Casualties of Galatasaray Lyseum in Gallipoli

[Guest Tosun Saral]

Galatasaray is familiar to you with the football club rather than the Lycee/Highschool. Galatasaray Football Team won the European Championship 3 years ago.

But what you don't know that Gul Baba is the founder of Galatasaray Lyceum in Istanbul. The legend of how it was founded lays back in the 15th century. Sultan Bayezid was out hunting in a winter day what is now the Tophane-Galata area of Istanbul and he came upon an elderly Bektaschi Derwisch seated in his rose garden.

The man who was called Gul Baba (Rose Father) presented him a red and a yellow rose, the colors, which would later be adopted by the school. Sultan Bayazid was amazed "Roses in winter ? " he thought. The sultan was so taken with the gesture and had enjoyed his conversation with him to such an extent that he asked the man what he would like and the latter said for a school to be established there. The sultan kept his promise and, founded a Lyceum called Galatasaray. Gul baba became the first master of the school.To day Galatasaray Lycee and University plays an important role in Turkish culture There is a symbolic grave of Gul Baba in the garden of the Lyceum. For centuries Gul Baba's grave has been an attraction for people, who came to pray to him, and to partake, if possible, in any good fortune which might come of this.

During the WW1 many students or graduants of the Lyceum joined the army as reserve officers. Many of them killed in various fronts. Down I list the holy names who died in Gellipoli.

1- Ahmet Refik Bey graduated Galatasaray Lyseum in Istanbul in 1911. He joined the army as reserve officer in 1914. He was killed in Gallipoli in 1915. He was the son of Mehmet Ata Bey, who was a very important writers of his time. Mehmet Ata Bey translated the famous "A History of Ottoman Empire" of Austrian Historicer Hammer.

2- Cahid Bey graduated from the school in 1913. He joined the army as reserve officer and was killed in Gallipoli in 1915.

3- Cemil Bey graduated in 1913. He joined the army as reserve officer and was killed in Gallipoli in 1915

4- Halid Fuat Bey was the son of Fieldmarschall Deli Fuat Pasha. He voluntered as reserve officer to Balkan Wars in 1911. Later he fought in Gallipoli and killed in action. 4 sons of the Pasha was killed in WW1.

5- Muzaffer Bey left the school and joined the army as reserve officer killed in action in Gallipoli.

6- Vecdi Bey also left the school and joined the army as reserve officer and killed in Gallipoli.

7- AGOP ELMASYAN who was a noble Armenian citizen joined to the army as military doctor. He was killed in Gallipoli while tending wounded soldiers by a bomb directly hit the field hospital.

8- İbrahim Orhan Bey graduated in 1912. He was the grandchild of Sadullah Pasha and son of Dr. Sadik Bey. He volunterede to Turkish Air Force and became a war pilot. During the flights over Gelibolu he was wounded 2 times. In 1916 his plane crusted to sea near the island Semadirek. He is the first Turkish airman who killed in action.

For more information about Gul Baba:

http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/7d696/6aa67/4/