Kabatas East Asia & World Project Executive Board members requested support from the Embassy of Republic of Turkey in Ottawa to sign a sister school agreement from a high school in Canada to commemorate the fallen soldiers of both nations at Gallipoli and Canada jointly in November, 2017.
Gonzaga Regional High School, which is located in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, was selected to be the sister-school of our school.
During the visit, educational cooperation between two schools were discussed and the Blue Puttees & the Mehmetçiks resting in peace in Gallipoli were remembered with respect.
On the occasion of the event, tree donation made in memory of Newfoundland Regiment soldiers and Kabatas High School students who participated in the Gallipoli Campaign was presented to the Speaker of the House of Assembly of Newfoundland & Labrador.
As Kabatas High School students and teachers, we would like to express our gratitude to Perry Trimper, the diplomats of the Embassy of Republic of Turkey in Ottawa and the staff of Gonzaga High School for their support for Kabatas East Asia & World Project aiming to contribute to strengthening the relations between Canada and Turkey.
Newfoundland Regiment at Battle of Gallipoli
The Newfoundlanders were the only North American troops at Gallipoli, fighting alongside British and ANZAC — Australian and New Zealand Army Corps — forces.
Newfoundland wasn't a part of Canada in 1914. When the call for troops came it was its own dominion, and hundreds of young men rushed to enlist. By September 1915, more than 1,000 Newfoundlanders had landed in Gallipoli.
Around 40 soldiers from Newfoundland lost their lives during the Battle of Gallipoli.
Kabatas High School Students at Balkan Wars, Battle of Gallipoli and Turkish War of Independence
During the Balkan Wars (1912 - 1913), Battle of Gallipoli (1915 - 1916) and Turkish War of Independence (1919 - 1923), Kabataş High School sent plenty of students and teachers to the battlefront. As all the senior class students attended these wars, none of them could graduate from the school between 1912 - 1913 and 1915 - 1916.
Owing to the attendance of almost all the students and teachers to Turkish War of Independence, only 5 students could graduate from the school between 1919 - 1923. Some Kabatas Erkek Lisesi students lost their lives defending the sovereignty of the nation because of this a monument built in honor of martyrs.
Each year, the Kabatas High School Martys’ Monument is a gathering place for the students and teachers to commemorate the Martyrs who sacrificed themselves for the sake of the country.
January 26, 2018
