The Seventh Caribou
^^^ The Final Caribou, installed 100 years later on Caribou Hill, Gallipoli
“Those heroes who shed their blood in the territory of this country,
are in the soil of a friendly country.
Here, therefore, rest in peace.
You are lying with Turkish soldiers,
side by side,
in each others’ arms.”
- Mustafa Kemal Ataturk
In 2021, the 6th (and final) Caribou was placed near Hill 10 Cemetery, in Gallipoli, modern-day Turkey.
Twelve Newfoundlanders are buried here. By the time they would leave
Gallipoli, the Regiment would suffer 49 killed and 93 wounded.
This caribou, similar to all the others installed along the Trail of the Caribou, weighs 680 kilograms and is three meters from nose to tail and half a meter high.
All caribous stand on rocky outcrops, glowering defiantly at the enemy, and bellowing for his missing sons to return.
The long delay in the installation of the Gallipoli Caribou was caused by the collapse of the
Ottoman Empire and a long civil war that led to the establishment of the Republic of Turkey in 1923.
However, it must be acknowledged that the Turks have always exhibited respect for the
war dead of other countries who are buried here.
As the Turkish Hero (of WW1), Mustafa Kemal Ataturk said:
“Those heroes who shed their blood in the territory of this country,
are in the soil of a friendly country.
Here, therefore, rest in peace.
You are lying with Turkish soldiers,
side by side,
in each others’ arms.”
^ Author, Gerry Peddle, stands with the 7th Caribou at Bowring Park, St. John's (Sept '21)
But, there is another Caribou.
It is located in St. John’s, on a Bowring Park trail near the Waterford River. It is identical to the one located at Beaumont Hamel in France, including an identical bronze Memorial Wall to the 820 Newfoundlanders and Labradorians who died during WW1, and have no known graves.
This Caribou enables local Newfoundlanders to honour the sacrifice, on home soil, of loved ones who have no known graves.
The Bowering Park Caribou, a gift from Major William Greene, a veteran of WW1, was unveiled on Memorial Day, July 1st, 1928.
It was never intended to be an “official” Memorial as that purpose had already been accomplished by the unveiling of the other caribous and by the creation of the Newfoundland War Memorial in downtown St. John’s.
Padre Thomas Nangle (by now living in Rhodesia) sent the following greetings to the unveiling ceremony:
“Please convey to all ex-members of the Regiment that this caribou is … an
everlasting tribute to your esprit de corps and loyal comradeship during those stirring years
when you so gallantly and honourably wore the regimental badge;
and as an expression of the hope that the spirit of comradeship then formed, shall remain unto the last.”
^ This Caribou enables local Newfoundlanders to honour the sacrifice, on home soil, of loved ones who have no known graves.
...
Note that this tour is a guaranteed departure
In June 2022, we look forward to having Gerry back on the battlefields with us, escorting us on a special pilgrimage to Gallipoli Turkey, to see for the first time, the last of the six Caribou along the Newfoundland Caribou Trail in Europe. Click June 2022 >
Our Guest Author Gerry Peddle
OMM. CD. BA. LTh. BD. DD.
Archdeacon Gerald Peddle was ordained a Priest of the Anglican Church of Canada in 1969. Now retired from active ministry, he has served parishes in Newfoundland and Labrador, Québec, Ontario and the Arctic. He has also served as a Chaplain to the Canadian Armed Forces. His final appointment, in the rank of Brigadier General, was as the Chaplain General at National Defence Headquarters in Ottawa. For the next six years, he provided specialist ministry to both National Defence and Veterans Affairs Canada. In total, he has served more than 51 years in active ministry.
Gerry currently serves as the Chairman of the Board for Beechwood, Canada's National Military Cemetery in Ottawa. He has also served as an International Guide, specializing in Battlefield Tours for several years.
#caribouttour #gallipolitour #newfoundlanders #newfoundlandgallipoli #ww1 #beaumonthamel #thebattlefieldtours
The Caribou Tour to Gallipoli
Comments