Regimental number | 93 |
Place of birth | Happy Valley, South Australia |
School | Public School, South Australia |
Religion | Methodist |
Occupation | Labourer |
Address | East Alawoona, South Australia |
Marital status | Single |
Age at embarkation | 20 |
Weight | 222 lbs |
Next of kin | Mother, Mrs Annie Finney, East Alawoona, South Australia |
Previous military service | Served in the Cadets, Glenelg, South Australia. |
Enlistment date | |
Place of enlistment | Keswick, South Australia |
Rank on enlistment | Private |
Unit name | 32nd Battalion, A Company |
AWM Embarkation Roll number | 23/49/1 |
Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Adelaide, South Australia, on board HMAT A2 Geelong on |
The 32nd Bn (Headquarters, Signallers, A, B, C, and D Companies) embarked from Adelaide, South Australia, on two ships, HMAT A2 'Geelong', on 18 November 1915, and HMAT A13 'Katuna', on 24 November 1915. The Embarkation Roll does not distinguish between these ships, and it is therefore not possible from the Embarkation Roll to ascertain on which ship an individual embarked. | |
Rank from Nominal Roll | Private |
Unit from Nominal Roll | 32nd Battalion |
Fate | Killed in Action |
Age at death from cemetery records | 20 |
Place of burial | Ration Farm Military Cemetery (Plot VI, Row J, Grave No. 40), La Chapelle d'Armentieres, France |
Panel number, Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial | 120 |
Miscellaneous information from cemetery records | Parents: Stephen and Annie Marie FINEY, Alawoona, South Australia |
Family/military connections | Brother: 2028 Pte Donald Lloyd FINEY, 32nd Bn, returned to Australia, 19 October 1917. |
Other details |
War service: Egypt, Western Front Disembarked Suez, ex-HMAT 'Geelong', 18 December 1915. Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 17 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 23 June 1916. Posted missing, 20 July 1916. Court of Enquiry, held in the field, 12 August 1917, pronounced fate as 'Killed in Action, 20 July 1916'. Statement, Red Cross File No 1060401, 193 Pte J.J. TILLEY, A Company, 32nd Bn (patient, 2nd Birmingham War Hospital, Hollymoor, England): 'Informant states that on July 19th 1916 at Fromelles near Fleurbaix in No Man's Land between our front trench and the German, Informant saw Finey lying wounded in the stomach. This was the last known of him by Informant who passed on to German trenches.' Second statement, 31 Pte T.A. ASHTON, 32nd Bn (patient, No 2 General Hospital (Quai), 7 December 1916: 'He was killed being shot through the heart on July 20th in our trenches. Dredge[,] 32nd Australians A Co. who is still with his unit told me this as he was alongside of him when he was killed. The body was recovered and buried at the back of our trenches.' Third statement, Corporal L.B. MACKIE, A Company, 32nd Bn, 7 February 1917: ' ... we were as brothers, he was about 5ft 10ins more or less in height, fair, weighed about 15 stone and rather a noble looking young fellow, we went over together almost, and half way over he was hit in the stomach or thereabouts just as he was getting up and he fel and rolled over and looked tome as ifdead, when I passed him, it was a hot moment for us all, this was on July 19th 1916[,] our fatal day. I could not say what became of him after, but I can and am sure he was quite dead, when last seen.' Fourth statement, 53 Lance Corporal M.M. BROWN, A Company, 32nd Bn, 7 February 1917: 'In the attack at Fromelles on the date mentioned I saw Finey killed within a few yards of our trench just as we had gone over the parapet. I knew him well.' Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal |
Sources | NAA: B2455, FINEY Cecil Lloyd
Red Cross file 1060401 |