3652380 Private Joseph Patrick Finlay
We do not currently have a photograph of Private Finlay and only limited information upon which his story is based. There are also discrepancies identified, preventing any form of triangulation of data. If anyone has any information to enhance the accuracy and detail of this story please contact us
There is a lack of clarity about the spelling of the surname of Private 36523801. The T & E Book 11, page 65 records
his surname as FINLAY, which is different to the spelling used elsewhere, as identified below.
At the age of 23, 3652380 Private Joseph Patrick Finley was on parachute course No. 44 at Ramat David in
Palestine from May 26 to June 08, 1943.
There is no evidence to be found that he was deployed operationally in Arnhem or that he came to Nijmegen with the
seaborne tail after the Battle of Arnhem.
Since he was awarded the France and Germany Star, he participated in operations in Northwest Europe.
He is believed to have transferred to the Durham Light Infantry (DLI) on November 19, 1944. Thus it is unclear
whether his participation in operations in Northwest Europe was in September 1944 or with the DLI in 1945.
Finley appeared on casualty list 1708 as wounded on March 17, 1945, in the DLI. There is then a correction
on casualty list 1778/30, dated June 9th 1945, correcting his battalion to 1st East Lancashire Regiment,
who were part of the 53rd Welsh Division.
Thus we are assuming he stayed with 1st East Lancs until the end of the war as that is what appears on his medal card.
His medal card is dated 19th November 1953 and gives his address as 1, Albany Road. Kirkby, nr
Liverpool, suggesting he settled in the Liverpool area after the war.
1Initially identified by Graham Francis and confirmed during this research, his surname on the application card for the issue of campaign stars is spelled 'FINLEY' and not 'FINLAY'. This spelling of 'FINLEY' is also used on the UK, WWII, Daily Reports: Missing, Dead, Wounded and POWs, 1939-1947 referred to in this story. However, available genealogical data is inconclusive, with both spellings appearing interchangeable.