The Israeli city of Haifa on Monday paid heartfelt tributes to the Indian soldiers who laid down their lives during World War I, with Mayor Yona Yahav announcing that the city’s school history books are being corrected to acknowledge their true role in liberating Haifa from Ottoman rule in 1918. Speaking at a solemn ceremony held at the Indian soldiers’ cemetery, Yahav admitted that for years the people of Haifa were taught that the British had freed the city. However, detailed research by the Haifa Historical Society revealed that it was in fact Indian troops who fought against overwhelming odds to secure the city’s liberation. “I was born and educated in this city, and we were constantly told that the British had freed us, until one day someone from the Historical Society knocked on my door and explained that their research proved otherwise. It was the Indian soldiers, not the British, who liberated Haifa from Ottoman rule,” the Mayor said. He further declared that school textbooks are now being changed to ensure young generations learn the truth: “In every school, we are changing the texts and saying that it wasn’t the British but the Indians who liberated us.”
During World War I, Indian cavalry regiments, armed only with spears and swords, charged up the rocky slopes of Mount Carmel to drive out entrenched Ottoman forces in a campaign that historians have since described as “the last great cavalry action in history.” Despite fierce resistance, these regiments achieved a remarkable victory, securing the city and altering the course of the campaign in the region. Mayor Yahav, who had first pledged in 2009 that the story would be included in school history books, emphasised that today it is widely taught and recognised by Haifa’s youth as a defining moment in their city’s past. The Indian Army also commemorates this moment annually on September 23 as Haifa Day, paying tribute to the three regiments that played a decisive role: the Mysore Lancers, the Hyderabad Lancers, and the Jodhpur Lancers. Their daring assault, carried out under the banner of the 15th Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade, remains a source of immense pride for India and respect in Israel.
The bravery of these soldiers did not go unrecognised. Several were decorated for their courage, including Captain Aman Singh Bahadur and Dafadar Jor Singh, who received the Indian Order of Merit, and Captain Anop Singh and 2nd Lt. Sagat Singh, who were awarded the Military Cross. Major Dalpat Singh, celebrated as the “Hero of Haifa,” also received a Military Cross for his leadership during the battle. The Jodhpur Lancers alone lost eight men and had 34 wounded, but their efforts resulted in the capture of more than 700 prisoners, 17 field guns, and 11 machine guns. India’s Ambassador to Israel, JP Singh, described the assault as “almost the only occasion when a fortified town was captured by cavalry on the gallop.” He also reminded the gathering that over 74,000 Indian soldiers sacrificed their lives during World War I, including more than 4,000 in the Middle East alone.
The sacrifices of these soldiers continue to be remembered in Israel through annual commemorations at the cemeteries in Haifa, Jerusalem, and Ramle, where nearly 900 Indian soldiers are buried. Many of them represented the diverse faiths and regions of India, and some were even of Jewish descent. As a gesture of enduring friendship, the Embassy of India, with support from Israeli authorities, has launched “The India Trail” in the Holy Land to preserve and highlight this shared history. In 2018, India also renamed Delhi’s historic Teen Murti Chowk as “Teen Murti Haifa Chowk” during the visit of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, further strengthening the symbolic connection between the two nations. A year earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had personally visited the Indian cemetery in Haifa, where he unveiled a plaque commemorating Major Dalpat Singh and wrote in the guestbook that he was “deeply honoured” to salute the valiant soldiers who gave their lives for Haifa’s liberation.
The centenary of the battle in 2018 was marked by large-scale commemorations, with a contingent of India’s 61st Cavalry, the modern unit formed after the merger of the three historic regiments, participating in the events in Israel. That same year, Israel Post issued a commemorative stamp honouring the Indian soldiers’ role in the liberation of Haifa. Today, the story of Haifa’s liberation by Indian soldiers is no longer confined to history books but lives on through annual ceremonies, international tributes, and a shared legacy between India and Israel. The bravery, sacrifice, and resilience of those soldiers are remembered not just as a turning point in World War I but as a timeless reminder of the human spirit’s strength in the face of overwhelming odds.
