Sir John was going round the island to speak in support of his party candidates in various electorates during an UNP election campaign. He once decided to stop at a meeting in progress and the crowds gathered there cheered him loudly as they noticed him.

Promptly, he was led up to the stage and was positioned to take his turn to speak and started in Sinhala without any hesitation thus: - "Dear friends, mothers, fathers and brothers and sisters. We are gathered here unitedly to support our candidate......... Hey what is this devil’s name?" Just as one prompted the name he quickly added the name of the candidate and continued. Everybody knew his failing to remember names but that he was affectionate at heart to fellow devils!

On another occasion, Sir John was about to pass by a funeral house of a known member of the UNP. He was offered to give a funeral oration. Although he is poor in correct pronunciation of Sinhala words he did not hesitate to utter whatever he felt ok. He said: "All of us are gathered here to pay our last respects to the dead body of our loved person."

But Sinhala pronunciation of the words "dead body" misfired and was uttered as "urine body" by the wrong words Muthra Deyhaya instead of Mrutha Deyhaya.

Everybody gleefully accepted his intentions!