G. H. De Silva


Gerard Hector "Gerry" De Silva, RWP, VSV, USP is a Sri Lankan general. He was the 13th Commander of the Sri Lankan Army and Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Pakistan.

Early life and education

Born to Captain G.H. de Silva of the Ceylon Light Infantry and Etta Anna Bianca de Silva, he had five siblings. Educated at Saint Joseph's College, Colombo, where he excelled in Cricket, Swimming and Water Polo.

Military career

Early career

Gerry de Silva, joined the Ceylon Army on 6 May 1960 as a cadet officer and received his training at Royal Military Academy Sandhurst along with Denzil Kobbekaduwa. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant on 3 August 1962 in the Ceylon Sinha Regiment and was transferred to the newly formed Gemunu Watch a year later. In 1971, Captain De Silva was deployed in counter insurgency operations in Monaragala during the 1971 Insurrection and thereafter served with the Task Force Anti Illicit Immigration with the Gemunu Watch. He followed a Junior Command Course in Pakistan and the Senior Command Course at the Army War College, Mhow.

Higher command

In 1981 as a Lieutenant Colonel he was the Officer Commanding Troops Jaffna, before taking over as Commandant, Combat Training School and becoming the first Commandant of Infantry Training School. As a Colonel, he served as Commander Northern Command in 1985. Brigadier G.H. de Silva served as the Principal Staff Officer, JOC; Commanded 2 Brigade Group, tasked on deception planning and holding operations, whilst being the Overall Operational Commander for the Vadamarachchi Operation in 1987. From 1988 to 1989 he served as the Colonel of the Regiment of the Gemunu Watch and attended the National Defense College, India in 1989. On his return he was appointed General officer commanding, 3 Division in January 1990 on its formation and thereafter took over the 2 Division. Thereafter he served as the Commandant of the Volunteer Force and Chief of Staff.

Commander of the Army

He was appointed Commander of the Army in 1 January 1994. During his tenure the army launched the Operation Riviresa under the command of Major General Daluwatte which was successful in re-capturing the Jaffna peninsula and pushing the LTTE to the jungles of Wanni with significant loss of men and martial. De Silva had concerns about capturing the Jaffna peninsula without a land route to supply the large number of troops needed to defend it. This was later proven when the Operation Jayasikurui failed to open the land route the army needed. He retired on 30 April 1996 and was succeeded by Rohan Daluwatte.

Later life

Following his retirement, he was appointed as Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Pakistan while concurrently accredited as Ambassador to Kazakhatan and Kyrgyzestan. He served in this capacity from 1996 to 1998. He was appointed as the 5th Chancellor of General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa with effect from 20 January 2020.