David Finlay
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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.
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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, Persian Gulf, on 21 January 1916.
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He later achieved the rank of sergeant.
[edit] The medal
His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Black Watch Museum (Perth, Scotland).
[edit] References
- 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)
