A golden opportunity in Sri Lanka

A deployment to Sri Lanka was like an episode of Who Do You Think You Are? for public affairs officer Lieutenant Jonathan Wills, as he uncovered surprising details of his family history during Indo-Pacific Endeavour (IPE).

CAPTION: Lieutenant Jonathan Wills visits Henricus Avenue, Colombo, once home to his mother’s family and which now bears the family name. Story by Lieutenant Commander Emma Anderson. Photos by Petty Officer Bradley Darvill.

“Even though I’ve lived my whole life in Australia, I’m also very proud of my Sri Lankan heritage,” Lieutenant Wills said.

“When I joined the Navy Reserve two years ago, I never expected one day I’d visit my mother’s homeland for a Defence diplomacy activity.

“The last time I was in Sri Lanka I was five years old. Now, I’ve just called my mum from the middle of the street in Colombo that’s named after her dad.”

Lieutenant Wills’ mother, Judith, is the daughter of a Sri Lankan police officer. Mrs Wills lived in towns all over the country, following her father’s posting cycle.

She met and married Lieutenant Wills’ father, Tony – then a young, Scottish tea estate manager. Like many other Sri Lankans, they made the decision to migrate to Australia in the late 1960s.

The move from tropical Sri Lanka to the outer suburbs of Brisbane was a culture shock for them both.

Mrs Wills connected her three children to their Sri Lankan heritage through food, serving up Lieutenant Wills and his siblings’ favourites like egg hoppers, seeni sambol, lamprais and coconut sambol.

Ahead of his assignment as a military camera team leader on IPE in Sri Lanka, Lieutenant Wills investigated his family’s service history with help from the Sea Power Centre – Australia.

“I discovered my great uncle, Lieutenant Commander Alan Henricus, served with distinction in both the Royal Ceylon Navy [now the Sri Lanka Navy] and the Royal Australian Navy,” Lieutenant Wills said.

“After immigrating to Australia in the 1970s, his service in the Royal Ceylon Navy made for a simple transition to the Royal Australian Navy.

“Alan was, for many years, the curator of the Naval Historical Collection on Spectacle Island in Sydney Harbour.

“He formed the collection that commemorated Navy’s contribution to the founding, development and maturity of Australia, which then became part of the Australian National Maritime Museum.”

But that was only the beginning of what Lieutenant Wills uncovered during IPE about the depth of his family’s links to Sri Lanka and Australia.

“I learned that my grandfather, Ansdale – Lieutenant Commander Henricus’ older brother – also had a unique connection to Australia,” Lieutenant Wills said.

“He represented Sri Lanka in the British Empire Games [now the Commonwealth Games] in Sydney in 1938.

“It was the first time Sri Lanka ever competed in international sports. My grandfather won Sri Lanka’s first ever gold medal at those games in featherweight boxing.”

After his Empire Games success, Mr Henricus continued to serve in the Ceylon Police Force, rising to the rank of Chief Inspector.

Today, Henricus Avenue stills exists in the suburb of Nugegoda, Colombo, where Lieutenant Wills’ extended family once lived.

“I think my family’s story shows the people links between Australia and Sri Lanka run deep,” Lieutenant Wills said.

“There’s a long history of cooperation between the Royal Australian Navy and the Sri Lanka Navy protecting our shared interests in the Indian Ocean region. That’s what IPE is all about.”

IPE involves activities with 14 countries across south-east Asia and the Northeast Indian Ocean over the next five months. IPE ensures Australia has a strong presence in the region and reinforces enduring partnerships and friendships.

CAPTION: Lieutenant Jonathan Wills visits Henricus Avenue, Colombo, which is named after his grandfather.

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