Who are the Sri Lanka Malays? Where did they come from? How and why did they persist in maintaining their communal identity? These questions have never been answered in any detail before. This book sets out for the first time to throw light on their history and provide a pleasantly readable account of their origins and evolution on the island of Sri Lanka. More specifically, the book highlights the induction of the Malays into the first regimental military service and the consequent developments which shaped their own outlook on life, attitudes and cultural ethos. This book also adds significantly to the literature on the British imperial military history.