Henry Pedris

Henry Pedris
Henry Pedris
Born16 August 1888
Galle, Ceylon
Died7 July 1915(1915-07-07) (aged 26)
Colombo, Ceylon
Service / branchCeylon Defence Force
Years of service1914–1915
RankCaptain
UnitColombo Town Guard
Battles / warsWorld War I

Duenuge Edward Henry Pedris (Sinhala: හෙන්රි පේද්රිස්; 16 August 1888 – 7 July 1915) was a Ceylonese militia officer and a prominent socialite. Pedris was executed for treason by the 17th Punjab Regiment of the British Indian Army under martial law during the 1915 Sinhalese-Muslim riots. Convicted in a three day Field General Court Martial under the terms of the Army Act, bypassing the local legal system, his execution was viewed as unjust by the local population and a warning to local leaders. It hastened the movement toward independence, providing motivation and a martyr for those who pioneered the movement.[1]

On 12 September 2024, the President of Sri Lanka posthumously pardoned Henry Pedris.[2][3][4]

  1. ^ P. K. Balachandran (7 July 2012). "The execution that triggered the struggle for self-rule". Ceylon Today. Archived from the original on 21 December 2014.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference TGE-12.09.2024 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference PMD-14.09.2024 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference DM-13.09.2024 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).