Service Details
- Branch of Service
- Army
- Conflict
- World War I (1914-1918)
- Date of Enlistment
- 25/07/1915
- Date of Discharge
- 09/07/1919
- Place of Enlistment
- Goulburn NSW
Personal Details
- Gender
- Male
- Place of Birth
- Aberdeen, Scotland
- Address (at enlistment)
- Brickworks, Canberra ACT
- Occupation
- Bricklayer
- Next of Kin
- Isabella Findlater (sister), 2nd Western General Hospital, Manchester, England
Unit and Rank Details
- Service Number
- 1895
- Final Rank
- Sapper
- Final Unit
- 1 Field Company Engineers AIF
Notes
Findlater was a bricklayer from Scotland and worked at the Federal brickworks in Canberra. He enlisted in Goulburn in July 1915 with Tom Morgan, who also worked at the brickworks. Findlater had four years experience with the Gordon Highlanders before migrating to Australia. He embarked in Sydney with the 1st Field Company Engineers in the same draft as Charlie Cruickshank and Dave Stewart, and served with them at Pozières in July 1916 where he was shot in the leg and evacuated to hospital in England. He was finally fit enough to rejoin his unit in December 1916 and during 1917 the Engineers served at the Second Battle of Bullecourt and the Battle of Menin Road. Findlater was (slightly) wounded a second time east of Villers-Bretonneux in August 1918 but returned to duty the same day. After returning to Australia he married in July 1922 and died at the Rosemount Hospital in Brisbane on 25 February 1932. He is buried in Lutwyche Cemetery in Brisbane.
Description - height 5 feet 8¼ inches, weight 140 pounds, chest 34 inches, dark complexion, blue eyes, brown hair, Church of Scotland (Presbyterian).
Sources
AWM Embarkation Roll
Queanbeyan Age - 6 August 1915, 15 October 1915
Queanbeyan Leader - 13 December 1915
NAA RecordSearch - Series B2455 (First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920)