Sandra Joseph Nunez / Sandra Nunez
Officers Mess is a story of resilience, betrayal, courage and faith. It is an inimitable recounting of the author’s experiences as a young girl during a turbulent chapter of Sri Lankan (Ceylon) history. Set against the backdrop of the attempted coup d’état in 1962, it delves into the social and political events that shaped the lives of her unforgettable family. When she was 10 years old, her father and uncle, both majors in the Ceylon Army, were imprisoned and tried for conspiring to overthrow the nationalist government of Sirimavo Bandaranaike, the world’s first female prime minister.This memoir focuses on a critical moment in history - a time that might have changed the course of the nation had the coup succeeded. It offers international readers a unique perspective on post-colonial conflicts and their far-reaching impact on families. Exploring her family’s Burgher (descendants of the British, Dutch, and Portuguese) history and culture, she sheds light on a lesser-known chapter of Sri Lanka’s history, providing a new dimension to the literature on the island’s complex past.
