Joining the Ceylon Army in 1950, he received his training at Mons Officer Cadet School, Aldershot and at Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst.
During this time he attended the young officers course at the Royal School of Artillery, the anti-air craft course at the School of Anti-Aircraft Artillery, Monorbier, the infantry instructors course at the Army Recruit Training Depot, Diyatalawa.
Promoted to lieutenant colonel on 1 November 1969, he then served as the officiating Commanding Officer, Ceylon Corps of Military Police before becoming Commanding Officer, 4th Field Regiment Ceylon Artillery in July 1970 and served till January 1973.
Having retired from the army, he was promoted to the rank of Major General on 19 September 1985.
[1][2] Major General D.J De S Wickramanayake (Rtd) passed away in Australia on 29 September 2017.