On Sept 23, 1918, Mysore Lancers, the personal army of the erstwhile Maharaja, played a crucial role in winning one of the greatest battles of World War-I
Every year on September 23, the Indian Army celebrates ‘Haifa Day’ in remembrance of the Battle of Haifa — one the bravest battles of World War-I.
Even as the 95th anniversary of the battle was celebrated this year, not many outside the Army are aware of the Karnataka connection to it. Mysore Lancers, the personal army of the Mysore Maharaja, played a crucial role in winning the battle for the Allied Powers.
Along with the Jodhpur Cavalry and 16th Imperial Cavalry Brigade, soldiers from Mysore Lancers charged on Turkish positions in and around the city of Haifa. The Indian soldiers were armed only with lances (a kind of sphere) and swords while the Turks were armed with artillery and machine guns.
This battle is one of the last cavalry charges that resulted in a victory in a modern war. By the end of WWI, horses had become redundant in wars.
Paved the way for Israel
Israel ambassador to India, Alon Ushpiz, who participated in the Haifa Day celebration at Teen Murti Bhavan on September 23, said in his speech, “The heroism, tenacity and cavalry skills of the Mysore and Jodhpur Lancers that took control of the city from the Turks on September 23, 1918, proved to be a decisive factor in the victory over the Ottoman Empire. The historical battle of Haifa paved the way to the victory of the British Army and 30 years later — to the creation of the State of Israel.” Incidentally, Ushpiz was born in Haifa in 1966.
Haifa is today the third largest city in Israel with a population of over 2.91 lakh.
When Mysore Lancers saved the city in 1918, they ended the Ottoman Empire’s 400-year long rule over the region. The Ottomans joined WWI on the side of the Central Powers (Germany) against the British Empire, France and Russia. Twenty five years later, Haifa became a part of the newly formed nation of Israel.
Though 1.4 million Indian troops are recorded to have fought in WWI on behalf of the British Empire, the participation of troops from Karnataka, then mainly the Mysore Kingdom, is largely forgotten from public memory. Memorials to the Mysore Lancers in New Delhi and Bangalore are also no more in public view.
A long forgotten memorial to the Mysore Lancers in Bangalore states that Mysore Lancers, Mysore Transport Corps, and Mysore Imperial Service Troops participated in the ‘Great War 1914-1918’.
SERVED AT SUEZ CANAL
The Mysore Lancers served at the Suez Canal between 1915 and 1917 and in Gaza, Meggiddo, Sharon, Damascus and Palestine between 1917 and 1918. The Mysore Transport Corps served at Tigris Kut-Al-Amara in 1916–1917 and at Baghdad between 1916 and 1918.
The Bangalore memorial has a list of Mysore soldiers who died including that of two officers, A Lingaraj Urs and Meer Ashroff Alli. Other soldiers who died were Venkata Rao Maney, Annaji Dhummal, Rachunatha Rao Birjey, Mohammed Abdul Sattar, Nar Singh, Mohammed Peer Khan, Rahimon Khan, Ganapaty Rao Sindhey, Rama Rao Gaikwad, Manadeva Rao Bobdey, Sheik Ibrahim, Sham Singh, Roya Sundaram, Chithambara Rao Ithapay and Meer Abdul Latheef.
The Lancers returned home on February 21, 1920, to a rousing reception by His Highness Nalwadi Krishna Raja Wadiyar. The Lancers were merged with the Indian Army in 1950 and lost their distinct identity.
WON OVER MACHINE GUNS...
On September 23, 1918, Othe 15th (Imperial Service) Cavalry Brigade was ordered to capture Haifa.
The area to be captured lay between Kishon River and Mount Carmel. The Jodhpur Lancers entered the field from the south while the Mysore Lancers moved around and attacked the town from east and north. They had to take on the Turks, who were supported by German machine gun troops and Austrian soldiers manning field guns.
One set of Mysore Lancers attacked the Austrian battery at 2 pm after climbing a steep slope of Mount Carmel. They captured the guns and took prisoners. The rest of the Mysore Lancers joined forces with the Jodhpur Lancers to launch the main attack on German machine gunners from behind. This attack led to the capture of two machine guns, two camel guns and 30 prisoners. The road to Haifa had been opened.
The Jodhpur Lancers then charged into the town, while the Mysore Lancers provided fire support and followed them into Haifa. The two managed to capture 1,350 German and Ottoman soldiers. Artillery and machine guns were captured. Nobody knows how many Mysore Lancers and Jodhpur Lancers fought in that battle.
