Remembering the Indian cavalry that liberated Haifa—Understanding Mysuru-Israel connection

Haifa Day is celebrated to commemorate the cavalry made up of Indian troops from Jodhpur Lancers, Hyderabad Lancers and Mysuru Lancers, as part of the Allied Forces against the Central Powers, during World War I.

Mysuru: Amid the prevailing conflict between Israel and Palestine, over the past two years, since October 7, 2023, the 117th Haifa Day, which has an Indian, especially Mysuru, connection, was celebrated on Tuesday, September 23.

Liberation of Haifa port city

Haifa Day is celebrated to commemorate the cavalry action by the Indian troops of Jodhpur Lancers, Hyderabad Lancers and Mysuru Lancers, as part of the Allied Forces against the Central Powers, during World War I, to liberate the port city of Haifa from the Ottoman Empire on September 23, 1918. They also freed the leader of Baha’i faith, Abdu l’ Baha, son of the founder of the faith, from imprisonment. The Indian troops were led by Major Dalpat Singh Shekhawat of Jodhpur.

This ended the Ottoman Empire’s 402-year rule over the region. Later, Israel was also established.

Last cavalry war

The Haifa War was the last cavalry war in the world, fought with swords and lancers, even though other regiments and armies were armed with firearms and artillery over a couple of centuries back. The Indian soldiers captured the fortified city, with only swords and lances, despite facing machine guns and artillery. Cavalry are groups of soldiers who fight on horseback. Lance is a spear-like weapon, with a wooden shaft and a pointed steel head, used by horsemen.

On October 13, 1914, the first batch of Mysuru Lancers - comprising 29 officers, 444 non-commissioned officers and men, with 526 horses, 49 mules and 132 followers - left Bengaluru for West Asia, under the command of B Chamaraja Urs. They were also accompanied by Major M H Henderson. The troops reached Suez in November 1914. While some men from Mysuru Lancers were martyred, many came back victorious in 1920. Earlier, the Mysuru Lancers won in the Suez Canal Zone in November 1915 and in the attack on Gaza in Palestine in November 1917.

Memorial

The Mysuru Lancers were merged with the Indian Army, under 61st Cavalry, in 1950. There are about 800 graves of Indian soldiers across Israel, including in Haifa. Several events are held in Israel and India, to pay tributes to the Indian soldiers who died fighting for the liberation of Haifa. The Teen Murti Memorial in New Delhi and Mysuru Lancers Haifa Memorial at the junction of RT Nagar and Jayachamarajendra (JC) Nagar in Bengaluru were built to honour the soldiers.

The Mysuru Lancers were personal bodyguards of Maharaja Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar and most of them belonged to the Urs families. Among them, Col J Desaraja Urs was a brother-in-law of Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar. He was married to Nalvadi’s sister Krishnajammanni. There was also a granduncle and an uncle, Col B P Krishne Urs or Col Balagaly Puttayji Urs Krishne Urs, of Jayachamaraja Wadiyar in the contingent.

Royal relations

Col Krishne Urs’ wife Krishnajammanni was the elder sister of Yuvarani Kempu Cheluvajamanni. The Yuvarani, wife of Yuvaraja Kanteerava Narasimharaja Wadiyar, is the mother of the 25th king of the Yadu dynasty Jayachamaraja Wadiyar. A Lingaraj Urs and Subbaraja Urs were the other officers.

The role played by the Mysuru Lancers is described in detail, in Chapter XXX in the book ‘Modern Mysore’ of M Shama Rao, published in 1936.