Israel rewrites history: Haifa schools now teach Indian, not British, soldiers freed the city in 1918

The liberation of Haifa: The Indian war story Israel teaches its children today

The Israeli port city of Haifa has quietly rewritten its history. For decades, schoolchildren were taught that British troops liberated the city from Ottoman control in 1918. Now, those textbooks tell a different story: it was Indian soldiers, charging on horseback with lances and swords, who freed Haifa.

According to PTI, at a ceremony this week at the Indian cemetery in Haifa, Mayor Yona Yahav said the correction was long overdue.

“Constantly we were told this city was freed by the British, till the Historical Society showed us the research. In every school, we are now changing the texts, it wasn’t the British but the Indians who liberated us,” Yahav declared.

The battle that galloped into history

On September 23, 1918, as World War I neared its end, the 15th Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade, drawn from Indian princely state regiments, charged up the rocky slopes of Mount Carmel.

The Jodhpur, Mysore and Hyderabad Lancers faced fortified Ottoman and German positions, machine guns, and artillery. They fought almost entirely on horseback, with little more than lances, swords and raw courage.

By the end of the day, they had lost 8 men and seen 34 wounded. But their assault captured over 700 prisoners, 17 field guns and 11 machine guns, and secured Haifa’s vital port for the Allies.

According to a report by Jerusalem Post, historians describe it as 'the last great cavalry campaign in history,' a battle where speed and steel overcame modern firepower.

The Hero of Haifa

Leading the Jodhpur Lancers was Major Dalpat Singh, later remembered as the 'Hero of Haifa.' Singh was posthumously awarded the Military Cross for his bravery, while other officers, Captain Aman Singh Bahadur, Dafadar Jor Singh, Captain Anop Singh and 2nd Lt Sagat Singh, were also decorated.

Singh’s death in the battle cemented his place in Indian military lore. A plaque unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his 2017 visit to Haifa commemorates his role in the liberation.

Recognition delayed, not denied

According to PTI, it wasn’t until 2009 that Haifa first acknowledged the Indian role, when Mayor Yahav pledged to include the story in history textbooks. It took years of research and lobbying by the Haifa Historical Society before the correction finally appeared in schools.

Today, students in classes 3 to 5 learn that Indian soldiers, not British troops, freed their city. Volunteers from the Historical Society also visit schools to tell the story in person.

Memory across borders

India and Israel mark this shared history each year. The Indian Army observes September 23 as Haifa Day, while Haifa municipality organises annual tributes at the Indian cemetery.

• Around 900 Indian soldiers are interred across Haifa, Jerusalem and Ramle.
• Some were Indian Jews serving in the British Indian Army, creating a poignant cultural link.
• In Delhi, Teen Murti Chowk was renamed Teen Murti Haifa Chowk in 2018 to honour the cavalry regiments.
• That same year, Israel Post issued a commemorative stamp, and India’s 61st Cavalry sent a contingent for the centenary parade in Haifa.

Why Haifa mattered

The capture of Haifa was not just a symbolic victory. By securing the port, the Allies gained a crucial supply line in Palestine. It hastened the collapse of Ottoman control in the region, setting the stage for the British Mandate, and eventually the creation of modern Israel.

For India, it was a rare moment when colonial troops made their mark on world history. More than 74,000 Indian soldiers died in World War I, including over 4,000 in West Asia. Haifa remains one of the few battles where their contribution is celebrated abroad.

At Monday’s ceremony, India’s Ambassador to Israel JP Singh put it simply, as PTI quoted: “These fallen soldiers represented all major faiths and regions of our country. Their courage and sacrifice will never be forgotten.”