The millions of Indian soldiers who participated in the First World War and fought on the three continents of Asia, Africa, and Europe are finally receiving the long-overdue recognition they deserve.

In a fitting tribute to the sacrifices made by these long-forgotten Indian soldiers, the Israeli port city of Haifa has decided to recognize their bravery and contribution ot the Jewish state.

The mayor of the city has announced that the city’s history textbooks are being changed to correct the fact that it was Indian troops, and not the British, who liberated the city from the yoke of the Ottoman Empire in 1918.

“I was born in this city and graduated from here. Constantly, we were told that this city was freed by the British till somebody from the Historical Society knocked at my door one day and said that they had done thorough research and found that it wasn’t the British. Still, the Indians who freed this city (from the Ottomans),” said Mayor of Haifa, Yona Yahav.

He made these remarks while speaking to an audience at the Indian cemetery of fallen soldiers at a ceremony to pay tribute to their exceptional bravery and valour and mark the anniversary of the 1918 battle in which the Indian cavalry liberated the city from Ottoman rule.

“In every school, we are changing the texts and saying that it wasn’t the British but the Indians who liberated us,” Yahav said.

Remembering their bravery, Yahav said that most war historians also describe the battle for Haifa as “the last great cavalry campaign in history.”

Indian cavalry battalions equipped with spears and swords drove Ottoman forces from the rocky slopes of Mount Carmel during World War I to liberate the city, he said.

Every year, the Indian Army commemorates September 23 as Haifa Day to pay respects to the three brave Indian cavalry regiments – Mysore, Hyderabad, and Jodhpur Lancers – who charged at Ottoman soldiers on horseback, armed only with spears and swords.

The Indian Ambassador to Israel, J.P. Singh, and Indian Air Force attaché Vijay Patel also attended the ceremony.

“This is not only a history lesson, but a living testament to the power of heritage to unite two nations,” said Yigal Graever of the Haifa Historical Association.

The Battle For Haifa: History’s Last Great Cavalry Charge

The Ottoman Empire, spanning three continents of Asia, Africa, and Europe, entered the First World War in October 1914, on the side of the Central Powers.

However, by 1918, the Ottoman front in the Holy Land of Israel/Palestine was collapsing. Still, the Ottomans held strong, fortified positions in the port city of Haifa.

For the Allied powers, capturing Haifa was crucial, as it would provide them with access to the deep-water port, enabling supplies to be brought in by sea to support the final push north into Lebanon and Syria.

The Ottomans, backed by German machine-gunners, held strong positions in Haifa and on the slopes of Mount Carmel.

The task of capturing Haifa and the neighboring historical city of Acre was assigned to the 15th Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade, composed of cavalry regiments from the three Indian princely states of Jodhpur, Mysore, and Hyderabad.

On September 23, the three Indian cavalry regiments, armed with lances, overran the Ottoman positions despite heavy machine-gun fire.

The brave Indian soldiers fought against heavy machine guns with just spears and lances. The Ottomans held fortified positions at Mount Carmel’s rocky slopes, were armed with artillery and German machine guns, and yet Indian cavalry soldiers charged at them with unbelievable ferocity.

In the ensuing battle, around 44 Indian cavalrymen were killed or wounded. However, Haifa was liberated, which opened the road to Lebanon and Syria.

The Indian cavalry captured nearly 1,350 Turkish and German prisoners, 17 field guns, and 11 machine guns.

The Marquess of Anglesey would later describe it as “almost certainly the only occasion in history when a fortified town was captured by cavalry at the gallop.”

Major Dalpat Singh: The Hero Of Haifa

Among the Indian casualties was Major Dalpat Singh. He was hit in the spine with machine gun fire.

Writing in the Times of Israel, Samarjit Chowdhury described Major Dalpat Singh as the man who “bridged the two worlds” of East and West.

Born into a Rajput noble family, Dalpat Singh was educated at Eastbourne College in England. He was an outstanding cricketer who later became a seasoned soldier.

Major Dalpat Singh had already earned the Military Cross for a breath-taking act of bravery at Abu Tulul, where he and his trumpeter alone charged a machine-gun nest, scattering the crew and capturing a Turkish regimental commander.

Major Dalpat Singh is now remembered as the “Hero of Haifa” and was posthumously honored for his courage.

Major Dalpat Singh was leading the legendary Jodhpur Lancers, who had established their reputation as fierce soldiers who would complete any command given to them, no matter how dangerous.

Jodhpur Lancers were nicknamed ‘Jo Hokums’ (As you command).

Commenting on their bravery during the battle for Haifa, historian Charles C Trench wrote in his book, ‘The Indian Army and the King’s Enemies,’ – “Only the Jo hukums (Jodhpur lancers) could have done it. That day, the jo hukums had to be restrained as they galloped through the streets of Haifa, even after all the machine gun posts had fallen, towards the placid and unknowing Mediterranean, spearing and butchering unfortunate Turks who crossed their path, civilians even, for the Rathores were crazed with rage. They had seen far too many of their brothers fall.”

These brave Indian soldiers were part of the British Indian Army, which was fighting in the Mediterranean on behalf of the British crown.

Little did they know that they were changing the course of history.

The liberation of Haifa and Acre proved more than a tactical victory. It paved the way for the liberation of the entire region, including Palestine, Lebanon, and Syria, ultimately leading to the collapse of the five-century-old Ottoman Empire.

Furthermore, the liberation of the Holy Lands paved the way for the creation of the British Mandate in Palestine, which set in motion a chain of events that ultimately led to the establishment of a Jewish state in Israel.

Seen in this light, the brave Indian soldiers played a significant role in shaping the modern Middle East as we know it today.

Haifa In The India-Israel Relationship

More than 100 years after that iconic battle, Haifa remains a crucial focal point in the India-Israel relationship.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute at Haifa’s Indian cemetery during his 2017 state visit and in 2018, during the centenary celebrations, India renamed New Delhi’s Teen Murti Chowk to “Teen Murti Haifa Chowk.”

In 2023, India’s Adani Group, through a consortium with Israel’s Gadot Group, acquired a 70% stake in the Haifa Port.

The Haifa port also occupies an important place in the emerging I2U2 (India, Israel, the United States, and the UAE) grouping.

Established in 2023, the multilateral alliance aims to create a network of trade routes, starting from Western India and running through the UAE to the Israeli port city of Haifa, and then onwards to Europe and the USA.

However, due to the ongoing war in the Middle East, work on the project is not advancing.

When the trade route is fully developed, Haifa can once again serve as the focal point of the India-Israel relationship.