Garfield Finlay

Edgar Garfield Finlay DFC was an Australian flying ace of the First World War. He served with distinction in the Gallipoli Campaign as a noncommissioned officer in the Light Horse. After transferring to the Australian Flying Corps, he was commissioned and served as an aerial observer. In this role he was credited with eight aerial victories before training as a pilot.

Garfield Finlay was born onSeptember 1893 in Glebe, New South Wales. His mother was Elizabeth Finlay. Prior to the First World War, he lived in West Perth, Western Australia and worked as a woolclasser. Before enlisting he had a successful swimming career. In 1911, he won the Australian breaststroke championship and the international Kings Cup of the Royal Life Saving Society in London. The King of Sweden invited him to Sweden where he won the Swedish championships, receiving two magnificent solid silver cups engraved with Primus Bland Simmagistrar 1911. He served two years in the Mounted Police before enlisting in the Australian Imperial Force onJanuary 1915. At the time of enlistment, he was working as a labourer.

Source: Wikipedia