100 years of Battle of Haifa: Indian Army, Israel honour troops who were martyred in 'last great cavalry campaign'

"Major Singh and the bold Indian soldiers are very dear to us and this centenary celebration is special to us," Mayor of Haifa, Yona Yahav, told the gathering assembled to pay tributes to the fallen Indian soldiers.

The northern Israeli coastal city of Haifa on Thursday celebrated the centenary year of its liberation from Ottoman rule during World War I, honouring the brave Indian soldiers who laid down their lives in what is considered "the last great cavalry campaign in history".

The Indian Army commemorates September 23 every year as Haifa Day to pay its respects to the three Indian Cavalry Regiments - Mysore, Hyderabad and Jodhpur Lancers, that helped liberate Haifa following a dashing cavalry action by the 15th Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade of the then British Indian Army at the Battle of Haifa in 1918.

Captain Aman Singh Bahadur and Dafadar Jor Singh were awarded the Indian Order of Merit (IOM) and Captain Anop Singh and 2nd Lt Sagat Singh were awarded the Military Cross (MC) as recognition for their bravery in this battle while Major Dalpat Singh was awarded a military cross for his bravery.

"Major Singh and the bold Indian soldiers are very dear to us and this centenary celebration is special to us," Mayor of Haifa, Yona Yahav, told the gathering assembled to pay tributes to the fallen Indian soldiers.

"Dalpat Singh not only changed the history of my city but the history of the Middle East," Yahav asserted.

About 900 Indian soldiers are interred in cemeteries across Israel in Jerusalem, Ramle and Haifa.

India's Ambassador to Israel, Pavan Kapoor, said that the event is meant to "salute the brave Indian soldiers for their valiant deeds" and "to show that their courage and sacrifice is not forgotten".

"Indian cavalry regiments armed with spears and swords displayed the highest tradition of valour and cleared the enemy from the rocky slopes of Mt Carmel," Kapoor said.

"Today we commemorate the courage and sacrifice of those soldiers who laid down their lives far away from their homes and families. These soldiers represented all the major faiths and regions of our country. This tribute shows that their courage and sacrifice has not been forgotten," he said. "It is also a sign that even in this part of Israel, far from India, the eternal flame of of the Indian Army - duty and service before self - continues to shine," the envoy said.

Yahav also told the gathering that once he became aware of the sacrifices of the Indian soldiers in liberating the city, he subsequently made efforts to get the information in the school textbooks so that the youngsters of Haifa would know an "important episode in the history of their city".

"Eight years ago a special committee which is researching the history of Haifa put up on my table a document which dealt with the history of Haifa from the Ottoman times," the Mayor told PTI.

"It talked about the victory led by Maj (Dalpat) Singh and I said that it is a part of our history and we must commemorate it. We must find the place he is buried. They looked for it. They found the place and we decided to do a ceremony here every year. The Indian Embassy also has been very helpful in organising these events," he said.

"We have changed the whole textbooks to insert the story of the Indian troops because this is an important part of our history and legacy. It is important that the students know who liberated their city," Yahav stressed.

History textbooks from classes 3 to 5 teach about the story of the liberation of Haifa by Indian soldiers.

The Haifa mayor said that he was "touched" by the gesture of the Indian government to rename the famous Teen Murti Chowk in New Delhi adding his city's name to it.

In a symbolic gesture of friendship with Israel, India renamed the iconic Teen Murti Chowk, a war memorial, to Teen Murti Haifa Chowk, during the visit of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to New Delhi in January.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited the Haifa cemetery during his visit to Israel in July 2017 and unveiled a plaque commemorating Major Dalpat Singh, known as the 'Hero of Haifa' for his critical role in the liberation of the city.

"I am deeply honoured to stand here today to salute the valiant Indian soldiers, who led down their lives for the liberation of Haifa during the WWI," Modi had written in the guest book.

"The exceptional bravery and supreme sacrifice of Major Thakur Dalpat Singh MC, the 'Hero of Haifa' and his men, will be remembered forever and continue to inspire generations to come. Next year, the centenary of the battle of Haifa will present another opportunity to mark this enduring bond between India and Israel," he wrote.

The Indian Army's 61st Cavalry, the name given to the unit created after the merger of the three cavalry units after independence, also sent a contingent to participate in the centenary celebrations.

The Indian contingent serving in UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) and a small contingent from the Israel Defence Forces also participated in the ceremony.

The former maharaja of Jodhpur, Gaj Singh, and Brigadier M S Jodha, grandson of Aman Singh Bahadur, were also present for the ceremony.

The Israel Post also presented to Yahav and Kapoor special stamps released in February this year to commemorate hundred years of the battle.