Friends of the Somme - Mid Ulster Branch  
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F/9833   Petty Officer Joseph Donnelly
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Dated added: 01/01/2016   Last updated: 09/06/2020
Personal Details
Regiment/Service: HMS President II, Royal Navy Air Service (British Navy)
Date Of Birth: 01/11/1888
Died: 11/06/1916 (Died by accident)
Age: 28
Summary      
Joseph Donnelly was the son of Thomas and Maggie Donnelly. Joseph Donnelly was born on 1st November 1888 in the Bellaghy area in the district of Magherafelt. The lived in Creagh, Castledawson for a considerable time. The family then moved to the Alexandra Park area in Belfast. Petty Officer Joseph Donnelly served with the Royal Naval Air Service. He was a motor mechanic. He was with the Russian Armoured Car Division (R.A.C.D.) when he died.He was travelling through Russia when he drowned during general bathing parade, taking place at a railway stop on the River Don at Kisetirinta (near Rostov) on Sunday 11th June 1916. Petty Officer Joseph Donnelly is buried Rostov (Bratski) Cemetery in Russia. However, the CWGC commemorate him on the Haidar Pasha Memorial in Turkey.
Petty Officer Joseph Donnelly
Further Information
Joseph Donnelly was the son of Thomas and Maggie Donnelly. Thomas Donnelly married Maggie Davison in Cookstown on 25th August 1884.
Joseph Donnelly was born on 1st November 1888 in the Bellaghy area in the district of Magherafelt.
Family: Thomas Donnelly, Maggie Donnelly, Frederick Donnelly (born 23rd June 1885), Annie Donnelly (born 27th October 1886), Joseph Donnelly (born 1st November 1888), Elizabeth Jane / Lillie J Donnelly (born 29th July 1890), Margaret Donnelly (born 5th December 1892), Sally / Sarah C Donnelly (born 24th July 1894), Gertrude E Donnelly (born 27th March 1897), Edith C Donnelly (born 10th February 1901).
The 1901 census lists Joseph as age 12 living with the family at house 28 in Creagh, Castledawson, County Londonderry. Joseph was still at school. His father was a farmer and his mother was a dressmaker.
Joseph Donnelly was a member of Moyola Good Templar Lodge No. 250, Castledawson.
The 1911 census lists Joseph as age 22 living with the family at house 77 in Alexandra Park Avenue, Duncairn, Belfast. Joseph was working as a grocer shop man. His father was a store keeper.
Joseph Donnelly enlisted on 16th November 1915.
Seaman's Services
Petty Officer Joseph Donnelly served with the Royal Naval Air Service. He was a motor mechanic. He was with the Russian Armoured Car Division (R.A.C.D.).
Petty Officer Joseph Donnelly
A decision was made by the Royal Navy to send the Squadron (plus two others to make up a complete Division) of the Armoured Car Division to the Eastern Front in support of Britain's Russian ally.
Ford armoured car used on the Eastern Front by the Armoured Car Expeditionary Force (Russian Armoured Car Division)
The RACD were sailors on dry land, fighting from armoured cars and trenches. They faced conditions ranging from the acutely freezing temperatures within the Arctic Circle, the extreme heat and dust of the desert terrain of Armenia, to the Flanders like mud of the Danube delta. They fought in Asia Minor, Rumania, Russia, and Austria, against Kurds, Turks, Bulgarians, Germans and Austrians.
Petty Officer Joseph Donnelly was the first member of the RACD to lose his life in Russia. This occurred during the journey south through Russia in 1916.
Petty Officer Joseph Donnelly drowned during general bathing parade, taking place at a railway stop on the River Don at Kisetirinta (near Rostov) on Sunday 11th June 1916.
From the Belfast Newsletter dated 23rd June 1916: Belfast Man Drowned in Russia
Newspaper report
Mr Thomas Donnelly, 77 Alexandria Park Avenue, received official intimation from the Admiralty yesterday that his second son, Petty Officer Joseph Donnelly, Royal Navy Air Service, (R.N.A.S.) (Armoured Car Section), was accidentally drowned in Russia on 11th June.
From the Larne Times dated Saturday 1st July 1916: Petty Officer Joseph Donnelly
Newspaper report
Royal Navy Air Service (Armoured Car Section), accidentally drowned in Russia was a son of Mt Thomas Donnelly, 77 Alexandra Park Avenue, Belfast.
From the Mid Ulster Mail dated Saturday 1st July 1916: FOR KING AND COUNTRY – Moyola Good Templar Lodge, No 250, Castledawson
Newspaper report
DONNELLY - The Members of the above Lodge deeply regret the death of our esteemed Brother, Petty Officer Joseph Donnelly, Royal Navy Air Service, (R.N.A.S.) (Armoured Car Section), accidentally drowned in Russia on 11 June 1916.
Petty Officer Joseph Donnelly is buried Rostov (Bratski) Cemetery in Russia. However, the CWGC commemorate him on the Haidar Pasha Memorial in Turkey.
The HAIDAR PASHA MEMORIAL stands within the war graves plot of Haidar Pasha Cemetery and commemorates more than 30 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War who died fighting in South Russia, Georgia and Azerbaijan, and in post Armistice operations in Russia and Transcaucasia, whose graves are not known. An Addenda panel was later added to commemorate over 170 Commonwealth casualties who are buried in cemeteries in South Russia and Transcaucasia* whose graves can longer be maintained. *Baku British Military Cemetery; Batoum British Cemetery; Batoum Russian CatholicCemetery; Erivan Armenian Cemetery; Krasnodar Officers' Cemetery; Novorossisk (Chaikovski) Old Cemetery; Novorossisk New Cemetery; Odessa British Cemetery; Rostov (Bratski) Cemetery; Sevastopol British Cemetery; Sevastopol Russian Cemetery; Shusha Armenian Cemetery; Tiflis British Cemetery; Vladikavkas Hospital Cemetery; Yalta Russian Cemetery.
The CWGC record Petty Officer Joseph Donnelly as the son of Thomas and Margaret Donnelly, of 77, Alexandra Park Avenue, Belfast. They record that he is buried in Rostov (Bratski) Cemetery.
Many thanks to Keith Beattie, who sent through the high resolution newspaper report from the Larne Times.
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Relevant Magherafelt Area Locations
No Location Region Location Notes Longtitude Latitude
1 The Creagh, Castledawson Toome Census listing in Creagh, Castledawson 54.754135 -6.489248
References and Links
No Link Reference Map Doc
1 1901 Census lists Donnelly family 1901 census lists Joseph as age 12 living with the family at house 28 in Creagh, Castledawson, Londonderry
2 1911 Census lists Donnelly family 1911 census lists Joseph as age 22 living with the family at house 77 in Alexandra Park Avenue, Duncairn, Antrim
3 BBC Your Place and Mine Some details of Russian Armoured Car Division and Petty Officer Joseph Donnelly
4 Castledawson War Dead Details of Petty Officer Motor Mechanic Joseph Donnelly
5 National Archives UK Naval Medal card can be purchased here
6 Royal Naval Association Brave Report Issue 17 includes report on Petty Officer Joseph Donnelly
Magherafelt District's War Dead Acknowledgements 2014-2023