Arose the task of establishment a school outside Colombo for the student displaced from St. Benedict's of Kotahena, St. Josephs, of Grand pass and De La Salle of Mutuwal, run by De La Salle Brothers, was entrusted to Rev. Brother Chistansian, the Provincial at that time.

To Wattala, the Japanese air raid was a blessing in disguise. It was the forceful agitation that persisted for a long time for Catholic English School that Rev. Brother Chistansian's attention began to focus on Wattala. The Rev. Brother, taking advantage of the situation, was able to purchase the palatial building and the land it was built on, belonging to Mr. James, for quite a concessionary price. On the 21 '1 of April 1942 a group of Rev. Brothers came in to residence under the leadership of an extremely enthusiastic Rev. Brother, Brother Vincent Joseph, for the invitation of the preliminary activities. Only a fortnight elapsed. The mostly desolate rooms of the bungalow, known as St. Anthony's, yet teaming with bats, were transformed into classrooms. A cajan thatched hall, too was put up. Black robed, white Brother, rushed about, quite busily. Somber senior teachers from the city rubbed shoulders with these hermits in their commitment to the preliminary involvements.

St. Anthony's College Wattala, commenced educational activities under the directorship of very Rev. Brother Vincent Joseph of 41h of April 1942 with the enthusiastic staff of six lay staff of five and a roll of grade 3 student, when students on roll had doubled. As students from neighboring villages began to stream in, it became necessary to widen the available facilities. Extra-Curricular activities were introduced at the early stages of the school itself. The inaugural session of The English Literary Society of the school was held on 141h of December 1942. By 1943 the number of students on roll had risen to 500. On I 51 September 1944 a new student organization called the College Parliament was set up with objective of providing a broader issue for extra-curricular activities and for the provision of substantial understanding regarding citizen duties and the demonstrate parliamentary system. A new system of Houses was introduced by the end of 1944 in place of the Camillus, Philip, Cossian & Christian houses that had existed from the very inception of novel three house system named Benedict, Joseph and De La Salle was instituted in honor of the three parent schools. June 8th , 1945 was memorable day for St. Anthony's.

The cadjan roofed hall of the school was blov.n down by an unexpected burying 250 students in its debris. All the students, but for one who sustained minor injury, were able to scramble unhurt out of the wreckage because of the training they had received during the war time on how to face an emergency. Before long, a past Students' Association was born almost at the very infancy of the school. This past student association was setup in by the end of 1945 with a membership of l I past pupils.

The year 1945, became a decisive year for the school. As the trauma of war came to close, that year the Ministry of Education issued orders that, this youth ship school that had been speeding rapidly towards be closed.