The 'Flight of the Double Sunrise'

The captain, made a few last minute checks of gauges, resynchronized the gyros and smoothly pushed the throttles forward. The two Pratt and Whitney radial engines revved up delivering close to 2,400 hp and the Consolidated PBY-6A ‘Catalina’ slowly overcame the resistance of the water and began to move forward. A short while later the graceful aircraft lifts off the surface of the Koggla lake and turns eastward. The lush palm trees and sandy white beaches of the resplendent island of Sri lanka (then Ceylon) fade in to the distance and the passengers adjust to the continuous, rhythmic hum of the engines.  Thus began in 1943 some of the longest recorded flights in the history of aviation.

The air link between Koggala and Swan River Perth (on the west Australian coast) was the longest leg on the Quantas route between London and Sydney. At the time the routes were the longest non-stop flights done by any airline. Over 3,500 nautical miles (6,500 km) across the Indian Ocean.

In 1942 the myth of white supremacy had been shattered. The American pacific fleet had been all but destroyed by a brilliantly executed surprise attack on its anchorage in Pearl Harbour. Swift strikes by the carriers and aircraft of the Japanese Combined fleet had swept British sea power away and the bastion of Singapore had fallen to the Japanese Army.

While the fall of Singapore served as a severe psychological blow to the British, in a more practical sense its fall meant the loss of the key refueling point on the Calcutta - Perth leg of the London to Sydney air route. With the war raging across the world this vital airlink had to be maintained and an alternative was to substitute Ceylon for Calcutta and Singapore.

My Uncle, Mr Justine Jayawardena of Kataluwa Walauwa (the word ‘walauwa’ is Sinhalese for a stately home) recalls to this day the instructions received by his father, then mudliyar (state administrator) of the area between the Benthara river to Hambantota to clear the entire area in the vicinity of the Koggala Lake (a radius of five miles) of all inhabitants. Firstly a Sinhalese with Sinhalese interests at heart the Mudliar skillfully negotiated with the British authorities to ensure that compensation would be paid to the evacuated residents and then swiftly executed the orders. The area cleared, the RAF quickly moved in established what is today the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Unit Koggala. The unit commenced flying operations almost immediately primarily for reconnaissance purposes. The long distance flights would begin later.

In 1943, personnel from the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) were seconded to Quantas to fly five (05) American built Consolidated PBY-6A ‘Catalina’ flying boats on this long haul flight which was gain a place in the record books as the ‘flight of the double sunrise’. The first Catalina flying this demanding route landed at Koggala on 30^th June 1943 the last on 18^th July 1945. The aircraft cruised at approximately 100 knots and the flight lasted approximately 28 hours.

Being the 1940s, the pilots had to depend on rudimentary navigation techniques – compass and sightings of the sun and stars through a sextant. While this was hazardous enough, the route crossed a large swath of sea under Japanese occupation. To minimize the risk, the departure times at both ends were adjusted so as to cross this particularly dangerous area during the hours of darkness. The aircraft were stripped of all non essential equipment to make room for the 2000 gallons of fuel necessary for the flight.

By 1945 these five aircraft had made 271 crossings between Koggala and Perth. 

A certificate called the ‘secret order of the double sunrise’ was issued to passengers who had made flown on this route. The name double sunrise was coined since passengers would witness two sunrises during the course of the 28 to 32 hours journeys !

The SLAF Unit at Koggla has a small archive with a superb collection of old photographs and memorabilia from the war years. Permission needs to be sought from the Commanding Officer (CO) to view the collection. Among the many quaint pieces of history is a menu card for a scrumptious Christmas dinner during the war years ! Nearby is the residence of Mr Justine Jayawardena which is also home to a fascinating  collection of history. The drive to Koggala takes about 2 to 2 1/2 hours from Colombo on the Colombo Matara coast road. The time can be cut by an hour or so by using the expressway to Galle. This journey however misses out on the incredible vista of the Indian Ocean along the western coast of the Island.  

This article was originally written by 'dynawriter' for a souvenir published by the SLAF for its 'Annual Dance' in 2011. The present article includes additional content.   

The 'Puttalam Elephants'

A Corsair (Chance Vought F4U) fighter being moved by an unusual towing vehicle, Ceylon 1944.

In April 1942 Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) had been able to withstand an initial Japanese air assault which deterred the Japanese from pressing ahead with their invasion plans of the island. The island continued to serve as an important bastion for the allies in the Indian Ocean.  

As the British colonialists expanded their operations on the island, the  airstrip of HMS Rajaliya was cut out of thick jungle at Puttalam. The grass strip was reinforced with metal. Even the heavy American-built Chance Vought F4U Corsairs used the runway, but during the wet season many a Corsair went sliding off into the muddy ground than flanked the strip. It was then that the Navy called in its special towing vehicles to haul the aircraft back to solid ground – Elephants! Operating in conditions where towing tractors became quickly bogged down, the Puttalam Elephants provided an invaluable service. They soon became part of the flying and ground crews fraternity.

This famous painting was executed by artist Robert Taylor in as a commission for the Fleet Air Arm Museum in Yeovilton. The artist had never visited the location but had based his painting on the descriptions given by a Corsair pilot who had served alongside the now famous ‘Puttalam Elephants’.  

Today the airstrip is central to the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Unit Palavi. To visit the location, one needs to travel for about 2 hours north along the Colombo - Puttalam highway and turn off to the right at the Palavi junction (about 4 kilometers short of Puttalam). The 'PSP' metal sheets that made up the runway surface are no longer to be found (replaced by a paved strip), neither the famous 'Puttalam' elephants ! A enlarged print of Taylor's painting hangs in the small officers' mess - a memory of its wartime history.

Reflections

The 'Jetawana Stupa' is the focal point of the Abayagiri monastic complex. It is considered to be the tallest brick structure of the ancient world and now, missing the top part of the structure, is approximately 230 feet. The associated complex which in its heyday was home to many thousands of monks is testimony to the powerful influence of the monastic orders in ancient Sri Lanka. By virtue of being monks, all worldly attachments had to be forsaken. These monks had no homes, family or wealth. This very detachment from all material things would have given these orders tremendous moral authority to 'temper' the rule of the kings    

The 'Jetawana Stupa' by night. A solitary monk contemplates the infinite as he purposefully walks around the great structure. The night is alive with the call of insects and other creatures of the dark. A soft breeze plays a eerie melody as it weaves across the trees ringing the central Stupa as thousands of stars twinkle across a sky unadulterated by the lights of 'civilization'.

Meditation on the rise and decay of thoughts.