Canine war veterans go the way of all flesh

Extracts from the book “Read Between the Lines”

By Admiral Ravindra C Wijegunaratne

(Retired from Sri Lanka Navy)

Former Chief of Defence Staff

(The first part of this article was published in The Island on 21 Sept. 2020)

I was selected to go to New Delhi, India, for my National Defence College Course, in 2010. It was a one-year programme and I was entitled to family accommodation. Yamuna and our son were delighted because we would get an opportunity to meet our old friends in New Delhi. We had spent four years in New Delhi when I was Defence Advisor at the Sri Lanka High Commission, New Delhi, India, from 2001 to 2005. But, later, Yamuna and son decided not to come with me to New Delhi. The reason? Rexy!

We could not bring ourselves to leave her alone in Sri Lanka. She never had her meals until my son came home after school. She travelled with my son and Yamuna wherever they went. She was never left alone at home. She would wait near the front door until my son’s arrival after his sports practices. She slept in our bed. She travelled with us during holidays. She would not survive without us.

So, we decided to take her with us to New Delhi.

Taking a pet abroad is much more difficult than obtaining a visa to a Western country. There is a strict quarantine procedure. Blood samples were taken from Rexy and reports sent to India. A light-weight cage was prepared to fit her size. Senior Veterinary Surgeon Dr (Mrs) Chintha Weerakkody Liyanagamage, wife of Group Captain (then) Ravindra Liyanagamage, helped us with the quarantine procedure.

Pets are carried in cargo holds. Only a few aircraft have pressurised cargo holds. So, we had to fly Jet Airways, which had the required facility. We had to transit through Channai as Jet Airways did not fly directly to New Delhi at that time.

SSP Dehideniya of the Sri Lanka Police, a dog lover, was working in our Deputy High Commission in Chennai and attended to all quarantine matters once we landed in Chennai.

So, Rexy ended up in New Delhi at No 34, ‘Raksha Bawan’, our house for the next one year.

She was the only foreign participant in our programme; I mean the only foreign pet. There are 70 houses in Raksha Bawan and more than 50 houses had dogs at that time. Rexy’s best friend was ‘Honey’, a chubby Labrador of Air Commodore (then) Hari Kumar (Indian Air Force) and Dewika. After her morning walk with me along Raj Path (Kings Road) from the India Gate to foot of Rasina hill or to the gate of Rashtrapathi Bawan, Rexy would come back to Raksha Bawan. Then she went near Honey’s house and said ‘Hello’ to her newfound friend.

Fresh milk was freely available in India, and Rexy got a litre each in the morning and evening. With good food, milk and frequent exercise, she grew strong with very healthy and lovely coat and strong teeth. She was fortunate enough to appear in the ‘50th National Defence College magazine’. She was a very photogenic canine.

When we returned to Sri Lanka, after one year, Rexy had a better cage to travel in. The one we carried her in to India was a wooden one. I bought a better, lighter and bigger one made out of fiberglass, at Khan Market in New Delhi. We had a Jet Airways direct flight from New Delhi to Colombo, and Rexy entered the Jet Airways records as the first pet to fly direct from New Delhi to Colombo.

In fact, it was announced onboard!

Whenever I visited Trincomalee, I used to see Chappela at Chapel Hill. When he heard my voice, he came running and started barking at me as if to protest against my prolonged absence. Then he walked closer and started licking my legs. The sailors who were new to Chapel Hill Radar Station must have been wondering how Chappela knew me so well. The same was true of Rexy. When she heard my voice, she would charge down from upstairs, jump on me and start licking my face. Then she would run around in the sitting room and break a few things by her wagging her beautiful tail playfully. She was so happy to see me back at home. Yamuna would shout at her, “Rexy! Stop that! Now, sit like a lady!” She would stop running and sit next to me, one leg over the other (like a lady) and start licking my hand. She was such a lovely dog. While Rexy was doing all that to celebrate my arrival, my son would just lift his head from his computer and say, “Hi Thatti!” and resume his work! See the difference between my son and my dog! That is why I said at the beginning of this article that if you did not have a dog, you did not understand what love and affection were.

Rexy saw me become the Chief of Staff of the Navy, the Commander of the Navy and then the Chief of Defence Staff. She visited all three offices. She was a very lucky girl.

As the wife of the Commander of the Navy and later as the CDS’s wife, Yamuna never accompanied me on foreign tours even though she was entitled to official travel. She could not leave Rexy. Such was the bond between the two!

Whenever Yamuna accompanied my son for Golf training abroad, I had to look after Rexy full-time, even taking her to my office. Yamuna would not be away from Rexy for more than five days.

Whenever I went abroad, I picked up gifts for Yamuna and son. I always bought a gift for Rexy too. She had a large number of gifts, mostly soft toys. A macaw from Rio De Janeiro, a kangaroo from Canberra, a baby Elephant from Cochin, India, a brown bear from Victoria, Canada, a camel from Dubai and a cockatoo from Indonesia. All her gifts were kept next to her bed.

Love and happiness Rexy brought to our family was unthinkable.

Time flew fast.

Chappela went the way of all flesh on 8th April 2016. It was a sad day for me and the Chapel Hill personnel. The dog who had rendered yeoman service for ten years at the Chapel Hill Radar Station during the most difficult time of our country and at the Naval Base Trincomalee was buried with headstone marked ‘Chappela’.

Rexy also became sick frequently, making everyone around her sad. Yamuna and son ensured best medical care for her and looked after her very well. However, sad news came our way that Rexy’s Indian friend, Honey, had passed away in December 2017.

I knew the sad day was approaching, for us, as well, a fact both Yamuna and son refused to accept.

I remember the last look of Rexy. She looked at me and then at Yamuna and son. I knew, she asked me with her eyes to look after Yamuna and son well.

A Buddhist monk performed the last rites. We buried Rexy at the Admiral House garden. Her headstone says ‘Rexy – born 12th March 2006 – died on 31st May 2018’ – May she attain Nibbana!”

As Buddhists, we believe in rebirth. Rexy had a happy and very comfortable life. We believe she has been reborn in a good place. My wife and son decided not to have a pet again. They still mourn Rexy, our daughter.

End note;

Rexy and Chappela are not the only dogs who have headstones where they are buried. If you happen to visit Trincomalee, please visit the Navy House, the official Residence of Commander of the Navy.

This historical building was first occupied, in 1744, by Commodore Curtis Barnett of the Royal Navy. The first Admiral to live there was Admiral Samuel Hoods (1811). The boards hanging at the entrance to the House show all the occupants of this Navy House from 1744 to date.

The two dogs of Commodore G R Lambert died in Trincomalee Navy House in 1852. They had a long voyage from England to Ceylon and were sick and weak when they arrived in Trincomalee. Fan died on 21st September 1852 and Squa on 3rd December 1852. They were buried under the large Banyan tree in the Trincomalee Navy House Garden. The staff there made a headstone for the two dogs and it is still there. It is perhaps the oldest ‘Pet Headstone’ in Sri Lanka.