Extracts from Lord Naseby's book
On meeting the British Military Attache;
“I am confident that Lt Col Gash spoke freely to me during our meeting. He certainly was very frank and stated that at the time he was surprised at, and impressed with, the new found efficiency of the Sri Lanka armed forces. In his view they were now well trained and equipped for the task to take on the Tamil Tigers. He also expressed surprise at the number of Tamil civilians escaping through the lines from the LTTE to the safety and sanctuary of the Sri Lanka Army. He explained that extensive leafleting was being carried out, behind the LTTE lines, to reassure the Tamil who were trying to escape that they would be safe. It appeared that almost every night, and sometimes even during the day, people were coming over. As I listened I drew the firm impression that the Sri Lanka armed forces were, at that time, a force to be reckoned with, and with the equally important dimension of showing the care and attention to look after the Tamils fleeing from the persecution of the LTTE.”
At the lunch hosted by President J. R. Jayewardene after the opening of the Victoria Dam; “After the formal opening of the dam we moved to the old Governor General’s Residence in Kandy for a light lunch. The President had arranged for Sri Lanka’s best-known tusker elephant to be on parade in full regalia to pay his respects to the visiting dignitary. I was sitting at the same table as Mrs Thatcher and her husband Denis, along with the President and certain other Sri Lankans. The President suggested to Denis that he might like to feed the elephant with a bunch of bananas, which were on the table. Sri Lankan bananas were small and
very tasty. Denis got up with the bananas and approached the elephant, who was standing still with his trunk swinging. As the trunk swung down Denis stuffed the bananas into the opening of the trunk through which the elephant breathes. Mrs T., as ever on the ball, yelled out: ‘Denis, not the Trunk you idiot, but the mouth!’ Too late. Rajah could not breath, blasted out a cry through the trunk resulting in the bunch of bananas being shot in to the air as if they were cannon balls. The squashy remains landed on our table and those of our neighbours. Everyone collapsed with laughter. Rajah did a bended knee salute and departed with what I am sure was a twinkle in his eye.”