created Ceylon Army Volunteer Force
Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force
The Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force is the principal and Volunteer reserve force component of the Sri Lanka Army. It is a collective name for the reserve units and the Sri Lanka National Guard of the Sri Lankan Army. The SLAVF is made up of part-time Officers and soldiers paid at a similar rate,...
as a Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
and played a significant part in its early stages. In 1954, with the formation of the Ruhunu Regiment
Ruhunu Regiment
The Ruhunu Regiment was a former Military reserve force of the Ceylon Army. The regiment was raised in 1954 in Galle with a detachment in Matara. It was disbanded in 1956 when S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike became prime minister as he considered the unit to be loyal to the opposition. Its personnel made up...
a reserve force raised from personal from the southern province he transferred to it.
He became the commanding officer of the 1st Battalion, Ruhunu Regiment based in Galle
Galle
Galle is a city situated on the southwestern tip of Sri Lanka, 119 km from Colombo. Galle is the capital city of Southern Province of Sri Lanka and it lies in Galle District....
with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
. During this time his adjutant
Adjutant
Adjutant is a military rank or appointment. In some armies, including most English-speaking ones, it is an officer who assists a more senior officer, while in other armies, especially Francophone ones, it is an NCO , normally corresponding roughly to a Staff Sergeant or Warrant Officer.An Adjutant...
was Lt. Tissa Weerathunga who would later become the head of the Sri Lankan Army. Following the general election of 1956, when S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike became Prime Minister, he disbanded the Ruhunu Regiment as he considered it loyal to the previous UNP government. Lt. Col. de Costa requested a transfer to his old unit the Ceylon Army Medical Corps
Sri Lanka Army Medical Corps
The Sri Lanka Army Medical Corps is a specialist corps in the Sri Lanka Army which provides medical services to all army personnel and their families in war and in peace. It is made up of 4 regular units and one volunteer unit. Headquartered in Colombo, formally at army headquarters...
which was turned down. Therefore at the age of 36 he retired from the army as one of its youngest Lieutenant Colonels. For his war time service he had earned the Defence Medal
Defence Medal
The Defence Medal was a campaign medal of the British Commonwealth, awarded for service in World War II. It was instituted to recognise both military and some types of civilian service....
and the War Medal 1939–1945
War Medal 1939–1945
The War Medal 1939–1945 was a British decoration awarded to those who had served in the Armed Forces or Merchant Navy full-time for at least 28 days between 3 September 1939 and 2 September 1945. In the Merchant Navy, the 28 days must have been served at sea...
, and for service in the Ceylon Army, he received the Ceylon Armed Services Inauguration Medal
Ceylon Armed Services Inauguration Medal
The Ceylon Armed Services Inauguration Medal was awarded to members of the Ceylon armed services who served during specified periods in 1949-1951 during its establishment.-External links:***-References:...
, and the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal
Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal
The Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal was a commemorative medal made to celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.-Issue:For Coronation and Jubilee medals, the practice up until 1977 was that United Kingdom authorities decided on a total number to be produced, then allocated a proportion to...
.
Thereafter he took up the cause of world war
World war
A world war is a war affecting the majority of the world's most powerful and populous nations. World wars span multiple countries on multiple continents, with battles fought in multiple theaters....
veteran
Veteran
A veteran is a person who has had long service or experience in a particular occupation or field; " A veteran of ..."...
s around the world and joined the World Veterans Federation. He
traveled to several countries for WVF work and became its Vice President from 1961 to 1963. For his service he was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
by HM
HM
HM may refer to:* HM , a Christian hard rock magazine* HM , pseudonym of Henry Molaison, a man with anterograde amnesia* HM, the IATA airline code for Air Seychelles...
Queen Elizabeth II and retired to a quite life to his family home in Deniyaya in 1967. There he continued his medical practice for the benefit of the poor in the area.
On April 5, 1971 the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna
The Janathā Vimukthi Peramuṇa is a Marxist-Leninist, Communist political party in Sri Lanka. The party was involved in two armed uprisings against the ruling governments in 1971 and 1987-89...
lunched an insurrection against the government. Since the insurrection had taken the Ceylon Government by surprise the many of the small police station in rural areas were unprepared and over run in the initial days with many constables and officers killed. The small police station in the town of Deniyaya also came under insurgent attacks and Dr. Rex de Costa volunteered his help in the form of medical aid to wounded constables and in weapons training which the police laked. When the situation became critical on April 8 the OIC
Officer in Charge (Police)
The officer in charge is the gazetted officer in command of a police station in Sri Lanka. He/she is in charge of most of the investigations of the station and for maintenance of law and order within that police area....
of the Deniyaya Police Station decided to withdraw his personal to the safety of larger Police Station in Rakwana
Rakwana
Rakwana, is a small town in the Ratnapura District, Sabaragamuwa Province of Sri Lanka, a notable centre of Ceylon tea plantations and industry. Rakwana is locally administered by the Godakawela-Rakwana Urban Council...
. The Inspector asked Dr. Rex de Costa to come with them. Since his children were sick Col de Costa refused and stayed behind. After the police withdrew from Deniyaya town and its police station releasing the detainees held there. As the insurgent learnt of Dr. Rex de Costa assistance to the police a insurgent unit went to his house around 9 am on April 9, Good Friday and demanded that he come out. As he came out from front door with hands raised, he was cut down by a hail of bullets. Dr. Rex de Costa died instantly in front of his wife.
The assassination of Dr. Rex de Costa was one of the major incidents of the 1971 JVP Insurrection. Justice
Justice
Justice is a concept of moral rightness based on ethics, rationality, law, natural law, religion, or equity, along with the punishment of the breach of said ethics; justice is the act of being just and/or fair.-Concept of justice:...
A. C. Alles a member of the Commission of Inquiry established under the Criminal Justice Commissions Act following the insurrection dedicated an entire chapter in his book about the insurrection to De Costa Murder.
He was married to his cousin Doreen de Costa nee Gunathilake and four children Marcel, Cheryl, Rex and Eric. After his death the family was involved in community work in the town of Deniyaya and had close links to his old regiment, 2nd(V) Sri Lanka Army Medical Corps.