TUV Alderman Sharon McKillop recently attended events in Turkey to mark the centenary of the Gallipoli Campaign.
Commenting Alderman McKillop said:
“The sacrifices of the Great War are too often forgotten and overlooked. While there is some consciousness of the battles of the Western Front, particularly the Somme, other significant engagements are seldom remembered. The Gallipoli Campaign which raged for the best part of nine months is a stark example of this. This is unfortunate given that many of those who fought and died there came from Northern Ireland, particularly those who served in the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.
“Unionist and Nationalists, Protestants and Roman Catholics fought and died together in the ultimately futile Allied campaign at Gallipoli.
“It was a great honour to be able to travel to Gallipoli with my SDLP colleague Stephanie Quigley and represent the people of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council recently to lay a wreath on behalf of the people of our area and remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for the freedoms which we too often take for granted today.
“The scale of the losses are staggering. Some 252,000 Allied casualties were suffered during the campaign.”