Capt Jim Lowther, the British defence attache in the UAE in 2018 said that Donnelly's death underlined the breadth of activity that the Second World War encompassed.
Wg Cdr Paul Taylor (L) and Flt Lt Hassan Baig attend a memorial service for British airman William Donnelly who died in a plane crash in Dhadna, Fujairah, in 1943. All photos: Antonie Robertson / The National
On February 14, 1943, an RAF bomber took off from a base at Sharjah but over the sea, the pilot experienced problems and decided to return.
Minutes later, the port propeller broke off and the plane crash-landed among date palm groves in Sayh Dhadnah, Fujairah.
Navigator William 'Billy' Donnelly died and was buried at the site. He was only 31.
The British airman’s grave was made of stones and aircraft parts. Three other crew and a passenger survived.
Donnelly was born in 1911 in Peru and was a sergeant with the RAF volunteer reserve. His burial in a shallow wadi so far from home was a sad reality for many who were killed during the Second World War.
The memorial stone is in the shadow of the Hajar Mountains and is surrounded by date palms. It is close to the Al Aqah area and has been carefully maintained by Fujairah authorities.
So far, Donnelly is the only known British and Commonwealth serviceman found to have died on active service in what is now the UAE during the Second World War.
Capt Jim Lowther, the British defence attache in the UAE in 2018 said that Donnelly's death underlined the breadth of activity that the Second World War encompassed.
Wg Cdr Paul Taylor (L) and Flt Lt Hassan Baig attend a memorial service for British airman William Donnelly who died in a plane crash in Dhadna, Fujairah, in 1943. All photos: Antonie Robertson / The National
On February 14, 1943, an RAF bomber took off from a base at Sharjah but over the sea, the pilot experienced problems and decided to return.
Minutes later, the port propeller broke off and the plane crash-landed among date palm groves in Sayh Dhadnah, Fujairah.
Navigator William 'Billy' Donnelly died and was buried at the site. He was only 31.
The British airman’s grave was made of stones and aircraft parts. Three other crew and a passenger survived.
Donnelly was born in 1911 in Peru and was a sergeant with the RAF volunteer reserve. His burial in a shallow wadi so far from home was a sad reality for many who were killed during the Second World War.
The memorial stone is in the shadow of the Hajar Mountains and is surrounded by date palms. It is close to the Al Aqah area and has been carefully maintained by Fujairah authorities.
So far, Donnelly is the only known British and Commonwealth serviceman found to have died on active service in what is now the UAE during the Second World War.
Capt Jim Lowther, the British defence attache in the UAE in 2018 said that Donnelly's death underlined the breadth of activity that the Second World War encompassed.
