David Finlay was born on 29 January 1893 to parents George and Susan Finlay in Guardbridge, Leuchars, Fife, Scotland. George was a shepherd employed by George Dun at Woodmill, Falkland, Fife, while Susan was a paper mill worker.

David was the eldest of ten siblings.

Due to his father’s work, the Finlays moved often and so David was educated at a variety of schools, including Forgan, Gauldry and Balmullo. David left education at 14 and found employment as a ploughman.

On 5 February 1910, the 18-year-old David enlisted in the Black Watch. He served for two years in the UK with the Scottish regiment before he joined the 2nd Battalion in India.

He was still in India when the First World War broke out in Europe in August 1918. The 2nd Battalion departed from Karachi for the Western Front, arriving in Marseilles on 12 October 1914.

On 5 February 1910, the 18-year-old David enlisted in the Black Watch. He served for two years in the UK with the Scottish regiment before he joined the 2nd Battalion in India.

He was still in India when the First World War broke out in Europe in August 1918. The 2nd Battalion departed from Karachi for the Western Front, arriving in Marseilles on 12 October 1914.

On May 9, 1915, David was serving as a Lance Corporal with the Black Watch near Rue du Bois in Northern France when he committed the actions that saw him awarded the Victoria Cross, the British Empire’s highest award for military valour.

The 22-year-old Lance Corporal led a 12-man bombing party in an attack until only he and two other soldiers remained unwounded.

David ordered the two survivors to crawl back to safety while he went forward and rescued a wounded man, carrying him over 100 yards back to friendly lines while under heavy fire.

The 29 June 1915 edition of the London Gazette gives the following details:

“For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty on 9th May, 1915, near Rue du Bois, when he led a bombing party of twelve men with the greatest gallantry in the attack until ten of them had fallen.

“Lance-Corporal Finlay 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 personal safety.”

David was promoted to Corporal shortly after his actions at Rue du Bois. He was promoted to Serjeant shortly after his Victoria Cross was gazetted. He received his medal from King George V in a ceremony at Windsor Castle in August 1915.

David married Christina Cunningham on 27 July 1915 at Crossgate, Cupar, Fife. The couple had no children.

By December 1915, David was back with his battalion, this time posted to Basra, Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq) to fight against the forces of the Ottoman Empire in the Middle East.

While in Mesopotamia, the 2nd Black Watch was involved in the fighting at Hanna during the attempted relief of Kut.

On 20 January 1916, Serjeant Finlay alongside his compatriot Sergeant Mitchell, found good positions around 300m from the Turkish lines at Hanna. They ordered their men to dig in.

The following day, following an intense artillery bombardment, the 2nd Black Watch launched a bayonet charge on Ottoman positions. 

David was killed during the attack. He was one of 163 casualties taken by the 2nd Black Watch on 21 January 1916.

David’s body was never recovered. He is commemorated alongside more than 40,000 Commonwealth casualties on the Basra Memorial, Iraq.

After the war, an imposter assumed the identity of David Finlay for over 44 years. The imposter rose to the rank of Colonel in the British Army and served in Germany and India for nearly two decades. He served in France until the Dunkirk Evacuation in May 1940 before travelling to Australia to set up a business.

It was only after obituary notices were posted in newspapers, and further research by the Victoria Cross & George Cross Association, that uncovered the deception. By the time the ruse was discovered, it was too late to take action against the fake David Finlay.