On 23 September India and Israel commemorate the decisive Battle of Haifa.
This Battle was in the final months of World War One.
The Indian Brigade, in the last cavalry charge in history, liberated Haifa from the Ottoman Empire and the other Central
Powers.
The cavalry charge used lightning speed, with incisive tactics, to overwhelm the soldiers and artillery guns ensconced
on Mt Carmel.
This major victory broke the resolve of the enemy and, together with other factors, led to the end of the War two months
later.
September 23 is the anniversary of this Battle. Commemorations
Each year there are commemorations In New Delhi, India and Haifa, Israel, and throughout the World, including here in
New Zealand.
In recent years, before Covid, the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Haifa Cemetery, accompanied by the
Israeli Prime Minister at the time, Binyamin Netanyahu, and unveiled a plaque to Major Dalpat Singh.
Major Singh died in the Battle, and had received the Military Cross for the leadership and bravery he showed in that
charge. He has become known as ‘The Hero of Haifa’.
At the time Prime Minister Modi noted, “I am deeply honoured to stand here today to salute the Valiant Indian Soldiers
who laid down their lives for the liberation of Haifa during World War One”.
In New Delhi the monument and memorial to the Battle is known as Teen Murti Haifa Chowk.
Commemorations are being held again this year although these are tempered by Covid realities.
The Battle of Haifa
The Battle of Haifa is considered the last cavalry campaign in history.
A victory was considered remote or even impossible because the Turks, Austrians and Germans who controlled Mt Carmel
were ensconced in defensive positions, had artillery, and that the mountainous terrain would inhibit the horses.
This campaign took on urgency as Abdul Baha, the head of the Ba’hai Faith, had been in Haifa giving aid and support to
the poor. The Ottoman authorities accused him of supporting the Allies, and he was sentenced to death by the local
Pasha.
The All Indian Calvary Brigade was requested to liberate Haifa, as well as to rescue Abdul Baha. They did not have
reinforcements because they were the only Allied Forces in the immediate vicinity.
The Brigade made an independent attack, without the involvement of British personnel.
After analysing the deployment of the enemy’s artillery, a lightning quick charge was launched. With only lances and
spears the Calvary charged against machine guns. But because of speed and incisive maneuvers it blind-sided the enemy,
and with the momentum, conquered Mt Carmel and liberated Haifa.
By World War One standards the Indian losses were few, seven dead, which included Major Dalpat Singh. He, along with
others, were awarded the Military Cross for Bravery.
The enemy’s losses were 1,500 killed, wounded or captured, and the forfeiture of artillery, naval weapons, and machine
guns.
This victory was decisive because it broke the enemy’s morale, and the liberation of the Haifa Port exposed the
remaining Ottoman forces in the region. This, along with other actions, paved the way for the end of World War One two
months later.
This fighting force was part of the Indian Army. Some 30 years later, the huge Indian Army was a crucial bulwark during
Indian Independence, and its presence ensured that the departing British refrained from a substantive military response.
Another footnote is that there are thought to be six million adherents of the Ba’hai Faith, and of those two million
live in India. The world headquarters of the Ba’hai Movement is in Haifa.New Zealand Forces fighting alongside the Indian Army
At the same time as this Battle, the New Zealand Army was deployed in the same region, and together with the Indian
Army, were fighting the Ottoman Empire and the other Central Powers.
The New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade, along with Australian forces, had a key role in the battle to liberate Beer
Sheva in late 1917. Beer Sheva is in the south of Israel, Haifa is in the north.
A little later, the New Zealand Brigade’s role in the Battle of Ayun Kara, near Rishon LeZion, in central Israel, was
also decisive.
All this time the Indian and New Zealand forces, under a Unified Command, were working together to outmaneuver the
enemy.
Haifa Day commemorations – 23 September 2021
Ian Dunwoodie, New Zealand-born and educated, has developed an interest in the common experiences of New Zealanders,
Indians and Israelis.
As well as writing about these shared experiences, he is exploring the formation of an India-Israel-New Zealand
Friendship Group.