Garfield Finlay

Lieutenant Garfield Finlay (7 September 1893 – ?) was an Australian flying ace during World War I. He served with distinction in the Gallipoli Campaign as a noncommissioned officer in the Light Horse. After transferring to the Royal Flying Corps, he was an aerial observer credited with eight aerial victories before training as a pilot. As part of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force under Edmund Allenby, he was also instrumental in the use of air power to inflict a costly defeat on Ottoman Empire forces in September 1918.

After a civilian career in the advertising industry between the wars, he returned to his country's service during the Second World War, rising to the rank of Wing Commander in the Royal Australian Air Force.

Early life

Garfield Finlay was born in Glebe, Australia. His mother was Mrs. Elizabeth Finlay.^[1] Before World War I, he lived in West Perth, Western Australia and worked as a wool-classer.^[2] He had served two years in the Mounted Police before enlisting into the First Australian Imperial Force on 22 January 1915. However, at the time of enlistment, he was working as a labourer.^[3]

World War I

On 13 June 1915, Finlay was a corporal in the 12th Light Horse Regiment when he embarked on HMAT Suevic when he departed Sydney.^[4] He was promoted to sergeant in October.^[5] He served with distinction in the Gallipoli, rising to Staff Sergeant Major. When it was in its end stages, he was attached to the 7th Light Horse Regiment, and was Mentioned in Despatches twice–on 19 December 1915,^[6] as well as on 5 January 1916^[7]–for his actions as one of the last 25 men evacuated from the peninsula.^[8] He was returned to the 12th Light Horse on 21 February 1916.^[9]

Finlay then served and served in a machine gun section of the Imperial Camel Corps.^[10] He was commissioned in March 1917.^[11] His visit to a friend in the Royal Flying Corps sparked Finlay's transfer to aviation.^[12] in July 1917. He remained in the Middle East, being assigned to No. 1 Squadron AFC. On 29 November 1917, he scored his first aerial victory while flying as an aerial observer in a Royal Aircraft Factory RE.8.^[13]

On 1 February 1918, The Sydney Morning Herald reported Lieutenant Garfield Finlay as being wounded in action but remaining on duty; no date was given for the wounding.^[14] Finlay scored his second confirmed victory on 29 March 1918, and would run his victory tally to eight confirmed and eight more unconfirmed by 22 August 1918.^[15]

In late September 1918, Finlay, his pilot Alan Brown, and another air crew discovered that several miles of the road leading out of Balata was crowded with Ottoman transport and troops retreating from Edmund Allenby's army. The two air crews bombed the front and rear of the column, immobilizing it. A radio message back to their airfield brought on followup air strikes. One Allied bomber squadron flew six bombing sorties. Forty-four thousand rounds of machine gun ammunition were expended during the raids. Constrained by cliffs on one side of the ancient Roman highway and trackless hills on the other, the Turks suffered heavy casualties. Friendly ground forces sweeping the area later found about 800 horse-drawn wagons abandoned along the road, along with 90 artillery pieces, 50 lorries, and half a dozen automobiles, along with assorted water carts and field kitchens.^[16] This notable action was mentioned in Finlay's award citation for the Distinguished Flying Cross, for which he was recommended on 2 October 1918.^[17] Finlay began pilot training in October 1918.^[18]

List of aerial victories

See also Aerial victory standards of World War I

Confirmed victories are numbered and listed chronologically. Unconfirmed victories are denoted by "u/c".

Post World War I

Garfield Finlay's Distinguished Flying Cross would not be gazetted until 8 February 1919, in conjunction with Alan Brown:

"On 22nd August (1918) Captain Brown, with Lieutenant Finlay as his observer, attacked an enemy two-seater, forcing it to land in our lines. On four other occasions these officers have engaged and destroyed enemy aircraft, displaying marked gallantry and skill. In addition, they have rendered most valuable service in attacking enemy cavalry, antiaircraft guns and other ground targets, inflicting heavy loss.^[20]

Another belated honour was his third Mention in Despatches for his services in the Egyptian Expeditionary Force, which would not come until 12 January 1920.^[21]

Once released to civilian life, Finlay spent ten years in the United States, working in advertising.^[22] He returned to military service at the beginning of the Second World War; a 24 February 1940 news article said he was an adjutant at the training depot at Laverton, ranked as a Flying Officer.^[23] He would rise to the rank of Wing Commander in the Royal Australian Air Force by war's end.^[24]

Garfield Finlay faded into obscurity following the Second World War, although on 21 April 1949 he dissolved a partnership in a popcorn company.^[25] His eventual fate is unknown.

Reference

• Above the War Fronts: The British Two-seater Bomber Pilot and Observer Aces, the British Two-seater Fighter Observer Aces, and the Belgian, Italian, Austro-Hungarian and Russian Fighter Aces, 1914-1918: Volume 4 of Fighting Airmen of WWI Series: Volume 4 of Air Aces of WWI. Norman Franks, Russell Guest, Gregory Alegi. Grub Street, 1997. ISBN 1898697566, 9781898697565.

Endnotes