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.
The Haidar Pasha Memorial is within the boundaries of the Haidar Pasha Cemetery. Haidar Pasha is a suburb of Istanbul between Scutari (Uskudar) and Kadikoy on the Asiatic side of the Bosphorous. The cemetery is on high ground behind the Haida Pasha pier head and railway station.
By ferry from the Golden Horn, Istanbul: Take the ferry from Karakoy, near the Galata Bridge, to Haidar Pasha pier head and railway station. Go around to the right (south) side of the main station building and follow the road east approximately 400 metres. Close to the mosque with twin minarets there are steps up to the Kadikoy Rimtimi Cad Road. Turn left (northwards) along this road (passing over the railway lines) and continue for approximately 700 metres and then at the traffic lights turn left down towards the main entrance to the cemetery which is accessed by a large path to the right hand side as you face the military hospital main gate.
