W.W.E. Clancy Fernando † VSV, USP | |
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Birth name | Wannakuwatta Waduge Erwin Clancy Fernando |
Born | 10 October 1938 |
Died | 16 November 1992 Colombo, Sri Lanka | (aged 54)
Allegiance | Sri Lanka |
Service/ | Sri Lanka Navy |
Years of service | 1957–1992 |
Rank | Admiral |
Commands held | Commander of the Sri Lankan Navy |
Battles/wars | Sri Lankan Civil War |
Awards | Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya Uttama Seva Padakkama |
Admiral Wannakuwatta Waduge Erwin Clancy Fernando VSV, USP, MNI (In Sinhalese: ක්ලැන්සි ෆර්නැන්ඩෝ; 10 October 1938 – 16 November 1992) was a senior Sri Lanka Navy officer. He served as the Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy from 1 November 1991 to 16 November 1992, when he was assassinated by the LTTE[1] he was the most senior officer in the Sri Lankan armed forces to be killed in the line of duty.
Born on 10 October 1938, Fernando was educated at Prince of Wales' College, Moratuwa, where he was a member of the team Western Band.
He was assassinated by a LTTE suicide bomber[1] who drove an explosives laden motorbike into his staff car on the 16 November 1992 at 8.35 a.m, in front of the Galle Face Green. Killed in the bombing was Lieutenant (posthumously lieutenant-commander) Sandun Gunasekera, his flag lieutenant and his driver. He was on his way to naval headquarters at Flagstaff Street in the Galle Buck from his official residence "Navy House" at Longden Place, Colombo after he returned from India after discussing Indo-Sri Lankan naval cooperation. Admiral Fernando's assassination took place soon after the death of LTTE Sea Tiger leader Charles at the hands of a navy patrol launched from Nagathevanthurai.[2]
He was posthumously promoted to admiral and awarded the Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya and the Uttama Seva Padakkama. While in service he had received the Sri Lanka Armed Services Long Service Medal and Clasp, Republic of Sri Lanka Armed Services Medal, Ceylon Armed Services Long Service Medal and Clasp, Purna Bhumi Padakkama, President's Inauguration Medal and the Sri Lanka Navy 25th Anniversary Medal.
He was married to Monica Fernando and had two sons, Nishan and Dinukh and a daughter, Sashi.[4]