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3/11264   Private Thomas Donnelly
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Dated added: 30/12/2015   Last updated: 21/02/2021
Personal Details
Regiment/Service: 6th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles (British Army)
Date Of Birth: 15/11/1897
Died: 14/03/1918 (Killed in Action)
Age: 20
Summary      
Thomas Donnelly was the only son of John and Mary Jane Donnelly. Thomas was born on 15th November 1897 in Clonoe, County Tyrone. He was the eldest of three children. His two sisters died young. The family lived in Annagher and then in Coalisland itself. Rifleman Thomas Donnelly was serving with "C" Company of the 6th Battalion of the Royal Irish Rifles when he was killed in action during fighting in the Judean hills in Palestine on 14th March 1918.
Further Information
Thomas Donnelly was the only son of John and Mary Jane Donnelly. John Donnelly and Mary McGrath were married on 9th January 1897 in the district of Dungannon.
Thomas was born on 15th November 1897 in Clonoe, County Tyrone. He was the eldest of three children. His two sisters died young.
The 1901 census shows his father to be a 27 year old coal-miner. Thomas was 4 years old. He had a younger sister, born about 1899. They were living in Annagher, Meenagh, Tyrone.
Family: John Donnelly, Mary Jane Donnelly, Thomas Donnelly (born 15th November 1897), Mary Eliza Donnelly (born 2nd January 1900, died 8th June 1905, age 5), Sarah Donnelly (born 15th July 1903, died 7th December 1903).
The Square, Coalisland
By the time of the 1911 census, the family had moved to Coalisland Town. His father’s occupation was now a car driver. Thomas was now a 13 year old scholar. He could speak both Irish and English.
Thomas Donnelly enlisted in Dublin.
Medal card
The 6th Battalion of the Royal Irish Rifles began the month of March 1918 as 29 Brigade's reserve battalion during the 10th (Irish) Division’s pursuit of the Turks across the Judean Hills. The advance was over difficult and arduous terrain. The battalion moved forward to lead the advance as the Turks took a stand in an area known as Hill 30. Turkish artillery and machine-gun fire disrupted the Rifle’s attacks, especially from the machine guns sited in enfilade positions. It was difficult to engage such a target with artillery fire as shells could not, due to a low flight trajectory, be dropped into these enfiladed positions. Modern warfare would deploy a highly mobile medium or light mortar with its high trajectory capable of dropping a bomb into a steep-sided feature (such as a wadi river bed).
Any advance was achieved by a series of short rushes and a tenacity to defend against Turkish counter attacks. Leadership by courage was displayed, especially by the officers of B Company, constantly moving forward and exposed to the enemy, as the company crept on beyond its flanking support. Such was the proximity to the enemy that any movement by the Company’s Runners (messengers) also attracted accurate and deadly rifle fire.
Eventually, after several days of action, the forward recce discovered that the Turks had withdrawn. The battalion advanced and occupied Hill 30. The Turkish artillery shelled the feature heavily on 12th March and as the battalion patrolled forward they discovered that the Turks chose not to occupy set defensive positions but rather to skirmish in strength and attack the battalion's advance posts at night.
Rifleman Thomas Donnelly was serving with "C" Company of the 6th Battalion of the Royal Irish Rifles when he was killed in action in the Middle East on 14th March 1918. He was 20 years old.
The battalion was relieved on 20th March 1918.
Rifleman Thomas Donnelly is buried in Ramleh War Cemetery in Rabat in Israel. His inscription reads simply R.I.P.
Rifleman Thomas Donnelly is commemorated locally on Dungannon War Memorial.
The CWGC record Rifleman Thomas Donnelly as the son of John and Mary Jane Donnelly of Gortnashra, Coalisland, County Tyrone.
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Relevant Dungannon Area Locations
No Location Region Location Notes Longtitude Latitude
1 Annagher, Meenagh Coalisland Census listing in Annagher, Meenagh 54.543791 -6.686311
2 Clonoe, Coalisland Coalisland Born in Clonoe, Coalisland 54.533434 -6.672506
3 Coalisland Town Coalisland Census listing in Coalisland Town 54.539111 -6.699286
GRONI References
TYPE - B:Birth M:Marriage D:Death | GRONI | SIBLING: brother or sister | NOTES: spelling inconsistencies, etc.
Date Type Surname First name Relationship GRONI Ref Notes
09/01/1897 M McGrath Mary Parent M/1897/T1/2564/7/172
09/01/1897 M Donnelly John Parent M/1897/T1/2564/7/172
15/11/1897 B Donnelly Thomas Casualty U/1897/110/1012/19/500
02/01/1900 B Donnelly Elizabeth Sibling U/1900/110/1012/20/427
15/07/1903 B Donnelly Sarah Sibling U/1903/110/1012/22/25
07/12/1903 D Donnelly Sarah Sibling D/1903/110/1012/15/494 died age 0
09/06/1905 D Donnelly Elizabeth Sibling D/1905/110/1012/16/227 died age 6
References and Links
No Link Reference Map Doc
1 1901 Census lists Donnelly family Lists Thomas as age 4 at house 37 in Annagher, Meenagh, Tyrone
2 1911 Census lists Donnelly family Lists Thomas as age 13 at house 75 in Coalisland Town, Tullyniskane, Tyrone
3 BillionGraves.com Photo of Private Thomas Donnelly's gravestone
4 National Archives UK Medal Card can be purchased here
5 Royal Irish Rifles - Hill 30 Action at Tell 'Asur, Judean Hills, Palestine in March, 1918
6 War Graves Photographic Project Photo of Private Thomas Donnelly's gravestone can be purchased here
Dungannon District's War Dead Acknowledgements 2015-2023