Hamilton Wanasinghe

General Hamilton Wanasinghe, VSV (18 August 1933 – 13 June 2025) was a Sri Lankan army officer. He served as the 11th Commander of the Sri Lankan Army (1988–1991), third General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Joint Operations Headquarters (JOH; later known as the Chief of the Defence Staff; 1991–1993) and also as Defence Secretary. A keen sportsman, he was the sergeant major in the college cadet platoon. He was also an active member of the college rifle shooting team, which won many coveted trophies and then later, he joined the army. Wanasinghe also represented Ceylon in the Inter Dominion small bore rifle shooting competition.

Military career Early career Wanasinghe joined the Ceylon Army as an officer cadet in 1954 and was sent to the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst for officer training. He went on to serve as the commanding officer of the 4th Field Artillery Regiment with the rank of lieutenant colonel from May 1979 to 1981.

Higher command Promoted to colonel, he served as Commander, Task Force 4 Northern Command in Jaffna from January 1981 to December 1981. In 1982 he attended the National Defence College, India and on his return he was promoted to the rank of brigadier and appointed the first Commander of Security Force Command Jaffna in 1985. Lt.General Hamilton Wanasinghe, as the Commander of the Army, risked his own life and was present at the Elephant Pass rescue, Operation Balawegaya, along with Major General Denzil Kobbekaduwa and Task Force Commander Late Brigadier Vijaya Wimalaratne. Operation Balavegaya was launched in June 1991 with the assistance of the Sri Lanka Navy with an amphibious landing at Vetterlerkani, which LTTE leader called it "Mother of All Battles". Victorious Sri Lanka Army troops broke the LTTE siege at Elephant Pass.

Joint Operations Headquarters On relinquishment of the Commander of the Army on 15 November 1991, he was promoted to the rank of general. He was appointed the general officer commanding (GOC) of the Joint Operations Headquarters (JOH), serving from 1991 to 1993. His son Sanjaya Wanasinghe was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Sri Lanka Artillery when Wanasinghe was the Army Commander; Sanjaya retired as a Major General in 2023.

Two of Hamilton Wanasinghe's nephews were killed in action serving in the Sri Lanka Artillery in 1993; Captain Nalin Jayatilleke (his wife's brother's son) was killed serving as a forward observation officer in Jaffna and Major Panduka Wanasinghe (his elder brother's son) was killed in the Battle of Pooneryn.

Wanasinghe died in Narahenpita, Sri Lanka on 13 June 2025, at the age of 91. At the time of his death, he had been receiving treatment at the Army Hospital in Narahenpita.

Honours Wanasinghe had been awarded the Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya (VSV) for distinguished service in the army, his other medals include the Purna Bhumi Padakkama, Vadamarachchi Operation Medal, Sri Lanka Armed Services Long Service Medal, Ceylon Armed Services Long Service Medal, Republic of Sri Lanka Armed Services Medal and the President's Inauguration Medal.

In 2019, road in between his hometown Malwana and Dompe was named General Hamilton Wanasinghe Mawatha.