St. James' Church, Diyatalawa

The church which was dedicated in July 1944, has completed the design of Diyatalawa as a leave center for men and women of the forces. After the war it is to be the Garrison Church of the Ceylon Planter’s Rifle Corp.

The need for a Church in this Hill Station was discussed sometime ago by the Bishop of Colombo, the G.O.C. Ceylon and the O.C. troops Diyatalawa. Its actual design and building are the work of the Garrison Engineer, Capt Ball. In the porch of the Church which is built in the style of an English village Church, there is a list of the donations made by many people for interior furnishings. In addition, the C.P.R.C. has offered to provide an organ as soon as one can be obtained.

The service of dedication was attended by the C-in-C., Ceylon Admiral sir Geoffrey Layton, Lt.-General H.E. de. R. Wetherall, G.O.C., Colonel Watson, Officer Commanding troops, Diyatalawa and a large congregation representing the Royal Navy and the Army, and many civilian residents from the surrounding country. The dedication was made by the Rev. W.T. Beckerson, O.B.E., Deputy Chaplain-General, assisted by the Rev. A. Campbell, R.N.V.R., the Rev. H.T. Tovey, D.A.C.G., and the Rev. J.G.W. Hendrie M.C. O.G.F. of the Scots’ Kirk, Colombo.

The normal congregation was equally representative both of the services and the local residents, particularly of the planting community. For the services the church serves the spiritual needs of the large and expanding leave center where all available types of amenities and entertainment have already been provided. For the people of the Uva Province and the C.P.R.C. volunteers, it will remain after the war as a place of worship, the need of which has been felt for a long time.