continuing the earlier message .
on 9/11/ 1915 on the ill fated French Boat Ville de le Ciota for the Western Front. the ship was sunk by a German U boat ( U 34) on Christmas Eve 1915, circa 80 perished, including some of the CLI Volunteers. My great uncle survived , was picked up we understand, by a British ship , and went to Liverpool where he recovered and joined the First Sportsman's Battalion ( 23rd Battalion) , Royal Fusiliers. He went to the western Front in 1916, and was KIA on 3rd December 1917 in Boulogne Wood during the Battle of Cambrai. His portrait was unveiled in the Diyatalawa army HQ , we gather in 1936, in the uniform of a Royal Fusilers.
The letter from Lt Col E R Freeman to my great grandfather, C J Aiyadurai, talking about Richard Aiyadurai is quoted in the publication " NOTES ON JAFFNA" by John H Martyn. He is referred to as having been " sniped through the head and killed instantly whilst firing at the enemy... and is described as a " very gallant man. He set a fine example to all ranks on account of his cleaniliness , smartness and cheeriness etc.. "
I wonder if his name appears in the list of recipients of the Ceylon Volunteer Service Medal and how one finds out? Unfortunately we lost all his medals during WW2, during the Japanese occupation of Malaya in 1942.
Many thanks,
Paul
