Last night 103 years ago (September 23, 9), the British army captured Haifa in World War I, from the Turks. The occupation was carried out by the 1918th Indian Cavalry Division of the British Army and its fighters became a symbol of Indian heroism. In collaboration with the association for the history of Haifa, the Hai Pa website - the news corporation brings the story of the battle that changed the course of Haifa's history.
Background to the events
World War I broke out in 1914. On one side stood the "Consenting States": France, Great Britain, Russia (withdrew from the war in 1917), Italy (entered the war in 1915) and the United States (entered the war in 1917). They fought the "Central Powers": Bulgaria, the Ottoman Empire, Austria-Hungary and Germany.
In June 1917, the British General Edmund Allenby was appointed commander of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force and he began an attack on Israel, which was still controlled by the Ottomans (Turks).
The British begin the occupation of the Land of Israel
General Allenby captured Jerusalem in December 1917 without a fight. This victory ended the 400-year Ottoman occupation of Israel, but Haifa was still under Ottoman control. Towards the summer of 1918, Allenby planned to conquer the north of the country and advance towards Damascus. In September 1918 they occupied Afula and Nazareth. Haifa was not in the British occupation plans at that time, but as part of the occupation of the entire north.
Following a false report about the evacuation of the Ottoman forces, on 22/9/1918 the British tried to occupy Balad al-Sheikh (present-day Eagle) but failed. Following the failure, the British command ordered the 15th Indian Cavalry Brigade to occupy Haifa the next day.
the indians are coming (on horses)
On 23/9/1918, at dawn, the Indian cavalry launched an attack on the city of Haifa. 2 cavalry regiments of the brigade took part in the battle: the Jodhpur lance regiment and the Mysore lance regiment. With the help of a British machine gun unit, scouts and a battery of guns, and after hours of fighting, the forces managed to capture the city in the afternoon.
The Indian troops of the Jodhpur Battalion fought bravely and came under fire from Ottoman cannons and machine guns. The battalion commander, Major Thakur Dalpat Singh, led the assault but was wounded and killed. His place was filled by Captain Bahadur Aman Singh Jodha who led to the capture of the city.
The Jodhpur Battalion suffered 6 dead (including the Major), 34 wounded and about 60 dead horses.
Haifa hero
After his death, Thakur received the title "Hero of Haifa" for his courage and heroism. In 1924, the "Tin Murti" (the three figures) monument was inaugurated in New Delhi, the capital of India, and on it are engraved the names of all the Indian soldiers who were killed in the First World War. Every year on September 23, the Indian Army celebrates the "Indian Soldier's Day", in memory of the battle for the liberation of Haifa.
The battle for the liberation of Haifa became a cornerstone in the Indian military tradition, a true story of heroism. Since 2010, when this story was revealed, every year on September 23, the Indian Embassy in Israel holds a memorial ceremony in memory of the Indian soldiers who fell in battle. The ceremony was held in the Indian section of the British Military Cemetery in Kiryat Eliezer, and was attended by Indian soldiers, military attachés and a large crowd.
Following the holidays, this year the ceremony will be held on Thursday, 7/10/2021.