page_title: James Fynn
section_title: Military service
hierarchical_section_title: James Fynn / Military service
caption_attribution_description: English: Photograph of James Finn (Fynn) VC
context_page_description: James Henry Finn VC was a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He was also awarded the Order of Karageorge which is Serbia's equivalent to the Victoria Cross.
context_section_description: On the outbreak of war, he immediately enlisted with the local regiment, the South Wales Borderers and was duly posted to their 4th (Service) Battalion. On enlistment, his surname was incorrectly recorded as "Fynn".
  On 15 July 1915, the battalion landed at Gallipoli.  James was wounded in the knee and chest, and invalided back to Britain.  After the withdrawal from Gallipoli, the battalion had moved to Mesopotamia, and Finn rejoined them there.  He acted as orderly to the commanding officer, Lt. Col. C. E. Kitchen.
  It was on 9 April 1916 at Sanna-i-Yat, Mesopotamia (now Iraq), that 22-year-old Private Fynn earned the Victoria Cross for his bravery.
  For most conspicuous bravery. After a night attack he was one of a small party which dug-in in front of our advanced line and about 300 yards from the enemy's trenches. Seeing several wounded men lying out in front he went out and bandaged them all under heavy fire, making several journeys in order to do so. He then went back to our advanced trench for a stretcher and, being unable to get one, he himself carried on his back a badly wounded man into safety. He then returned and, aided by another man who was wounded during the act, carried in another badly wounded man. He was under continuous fire while performing this gallant work.
  — The London Gazette, 26 September 1916.
  Finn was decorated with the ribbon of the VC by Lt Gen Sir Stanley Maude at Amara on 5 November 1916.  On 29 March 1917 he was wounded in the leg in an engagement at Marl Plain, 50 miles north of Baghdad.  He was taken by stretcher to the field ambulance the next day, but on the way he was struck in the side by another bullet, which proved fatal.
  The VC was presented to his father at a public investiture in Hyde Park on 2 June 1917 by King George V.
  Finn was also mentioned in dispatches (London Gazette, 19 October 1916).  He was awarded the Serbian Cross of the Karageorge (1st Class) with swords (London Gazette, 15 February 1917).
caption: Photograph of James Finn (Fynn) VC
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