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began. Though unprepared for a full-scale insurrection, with limited aircraft, under Mendis' command, the Air Force responded effectively. At first, it carried out troop and supply transport to stations under attack, then it turned to ground attacks. The insurrection was brought under control in two
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and on his return he became a flying instructor at the Royal Ceylon Air Force Flying School
Katunayake. In 1961, when the single flying wing was split forming two flying squadrons, Squadron Leader Mendis took command of the newly formed
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at SLAF China Bay for officer training and the
Electronic Maintenance and Training school at SLAF Ekala, trade training School at SLAF Katunayake for ground crew training. He retired from service in 1976 as an
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months. Following the insurrection, military spending was drastically cut as a result of major economic problems faced by the country. As a result, Mendis was forced to create
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One of his major contributions to the Air Force was the creation of the current management structure, including the board of management. He established the
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269:; Commissioner General, Civil Defence and Aviation; member, Reserve Affairs Council and chairman, Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka.
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until he returned home in
December 1954. The government decided to deploy more transports instead of the Vampires, Mendis trained for
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on 8 August 1951. Mendis and Cadet
Officer D. De S. Seneviratne were sent to Britain for their training at
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Mendis married
Charmaine in 1957, and they had 3 children. One of his grandsons is a midshipman at the
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along with 9 other former service chiefs. For service in the air force he received the service medals
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and appointed the Senior Air Staff
Officer at Air Force Headquarters in 1963. Promoted to the rank of
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in the flying wing. In 1959, Fight
Lieutenant Mendis and Fight Lieutenant Situnayake were sent to the
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He joined the newly formed Royal Ceylon Air Force as its fifth recruit (1005 AC2) as a
165:, FBIM (24 January 1933 – 18 January 2022) was a Sri Lankan aviator. He was the fourth
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between 1961 and 1962. On completion of staff college, he was promoted to the rank of
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On 1 January 1971, he was appointed
Commander of the Air Force with the rank of
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from the
Government of Sri Lanka and in 2007 he was promoted to the rank of
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with Air Force planes and pilots to finance the operation of the Air Force.
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in London in 1968 and was appointed Chief of Staff in
December 1969.
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For his service to the country he was awarded the title of
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197:. After graduating on 6 April 1954, Mendis specialized in
389:"Former Air Force Commander P. H. Mendis has passed away"
682:Graduates of the Royal College of Defence Studies
677:Graduates of the Royal Air Force College Cranwell
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265:After retiring he went on to work as chairman,
150:Chairman, Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka
284:He died on 18 January 2022, at the age of 88.
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177:The son of a doctor, Mendis was educated at
687:Alumni of S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia
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474:
425:Paddy Mendis: Administrator par excellence
302:Republic of Sri Lanka Armed Services Medal
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220:Defence Services Staff College, Wellington
314:Ceylon Armed Services Inauguration Medal
310:Ceylon Armed Services Long Service Medal
281:, who graduated with the Class of 2010.
448:Commander of the Royal Ceylon Air Force
218:. He then attended the staff course at
167:Commander of the Royal Ceylon Air Force
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497:Commanders of the Sri Lankan Air Force
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363:"His life and times as an Ace Aviator"
702:Defence Services Staff College alumni
657:Commanders of the Sri Lanka Air Force
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123:Commander of the Sri Lankan Air Force
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387:Farzan, Zulfick (18 January 2022).
306:Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal
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16:Sri Lankan air marshal (1933–2022)
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216:No. 2 (Transport) Squadron, RCyAF
113:No. 2 (Transport) Squadron, RCyAF
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410:Former service chiefs promoted
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1:
662:Sri Lankan Air Chief Marshals
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667:Sinhalese military personnel
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163:Pathman Hariprasadha Mendis
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697:People from Galle District
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207:RAF Central Flying School
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232:Imperial Defence College
173:Early life and education
273:Personal life and death
243:1971 JVP Insurrection
199:De Havilland Vampires
133:1971 JVP Insurrection
91:Years of service
195:RAF College Cranwell
672:Sri Lankan aviators
169:from 1971 to 1976.
85:Sri Lanka Air Force
441:Edward Amerasakera
230:, he attended the
211:flying instructors
179:S. Thomas' College
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458:Harry Goonatilake
455:Succeeded by
433:Military offices
298:Air Chief Marshal
255:Air Force Academy
157:Air Chief Marshal
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103:Air Chief Marshal
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438:Preceded by
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279:US Naval Academy
239:Air Vice Marshal
209:for training as
203:Airspeed Oxfords
185:Air force career
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139:Other work
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61:(aged 88)
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228:Group Captain
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581:Abeywickrama
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393:. Retrieved
391:. News First
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370:. Retrieved
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129:Battles/wars
59:(2022-01-18)
25:Paddy Mendis
18:
652:2022 deaths
647:1933 births
587:Gunathilake
575:Goonetileke
551:Gunawardena
533:Goonatilake
521:Amerasekera
260:Air Marshal
692:Deshamanya
641:Categories
599:Jayampathy
563:Weerakkody
557:Ranasinghe
452:1971–1976
395:18 January
344:References
294:Deshamanya
267:Air Ceylon
160:Deshamanya
147:Air Ceylon
66:Allegiance
37:1933-01-24
617:Rajapaksa
611:Pathirana
372:1 January
248:Helitours
69:Sri Lanka
44:Hikkaduwa
545:Fernando
312:and the
143:Chairman
119:Commands
94:25 years
74:Service/
419:Sources
569:Perera
539:Perera
527:Mendis
515:Barker
509:Bladon
304:, the
288:Honors
76:branch
349:Notes
605:Dias
397:2022
374:2021
109:Unit
99:Rank
54:Died
31:Born
615:19
609:18
603:17
597:16
591:15
585:14
579:13
573:12
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46:,
489:e
482:t
475:v
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39:)
35:(
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