N.L. unveils monument to honour Turkish soldiers killed in Gallipoli

The monument to remember the Turkish soldiers who died fighting in Gallipoli was unveiled Thursday evening. (Ted Dillon/CBC)

Turkish soldiers who died fighting in the Gallipoli Peninsula more than a century ago were honoured Thursday evening with the unveiling of a monument in Newfoundland.

It was almost a year to the day when a delegation from Newfoundland and Labrador was in Turkey to witness the unveiling for a massive bronze caribou statue — the sixth and final instalment of the Trail of the Caribou, a series of statues that mark where the Royal Newfoundland Regiment fought in the First World War.

The latest monument — located at Trail of the Caribou Memorial Park in St. John's — was part of the reciprocal agreement. In return for the installation on Turkish soil, there would also be a memorial to the Turkish soldiers who died in that conflict in Canada.

Turkey’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ahmet Yildiz spoke at Thursday's ceremony on the significance the Gallipoli campaign had on Turkey as a country. (Ted Dillon/CBC)

Turkey's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ahmet Yildiz said the monument, called the Martyrs of Gallipoli, would be an "eternal symbol of the sacrifices and the deep historical bond between our countries."

He also noted that this year was significant because it marked the centenary of the creation of the Republic of Turkey.

The Gallipoli Campaign was a defining episode in Turkey's past, but also for the world, he said.

"It is the symbol of the fierce resistance of the Turkish nation against the most powerful armies of the world. And it was the beginning of the collapse of the Russian Empire."

While the battle was about controlling access to the Black Sea, Yildiz said it was a matter of survival and defence for Turkey. He added that Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, then a commander in the Gallipoli campaign, eventually rose to become the republic's founder and president.

"But the war also led to the creation of a strong bond of friendship between our countries. Former battlefield enemies became steadfast friends, now allies in NATO," said Yildiz.

"I believe that this monument will also inspire our peoples, and particularly young generations, to learn more about this deep and common history and the sacrifices of our ancestors."

A group of politicians gathered during the ceremony to unveil the newly installed statue. (Ted Dillon/CBC)

When the sheet was pulled from the monument, it revealed its front featured a waving Turkish flag and according to a statement, the back design is a reference to the Çanakkale Martyrs' Memorial in Turkey. At the top is a gap that symbolizes a horizon and peace between Gallipoli and St. John's.

In attendance were other members of the Turkish government, which included ambassador Esra Demir, governor Ilhami Aktaş and president of the Gallipoli historic site İsmail Kaşdemir.

Decade of planning

It took a decade of meetings and discussions to reach an agreement for a caribou monument to be erected in Gallipoli. It was tricky in part due to a Turkish government policy that discouraged monuments in the area, particularly for that of the invading Allied forces.

The last of six monuments, part of the Trail of the Caribou, was dedicated in a ceremony last year. (CBC)

The sixth caribou monument — weighing in at 1,500 pounds and standing eight feet tall — was installed near the Hill 10 Cemetery on the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey in 2021.

The other monuments are in Beaumont-Hamel, Masnières, Gueudecourt, Monchy-le-Preux and Kortrijk in Belgium.

St. John's Mayor Danny Breen also spoke of the importance of monuments in cities, and that they can remind people of their shared heritage and encourage people to reflect, as well as educate people on past sacrifices.

"They serve as tangible links to our collective stories and shape our collective identity," he said. "This monument's detailed and meaningful design adds another layer of history and significance to our city."

Members of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment also took part in Thursday's ceremony. (Ted Dillon/CBC)

Even its location in the city's Caribou Memorial Park emphasized the bond between war and the nation's sacrifices, Breen said.

Premier Andrew Furey said people who died a long time ago and far away can live on through memories, memorials, ceremonies, as well as through museums, the names of streets, and with those who serve today.

"This memorial today is another testimony to the enduring memory of those who lived, loved, and were lost on both sides of the conflict, because loss knows no boundaries," said Furey.

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