Catalogue description David Finlay Collection

Photographs, Poetry, Newspaper Cuttings, Ancestry

Catalogue prepared to International Standard of Archival Description (General), 2nd edition.

Finlay, David (1893-1916) VC

Open access, by appointment.

Reproduction or publication of records is subject to the written permission of The Black Watch Castle & Museum.

Catalogue available on request

David Finlay was born on the 29th of January 1893 in Guardbridge, Fife to parents George and Susan (nee Small) Finlay. He was one of ten siblings. His father was a shepherd who worked for George Dun at Woodmill, Falkland, Fife and his mother was a paper mill worker. Finlay attended Forgan, Gauldry and Balmullo Schools and possibly Glenfarg before he left education at the age of 14 and gained employment as a ploughman.
On the 5th of February 1910, Finlay enlisted in The Black Watch giving his age as 18.
He held the service number 1780, serving in Britain for two years and then travelling to India with the 2nd Battalion. The Battalion departed Karachi and arrived at Marseilles, France on the 12th of October 1914 in the early months of the war.
On the 9th of 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 went to the assistance of a wounded man and carried him over 100 yards of fire-swept ground into cover.
Finlay was promoted to Corporal less than a month after his actions at Rue du Bois, and on the 27th of June 1915, he was promoted to Sergeant.
Finlay married Christina Cunningham on the 27th of July 1915 at 34 Crossgate, Cupar, Fife by declaration. Three days later, he was presented with the Victoria Cross for his actions at Rue du Bois at Windsor Castle by King George V.
By the 31st of December, Finlay had returned to the 2nd Battalion and was posted to Basra, Mesopotamia where they were involved in the first attack on Hanna during the fighting to relieve Kut.
On the 20th of January 1916, Sergeant Finlay along with Sergeant Mitchell dug in about 300m from the Turkish line at Hanna. However, on the morning of the 21st, the Battalion launched a bayonet charge on the enemy after an artillery bombardment and Finlay was killed during this attack. He was one of 163 casualties suffered by the 2nd Battalion and his body was never recovered. He is commemorated on the Basra Memorial in Iraq.
In addition to the VC, he was awarded the 1914 Star with “Mons” clasp, the 1914 -1920 British War Medal and the 1914 -1919 Allied Victory Medal.