At the invitation of Supreme Council member and Ruler of Fujairah His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, a press conference will be held at Le Méridien Aqah Hotel, Dhadnah, Fujairah on Wednesday 27th January 2010 to precede the unveiling later that day of a memorial stone to a British airman, Sergeant William Donnelly, who died at Sayh Dhadnah on 14th February 1943 as a result of the crash-landing of his Royal Air Force Wellington bomber. The discovery of the crash site and of the location of Sergeant Donnelly’s grave follows years of research both in the United Arab Emirates and in Britain, details of which will be given during the press conference.
The press conference will be attended by relatives of Sergeant Donnelly, his niece, June Botten, and his great-niece, Lesley Botten, who have been invited by His Highness Sheikh Hamad to travel from Britain to Fujairah to take part.
Others attending the press conference will be the Director of the Emiri Diwan (Court) of Fujairah, H.E. Mohammed Al Dhanhani, the British Ambassador to the U.AE, H.E. Edward Oakden, representatives of the Fujairah Tourism and Archaeology Authority, FTAA, and two UAE-based historians, Peter Hellyer and Brien Holmes, who have undertaken research into the 1943 crash.
The press conference will be followed by the unveiling of a memorial to Sergeant Donnelly at the crash site, which media representatives are also invited to attend. This will be done by his niece, Mrs. June Botten, in the presence of representatives of the Government of Fujairah and of the British Embassy.
