This year, being the 100th year of the battle, is a very important landmark in history and gives it a special relevance to this battle. Christened as ‘Haifa Day’, it is being celebrated with great enthusiasm in both India and Israel.
Over a hundred years ago, on September 23, 1918, during the First World War, a very important but less known battle of Haifa was fought. In this battle the Indian troops liberated the city of Haifa in present day Israel from the clutches of the Turks of the erstwhile Ottoman empire.
This year, being the 100th year of the battle, is a very important landmark in history and gives it a special relevance to this battle. Christened as ‘Haifa Day’, it is being celebrated with great enthusiasm in both India and Israel.
An India contingent drawn from 61 Cavalry is proceeding to Israel to take part in the celebrations in the first week of September. There will be parallel functions in Delhi and Jaipur. Local functions at Jaipur will take place on September 21 and 22 which will be attended by a galaxy of eminent personalities including Chief of the Army Staff who will be the Chief Guest.
It may sound like any other battle in the history of warfare but this one has a special relevance for the country in general and Rajasthan in particular. The commander of the attacking troops and a large number of soldiers who laid down their lives in last great Cavalry campaign of history were from Rajasthan. Because of the selfless gallant act of sons of soil, we have an ever grateful nation of Israel which celebrates this day every year and an indebted Bahai community which never misses an occasion to express their gratitude to gallant Indian soldiers.
The gallant action whose only parallel that comes instantly to mind is the ‘Charge of the Light Brigade’ was led by our own officer from Rajasthan, Major Thakur Dalpat Singh who hailed from Pali and his Deputy Captain Aman Singh who was from Digarna. A large number of troops who fought and laid down their lives were also from Rajasthan. Dalpat Singh, the lone heir of Col Hari Singh who was also from the Jodhpur Lancers got martyred leading the charge at the tender age of 22. Dalpat Singh is also the recipient of the coveted Military Cross, one of the highest awards of the British Crown, conferred to very few Indians. His memorial along with the memorial of other gallant soldiers and horses who laid down their lives in this charge exists at Mount Carmel in Haifa, Israel, and is maintained by the Israelis with passion and gratitude.
PM Narendra Modi during his recent visit to Israel in July 2017 had laid a wreath on this memorial.
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