Flight Sergeant 975450 Austin Donnelly

Family details:
Son of James Donnelly, and of Catherine Donnelly, of St. Helens, Lancashire.

Census details:
1939 Register. Unfortunately Austin and three other members of the household are redacted. Mother Catherine Holding born 10/07/1892 an Unpaid Domestic, stepfather Joseph Holding born 20/05/1891 a Race Course Bookmaker and brother James Donnelly (Holding) born 26/03/1918 a General Labourer Unemployed are living at 181 Rivington Road, St Helens. Catherine's marriage to Joseph Holding took place on 05/07/1930 at Sacred Heart R.C.

[pic]imgs/S1PWHYAOTV/NPC_975450_Austin_Donnelly2.jpg[/pic][caption]A newspaper clipping from the local paper (Courtesy of Jeff Keenan)[/caption] [quote="Relative Jim Donnelly"] Latest information indicates known place of death was Mount Sinoi near the village of Bize, East of Tirana. Flying from Brindisi, South East Italy at 07-59, 29/10/1944 on Operation Tinker, plane dropped its supplies at Shengjergj, Albania and crashed on the return journey, there were no survivors. They were operating on SOE mission.[/quote] [pic]imgs/WW2_headstones/Austin_Donnelly_closeup.jpg[/pic] [pic]imgs/WW2_memorials/Malta_Memorial.jpg[/pic][caption]Malta Memoria[/caption] [pic]imgs/WW2_misc/Austin_Donnelly_Burial.jpg[/pic] Halifax II JP244 (148 Squadron) crashed in Malta on 29th October 1944 with no survivors. It has been confirmed that the aircraft was on "Special Duties" delivering supplies to Albania, to resistance forces opposed to the Axis forces. This was an SOE operation called [color=#141414]Tinker an SOE operation supporting a team of Saboteurs blowing up trains. [/color][color=#141414]Part of 14 aircraft tasked to drop supplies into Albania during a daylight op. The aircraft was seen over the DZ and the crew dropped their load as planed. The Halifax was not seen again. It is thought that the aircrft crashed into a mountain.[/color] Flight Sergeant Austin Donnelly RAFVR Gunner Born 27 February 1920 in St Helens, Lancashire Enlisted 16 December 1939, Occupation prior to enlistment: Glass Carrier. This is the full crew list:- [color=#141414]BROWN, ERNEST LOGAN. Rank: Flight Sergeant. Trade: Navigator. Service No: 1494454. Date of Death: 29/10/1944. Age: 27.[/color] [color=#141414]Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 148 Sqdn.[/color] [color=#141414]Panel Reference: Panel 14, Column 1. Memorial: MALTA MEMORIAL.[/color] [color=#141414]Additional Information: Adopted son of James Crosbie Logan and Emma Logan; husband of Joan Rostron Brown, of Levenshulme, Manchester.[/color] [color=#141414]COOTE, ALFRED. Rank: Sergeant. Trade: W/Op A/G. Service No: 1894920. Date of Death: 29/10/1944.[/color] [color=#141414]Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 148 Sqdn.[/color] [color=#141414]Panel Reference: Panel 14, Column 2. Memorial: MALTA MEMORIAL[/color] [color=#141414]DONNELLY, AUSTIN. Rank: Flight Sergeant. Trade: Bomb Aimer. Service No: 975450. Date of Death: 29/10/1944.[/color] [color=#141414]Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 148 Sqdn.[/color] [color=#141414]Panel Reference: Panel 14, Column 1. Memorial: MALTA MEMORIAL.[/color] [color=#141414]Additional Information: Son of James Donnelly, and of Catherine Donnelly, of St. Helens, Lancashire.[/color] [color=#141414]KNEE, RICHARD CHARLES. Rank: Sergeant. Trade: Dispatcher. Service No: 1331866. Date of Death: 29/10/1944. Age: 23.[/color] [color=#141414]Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 148 Sqdn.[/color] [color=#141414]Panel Reference: Panel 15, Column 1. Memorial: MALTA MEMORIAL.[/color] [color=#141414]Additional Information: Son of Charles and Raynah Knee, of Sutton, Surrey.[/color] [color=#141414]MABBS, CHARLES. Rank: Sergeant. Trade: Air Gunner. Service No: 1685949. Date of Death: 29/10/1944. Age: 31.[/color] [color=#141414]Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 148 Sqdn.[/color] [color=#141414]Panel Reference: Panel 15, Column 1. Memorial: MALTA MEMORIAL.[/color] [color=#141414]Additional Information: Son of Charles and Margaret Mabbs; husband of Helena Mabbs, of West Derby, Liverpool. Member Pharmaceutical Society.[/color] [color=#141414]STUBLEY, EDWIN JOHN. Rank: Flying Officer. Trade: Pilot. Service No: 152396. Date of Death: 29/10/1944. Age: 23.[/color] [color=#141414]Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 148 Sqdn.[/color] [color=#141414]Panel Reference: Panel 13, Column 2. Memorial: MALTA MEMORIAL.[/color] [color=#141414]Additional Information: Son of Henry and Hilda M. Stubley, of Grantham, Lincolnshire.[/color] [color=#141414]THOMPSON, JOHN. Rank: Flight Sergeant. Trade: Flight Engineer. Service No: 642357. Date of Death: 29/10/1944. Age: 23.[/color] [color=#141414]Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force 148 Sqdn.[/color] [color=#141414]Panel Reference: Panel 3, Column 2. Memorial: MALTA MEMORIAL.[/color] [color=#141414]Additional Information: Son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Thompson, of Matlock, Derbyshire; husband of J. Thompson, of Hackney, London.[/color] [color=#141414](although not absolutely sure of aircraft serial and letter, nor of Mabbs who had trained as a navigator) Following a long investigation by British & Albanian Authotities the remains of the crew were identified and the crash site confirmed. This is the story of how that came about.[/color] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/09/albanian-solves-uk-family-mystery-of-missing-second-world-war-airman The remain of the crew where formally laid to rest via an official ceremony.  [color=#141414]A formal event organized by the British Embassy Tirana where the recovered remains of the crew of Halifax JP244 from 148 Squadron RAF were laid to rest. It's a small cemetary in Tirana Park where other wartime dead lie, both British and Albanian. The event was honoured by the Albanian government with a formal guard and band. Several government officials and representatives from various embassies attended. The British Ambassador and Mayor of Tirana spoke.[/color] [color=#141414]Members of the families of the crew were also present.[/color] [color=#141414]Here is a picture of RAF Regiment pallbearers marching past the Albanian guard of honour. The casket contains the remains of the crew that were recovered (in 2018) from the crash site, after a forest fire had laid it bare.[/color]