Nature Life..

He was caught behind a small Ehala tree at his last moment of valour in the presence of real danger. Tommy was caught and trampled injuring very badly. Tommy was in the throes of death.

The people in the nearby villages had made a wooden stretcher to carry him all the way to Polonnaruwa hospital by crossing the river at Yakkure.

Tommy had spoken to the people although he was badly injured, asking for water and also requesting to bury him in Polonnaruwa in case if he dies. About one mile away from Polonnaruwa hospital he breaths his last on the wooden stretcher

A friend of Tommy the G.A.Anuradhapura on complying to his request had provided the most suitable wild side landscape area to accomplish his last rites at Bandiwewa where the road turns off to Medirigiriya .

Now there is no trace of the grave. The obscure grave is hidden in the dense remote owing to the thick growth of the jungle tide. Time and tide waits for no man. The dead elephant carcass had been recovered by the villagers afterwards adding one more elephant kill to Tommys bag, It was the 34th rogue elephant.

Tommy was a god shot a good sportsman and a good friend of the Jungle People.

This was as a result of his evil tate of destiny.

Wiggins family members are living in Kandy and Nugegoda. Their main bungalow was at Nugegoda No.12 Blemville House. Glenna Anastasia wiggin is living at present in Kandy, a graceful six foot tall lady of her mid seventies , the eldest daughter of Edward chase Wiggin and Irene Mcdonall planters of Harden Huish Estate Norton Bridge. Tommys elder brother had been in India Neelagiri Estate when Tommy faced his disaster .

Tommy’s sisters were Georgie and Emmie.

Glenna was educated at Thimases College Kotte. She said she used to walk to school from Nugegoda Blemuille House all the way to Kotte.

During those days the roads were very clear and clean, less traffic and no pavement workers.

Mostly we saw Military Convoys of British soldiers waving to children from their vehicles showing the V sign from fingers. We reply them doing the same. There were many Panjabi and African Soldiers, but we were not scared of them. We knew they were very friendly. My daddy used to talk to them. My parents have given us correct advices how to behave on the roads during he second world war time.

Most of our family members were sportsmen. Some had packs of hounds and good guns.

When our family members get to-gether they used to talk about Tommy the elephant hunter. We were staying in so many estates as Aberdeen, Watawala, Malibada, Derniyagala and Norton bridge.

We had many relations and good friends. It was great pleasure when meeting them. Weddings and parties, children’s birthday parties, get together dances at home for the good old day songs from records played in gramophones.

I can remember daddy buying those from Millers at 25 cents a record. Very peaceful parties we had without disturbing neighboring houses.

The gramophones were not connected to large speakers and baffles like nowadays.

We make good food at home. Enough food and not much of things to waste and not rubbish like nowadays. We had enough of food for everybody’s need and not for everybody’s greed.

My Mummy knew how to make salt beef, smoked or ham and so many other kinds of food stuff even from game meats.

We bought our smoke herrings from the elephant house at 75 cents a Pound.

We used to make our own ice-cream at home.

We really enjoyed when all members in the family get together at the dinner table. It was the best time for counseling and a good congregation after the dinner, chatting for a long time and discussing of various things and also about the world war.02 had many opportunities to go to England and Australia, but I have a great liking to Sri Lanka like most of our other family members who loved nature. The horrible war is over now, I wish all Srilankans good luck. We are free again to go all over this beautiful Island.