David Finlay

For the wrestler, see Dave Finlay.

David Finlay
Born	20 January 1893 Guardbridge, Fife
Died	21 January 1916 (aged 23) Iraq
Buried at	Remembered on the Basra Memorial
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Years of service	- 1916 †
Rank	Sergeant
Unit	Black Watch
Battles/wars	World War I
Awards	Victoria Cross

David Finlay VC (20 January 1893 - 21 January 1916) was a Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Details

Son of George Finlay and Susan Small. He was 22 years old, and a lance-corporal in the 2nd Battalion, The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders), British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 9 May 1915 near Rue du Bois, France, Lance-Corporal Finlay led a bombing party of 12 men in the attack until 10 of them had fallen. He then ordered the two survivors to crawl back and he himself went to the assistance of a wounded man and carried him over a distance of 100 yards of fire-swept ground into cover, quite regardless of his own safety.

He was killed in action in Mesopotamia on 21 January 1916 and is remembered on the Basra Memorial.^[1]

Further information

He later achieved the rank of sergeant. Finlay is commemorated on the war memorial in Moonzie Kirkyard Fife.

The medal

His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Black Watch Museum, Balhousie Castle, Perth, Scotland.

References

1. ^ CWGC entry

• Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
• The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
• Scotland's Forgotten Valour (Graham Ross, 1995)
• VCs of the First World War - The Western Front 1915 (Peter F. Batchelor & Christopher Matson, 1999)

External links

• David Finlay at Commonwealth War Graves Commission
• David Finlay at Find a Grave

Persondata
Name	Finlay, David
Alternative names
Short description	British World War I hero
Date of birth	20 January 1893
Place of birth	Guardbridge, Fife
Date of death	21 January 1916
Place of death	Iraq