St Anthony's College (National School) - Wattala

on the 5th of april 1942, easter sunday, colombo, for the first time in its history, was subjected to aerial bombing by the japanese for about one and a half hours. the air raid was from about 8 a.m. to 9.30 a.m. by 12 noon that day colombo was a dead city. people fled from the city in all directions. a group arrived at the practically unknown village of wattala and did not wish to return to colombo. but the dire need of a good school was keenly felt. so, rev. bro christantian, the provincial of the christian brothers were approached and appealed to. he decided to remedy the situation at once, a fairly extensive property of about eighteen acres was available at wattala. it was soon bought a temporary cadjan shed was erected and on the 4th of may 1942 a school was opened with bro.