JOIN USThe Mysore Lancers and the liberation of Haifa
Not many are aware of the erstwhile Mysore State's connection to Haifa, the northern Israeli port city. The town is now the information technology capital of Israel. What is Bengaluru to India, Haifa is to Israel.
On September 23, 1918, the Mysore Lancers — the personal army of the Mysore Maharaja — played a crucial role in winning one of the greatest cavalry battles in the world. The soldiers charged on Turkish and German positions in and around Mount Carmel and the port city of Haifa. They were armed only with lances and swords, while their opponents had artillery and machine guns.
Over a hundred years have passed since then. Cavalry regiments of the Mysore, Jodhpur and Hyderabad Lancers continue to celebrate the day and honour the brave soldiers who laid down their lives. Globally, the victory is observed as Haifa Day.
The contributions of the Mysore Lancers is significant in the history of the modern state of Israel. They are especially important to the Bahai faith community. On that day, the Mysore Lancers rescued Abdul Baha, the eldest son of Baha-u-llah, the founder of the Bahai faith. A day’s delay, and Ottoman and Germans would have executed Abdul Baha.
This has made the Bahai community indebted to the Mysore Lancers and Mysore Maharaja Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar, for sending a regiment of soldiers, headed by his own brother-in-law, Col J Desraj Urs.
Today, the liberation of Haifa stands as an example of how people from multiple faiths contributed to safeguard a religion, and how people can live in harmony.
Strategic port town
Haifa was a strategically important location for the Allied Powers – led by France, Britain, Russia, Italy, Japan, and the United States – as it had a deep-water harbour and an airfield. Haifa became one of the main supply bases and arms depots, serving the Middle East forces during the war. When the Ottoman Empire captured this town, they made sure it was defended heavily as it was a major resupply point. The recapture of Haifa was a priority to the Allies.
The battle of Haifa was also the last cavalry battle to have been fought. It took place around two months before the end of World War I.
The British’s Fifth Cavalry Division was assigned the task of capturing Haifa at first. Since their initial attacks were unsuccessful, the Mysore and Jodhpur Lancers were called in to finish the job.
In October 1914, the Mysore regiment first left for the Middle East. A convoy of 36 ships carried the troops from India to the Suez Canal.
Years later, in 1918, the task before the cavalry seemed impossible. Situated between the River Kishon and the slopes of Mount Carmel, Haifa was well-defended. While the Jodhpur Lancers were tasked to capture these artillery positions, the Mysore Lancers were ordered to attack the town from the east and north.
They moved into position by climbing up a steep track to capture and disable the guns.
The Jodhpur Lancers launched the main mounted attack on the rear-guard of the German machine gunners, which blocked the road leading to the town. This was followed by the final push by both units.
At the end of the bloody battle, the two regiments captured 1,350 German and Ottoman prisoners. Eight cavalrymen from the Mysore Lancers lost their lives in the battle, while 34 were wounded.
The Mysore Lancers returned home in 1920 after participating in other campaigns of the British armies. Post-independence, the Lancers' units were merged with the Indian Army’s cavalry. The Indian Army still remembers the history of the unit that did the impossible in World War I.
Monuments
Today, the Mysore Lancers are remembered through just three memorials – one in Haifa, a second in New Delhi and a third in Bengaluru.
The Teen Murti Bhavan in New Delhi is the former residence of India’s first prime minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. The building derives its name from the Teen Murti Chowk — the three statues of the Mysore, Jodhpur and Hyderabad Lancers located at the junction in front of the building.
In 2017, during his tour of Israel, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Haifa and renamed Delhi's memorial to Teen Murti Haifa Chowk on his return.
In a quiet corner of Bengaluru’s JC Nagar, another monument bears witness to the heroic acts of these brave cavalrymen from Mysore. It is decked up every year on September 23 by families of the soldiers who come together to pay their respects.