There are about 800 graves of Indian soldiers in Israel today.
(Source: BM)
Every year on September 23, the Indian Army celebrates ‘Haifa Day’ in remembrance of the Battle of Haifa — one the bravest battles of World War-I.
Even as the 95th anniversary of the battle was celebrated this year, not many outside the Army are aware of the Karnataka connection to it. Mysore Lancers, the personal army of the Mysore Maharaja, played a crucial role in winning the battle for the Allied Powers.
Along with the Jodhpur Cavalry and 16th Imperial Cavalry Brigade, soldiers from Mysore Lancers charged on Turkish positions in and around the city of Haifa. The Indian soldiers were armed only with lances (a kind of sphere) and swords while the Turks were armed with artillery and machine guns.
This battle is one of the last cavalry charges that resulted in a victory in a modern war. By the end of WWI, horses had become redundant in wars.
Paved the way for Israel
Israel ambassador to India, Alon Ushpiz, who participated in the Haifa Day celebration at Teen Murti Bhavan on September 23, said in his speech, “The heroism, tenacity and cavalry skills of the Mysore and Jodhpur Lancers that took control of the city from the Turks on September 23, 1918, proved to be a decisive factor in the victory over the Ottoman Empire. The historical battle of Haifa paved the way to the victory of the British Army and 30 years later — to the creation of the State of Israel.” Incidentally, Ushpiz was born in Haifa in 1966.
Haifa is today the third largest city in Israel with a population of over 2.91 lakh.
When Mysore Lancers saved the city in 1918, they ended the Ottoman Empire’s 400-year long rule over the region. The Ottomans joined WWI on the side of the Central Powers (Germany) against the British Empire, France and Russia. Twenty five years later, Haifa became a part of the newly formed nation of Israel.
Though 1.4 million Indian troops are recorded to have fought in WWI on behalf of the British Empire, the participation of troops from Karnataka, then mainly the Mysore Kingdom, is largely forgotten from public memory. Memorials to the Mysore Lancers in New Delhi and Bangalore are also no more in public view.
A long forgotten memorial to the Mysore Lancers in Bangalore states that Mysore Lancers, Mysore Transport Corps, and Mysore Imperial Service Troops participated in the ‘Great War 1914-1918’.
SERVED AT SUEZ CANAL
The Mysore Lancers served at the Suez Canal between 1915 and 1917 and in Gaza, Meggiddo, Sharon, Damascus and Palestine between 1917 and 1918. The Mysore Transport Corps served at Tigris Kut-Al-Amara in 1916–1917 and at Baghdad between 1916 and 1918.
The Bangalore memorial has a list of Mysore soldiers who died including that of two officers, A Lingaraj Urs and Meer Ashroff Alli. Other soldiers who died were Venkata Rao Maney, Annaji Dhummal, Rachunatha Rao Birjey, Mohammed Abdul Sattar, Nar Singh, Mohammed Peer Khan, Rahimon Khan, Ganapaty Rao Sindhey, Rama Rao Gaikwad, Manadeva Rao Bobdey, Sheik Ibrahim, Sham Singh, Roya Sundaram, Chithambara Rao Ithapay and Meer Abdul Latheef.
The Lancers returned home on February 21, 1920, to a rousing reception by His Highness Nalwadi Krishna Raja Wadiyar. The Lancers were merged with the Indian Army in 1950 and lost their distinct identity.
WON OVER MACHINE GUNS...
On September 23, 1918, Othe 15th (Imperial Service) Cavalry Brigade was ordered to capture Haifa.
The area to be captured lay between Kishon River and Mount Carmel. The Jodhpur Lancers entered the field from the south while the Mysore Lancers moved around and attacked the town from east and north. They had to take on the Turks, who were supported by German machine gun troops and Austrian soldiers manning field guns.
One set of Mysore Lancers attacked the Austrian battery at 2 pm after climbing a steep slope of Mount Carmel. They captured the guns and took prisoners. The rest of the Mysore Lancers joined forces with the Jodhpur Lancers to launch the main attack on German machine gunners from behind. This attack led to the capture of two machine guns, two camel guns and 30 prisoners. The road to Haifa had been opened.
The Jodhpur Lancers then charged into the town, while the Mysore Lancers provided fire support and followed them into Haifa. The two managed to capture 1,350 German and Ottoman soldiers. Artillery and machine guns were captured. Nobody knows how many Mysore Lancers and Jodhpur Lancers fought in that battle.
There are about 800 graves of Indian soldiers in Israel today.
(Source: BM)
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