FINNIE, Alexander
| Service Number: | 20 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 21 August 1914, Sydney, New South Wales |
| Last Rank: | Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | No. 4 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps |
| Born: | Botany,New South Wales, Australia, 1893 |
| Home Town: | Botany, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Banksmeadow Public School,New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Sheetmetal worker |
| Died: | Mid-Air Collision, France, 22 May 1918 |
| Cemetery: |
Pont-du-Hem Military Cemetery, la Gorgue II. F. 19 |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| 21 Aug 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Sapper, 20, Sydney, New South Wales | |
|---|---|---|
| 18 Oct 1914: | Involvement AIF WW1, Sapper, 20, 1st Field Company Engineers, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '5' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Afric embarkation_ship_number: A19 public_note: '' | |
| 18 Oct 1914: | Embarked AIF WW1, Sapper, 20, 1st Field Company Engineers, HMAT Afric, Sydney | |
| 25 Apr 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Sapper, 20, 1st Field Company Engineers, ANZAC / Gallipoli | |
| 22 May 1918: | Involvement Lieutenant, No. 4 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 20 awm_unit: No. 4 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps awm_rank: Lieutenant awm_died_date: 1918-05-22 |
Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board
Alexander FINNIE, (Service Number 20) born in 1893 in Botany, joined the Tramways as a tinsmith’s apprentice at the Randwick workshops in 1908. On completion of his apprenticeship in June 1914 he was dismissed, as was the custom at the time, but re-employed the following week as a tradesman. In August 1914 he was granted leave to enlist in the AIF in Sydney and allotted to the Engineers.
In April 1917 he transferred to the Australian Flying Corps, qualified as a pilot in England, was made a temporary 2nd Lieutenant (pilot) in November, then a Lieutenant in February 1918. In April he was sent to France, and on 22 May was reported ‘missing in action’. The Official History of Australia in the War, Vol.VIII, later recorded that on that day he and another pilot, ‘two accomplished airmen, dived at one balloon together, collided in the air, and both crashed and were killed.’
He was buried by the Germans in Trou Bayard German Cemetery, 600 metres N of Estaires. In 1921 that Cemetery was concentrated into Pont du Hem Military Cemetery, Lagorgue, and he was reburied in the latter Cemetery.
Submitted 4 July 2023 by John Oakes
Biography contributed by John Edwards
"Second Lieutenant (later Lieutenant) Alexander Finnie, 4th Squadron, Australian Flying Corps (AFC), of Botany NSW. A sheet metal worker before enlisting on 21 August 1914, he embarked from Sydney as a Sapper with the 1 Field Company Engineers on HMAT Afric on 18 October 1914. He was evacuated from Gallipoli with gas poisoning on 18 August 1915. He was promoted to Lance Corporal on 22 January 1916, to Second Corporal on 9 March 1916, and to Temporary Corporal on 23 July 1916, this rank becoming permanent on 9 August 1916. On 30 April 1917 he transferred to the AFC, and having graduated as a pilot was promoted to Second Lieutenant on 6 November 1917, then to Lieutenant on 6 February 1918. He was killed in action near Estaires on 22 May 1918, when his plane collided with another 4th Squadron plane while shooting down balloons behind the German lines. He was 25 years old." - SOURCE (www.awm.gov.au)
The plane Lieutenant Alexander Finnie collided with was another 4th Squadron Sopwith Camel belonging to Lieutenant George Nowland (/explore/people/75403). Both planes spiralled downward to ground where they crashed, killing both pilots.
Biography contributed by John Oakes
Alexander FINNIE (Service Number 20) was born in 1893 in Botany. He joined the Tramways as a tinsmith’s apprentice at the Randwick Workshops in 1908. On completion of his apprenticeship in June 1914 he was dismissed, as was the custom at the time. However, he was re-employed the following week as a tradesman. In August 1914 he was granted leave to enlist in the AIF in Sydney and allotted to the Engineers.
He embarked from Sydney in October 1914. He was in Egypt in March 1915 and ‘wounded in action’ at Gallipoli in August 1915. He was evacuated to Egypt and hospitalised with ‘gas poisoning’. He returned to duty in November. He re-joined his unit in France in July 1916. He was promoted to Corporal. In April 1917 he transferred to the Australian Flying Corps. He qualified as a pilot in England. He was made a temporary 2nd Lieutenant (pilot) in November, then a Lieutenant in February 1918. In April he was sent to France. On 22nd May he was reported ‘missing in action’. The Official History of Australia in the War, Vol.VIII, later recorded that on that day he and another pilot, who were ‘two accomplished airmen, dived at one balloon together. [They] collided in the air, and both crashed and were killed.’
He was buried by the Germans in Trou Bayard German Cemetery, 600 metres N of Estaires. In 1921 that Cemetery was concentrated into Pont du Hem Military Cemetery, Lagorgue, and he was reburied in the latter Cemetery.
- based on notes for the Great Sydney Central Honour Board
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