Newfoundlanders honoured in Gallipoli with dedication of final caribou monument
OTTAWA, ON, Sept. 23, 2022 /CNW/ - War memorials and monuments help us better understand our shared heritage and history. They provide places for reflection where we can mourn and remember. For many Canadians, they also serve as silent reminders of the selfless dedication and sacrifices of our Veterans and the fallen, and our eternal debt of gratitude.
Standing almost 2.5 meters tall, the majestic bronze caribou of the Gallipoli Newfoundland Memorial is no different. It truly is a powerful tribute to the brave Newfoundlanders who served during the First World War.
There are now six bronze caribou monuments located overseas, stretching from Courtrai in Belgium to Gallipoli in Türkiye. Together, they form what is known as the "Trail of the Caribou"?marking some of the most important sites where Newfoundlanders fought and died during the First World War. In Canada, another caribou monument stands in Bowring Park in St. John's, facing east towards Europe where Newfoundlanders so bravely served.
Today, the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, and the Honourable Andrew Furey, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, participated in the dedication ceremony for the Gallipoli Newfoundland Memorial. They were joined by parliamentarians, representatives of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, and other officials from Canada and Türkiye.
While in Türkiye, Canadian officials are visiting commemorative sites in the Gallipoli peninsula to pay tribute to the Newfoundlanders and Canadians, and other Allied and Turkish soldiers, who served there during the First World War.
"107 years later, we've brought the story of the Newfoundland Regiment at Gallipoli, and all who fought and died here, into the present and the future ? their memory and legacy are ours to carry forward. I am honoured to recognize their service and so proud the Gallipoli Newfoundland Memorial now stands here to forever mark their contributions and achievements all those years ago. We will remember them."
The Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence
"Completing the Trail of the Caribou is an important milestone in Newfoundland and Labrador's First World War story. The Royal Newfoundland Regiment was the only regiment from North America to participate in the Gallipoli Campaign during the First World War, and this monument honours their selfless contributions. Thank you to the Government of Canada and the Republic of Türkiye for recognizing the significance of this monument for our province and working with us to properly pay tribute to the Royal Newfoundland Regiment for their years of service and sacrifice."
The Honourable Andrew Furey, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador
Quick facts
- The Gallipoli campaign was the Newfoundland Regiment's introduction to combat during the First World War. From mid-September 1915 to mid-January 1916, more than 1,000 Newfoundlanders fought in Gallipoli and about 40 members of the regiment died during the campaign.
- In 2018, the Republic of Türkiye granted the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador permission to install a monument commemorating the Newfoundland Regiment's efforts at Gallipoli. It is adjacent to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Hill 10 Cemetery.
- In September 2022, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador transferred the care and maintenance of this memorial to the Government of Canada.
- Veterans Affairs Canada now maintains and operates 15 war memorial sites in Europe, including five other bronze caribou monuments in France and Belgium that commemorate Newfoundland's accomplishments, contributions and sacrifices during the First World War.
Associated links
SOURCE Veterans Affairs Canada
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