Haifa Marks 108 Years Since Indian Cavalry Liberated City
A memorial ceremony was held Wednesday at the British military cemetery in Haifa to commemorate the 108th anniversary of the battle in which Indian cavalry forces defeated the Ottoman army and liberated the city during World War I. The event, organized by the Indian Embassy and the Haifa Municipality, was attended by Haifa's Deputy Mayor Sarit Golan-Steinberg, Indian Ambassador to Israel J. P. Singh, Indian military attaché Captain Vijay Patil, IDF and Israel Police officers, foreign military attachés, and soldiers from international forces stationed in the Golan Heights and Syria.
Participants laid wreaths to honor the soldiers who fell in the battle. Approximately 20 ninth-grade students from a local Haifa school also joined the ceremony. The ambassador and military attaché spoke to the students about the battle and the crucial role of Indian soldiers in capturing Haifa. The story of the battle has been integrated into Haifa's municipal curriculum for elementary school students in recent years, and the Haifa Historical Society conducts lectures on the subject in schools.
The battle took place on September 23, 1918, after nearly 400 years of Ottoman rule in Haifa. Following a mistaken report that Turkish forces had withdrawn, British forces, including the Indian cavalry regiments of Jodhpur and Mysore, were dispatched. These cavalrymen, armed primarily with lances and swords, charged fortified Ottoman positions on the Carmel's slopes under heavy machine-gun and artillery fire.
Major Thakur Dalpat Singh, commander of the Jodhpur Lancers, led the charge and was fatally wounded. He later became known as the "Hero of Haifa." Captain Aman Singh Bahadur took command after Singh's death, leading his men in the decisive assault. According to Indian sources, eight Jodhpur soldiers were killed and 34 wounded. The Indian force captured over 700 soldiers and seized 17 field guns and 11 machine guns. The battle is considered one of the last great classic cavalry charges in military history.
Haifa's Deputy Mayor stated that "more than a hundred years have passed since that battle, but Haifa has not forgotten the bravery and sacrifice of the Indian soldiers. Their story is an integral part of our city's history and the special, close connection forged between Haifa and India." The Indian Ambassador noted that the Battle of Haifa is "an important chapter in the history of India and Haifa, a story of courage, sacrifice, and determination," adding that the annual ceremony signifies the depth of the historical connection that has become part of the friendship between India and Israel.
The Indian Army annually observes "Haifa Day" on September 23. In Delhi, a central square is named "Teen Murti Haifa Chowk," featuring bronze figures representing the three cavalry units. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Indian cemetery in Haifa in 2017 and unveiled a plaque honoring Dalpat Singh. In 2018, Modi and then-Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attended a ceremony renaming the Delhi square. Israel also issued a stamp commemorating the battle's centenary. Approximately 900 Indian soldiers from World War I are buried in cemeteries in Haifa, Jerusalem, and Ramla, and a memorial "Indian Trail" connects sites related to their service and sacrifice in Israel.
