Major. J. P. E. Dias

Major. J. P. E. Dias was appointed as the Commanding Officer of First Battalion from January. In February, at Annual Junior Cadet Camp held at Diyatalawa, the Junior Cadets under Lt. Austin L. Fernando, were awarded First Place in Squad Drill and won the ‘De Soysa Challenge Trophy’ for the second time.
Major. J. P. E. Dias was promoted Regimental Second-in-Command; Lt. Austin L. Fernando became the OC Contingent and took over both senior and junior platoons until where Mr. A. B. Herath was selected as Probationary Officer. Cadet Atapattu J. R. N. (1957 Jr & 1958/59 Snr) of this platoon joined Ceylon Army with intake 32 (1967). The gentleman later went on to receive his commission with intake 10 SLMA Diyatalawa in 1984. Maj. (Rtd.). Jayantha R. N. Atapattu served with Ceylon General Service Corps (CGSC) where he was selected to serve as attaché to three Secretaries of Defence. Maj. (Rtd.). Jayantha R. N. Atapattu was an ardent advocator of cadeting, despite the nature of his military duties he was actively involved in cadeting at St Peter’s College for a period of over three decades.