Is his grave known only unto God? – by Robert Findlay

Donald Finch died on 12th October 1917 Bellevue Spur, Passchendaele, Belgium, aged 33.

He was one of eleven children of George and Jessie Finch of Tokomairiro, Otago. Of the five sons, two others are known to have served their country: William John “Jack” Finch (to the left), served in the 2nd Anglo Boer War in the 9th Contingent; and David “Davey” Thomas Alexander Finch, # 39202 Another son, James “Big Jim” McGrouther Finch, possibly served with the Australians. His name is on the Kaitangata Roll of Honour. says she only saw him in tears once and that was when he was farewelling his Nephews and some mates after their final leave ready for embarkation in WW2.

At the time of writing this brief intro re Norm (January 2017), Kathleen and I reside in Fiji as we have done for the past 48 years, we intend to be in New Zealand to attend the Passchendaele Commemoration 100th anniversary events in memory of her father, as well as his many comrades who still lie in Flanders Fields, Belgium.

At the age of 28, Donald married Frances McKinlay, aged 22, at Stirling on 11th September 1912. Sadly, he was widowed just 10 months later on July 24th, 1913 when his wife died during childbirth. On the headstone of his wife Frances’ grave at Faifax Cemetery in Tokoito, it reads “In loving memory of Donald Finch killed in action in France” – which of course should read Belgium. This was a common error at the time throughout New Zealand!

Donald enlisted three years later, his service record shows:

10th June 1916 – Enlisted at Kiatangata.

27 July 1916 – Attested at Trentham Military Camp.

15 Nov 1916 – Embarked on Maunganui from Wellington#

2 Jan 1917 – Marched into Sling camp. England

1 Mar 1917 – 2nd Otago Co. proceeded to France & Etaples Camp France 3 Mar. 1917.

21 May 1917 – Joined Otago 1st Battalion, posted to 10th Co. in the field. #1 of the 1036 men of the 19th Reinforcements, Otago Regiment 1st Battalion N.Z. Expeditionary Force, D Company.

12 Oct 1917 – Killed in action in vicinity of Bellevue Spur, Passchendaele.

12th October 1917 – SO WHAT HAPPENED?

Preparations for the Dawn attack could not be completed in time because of the mud and atrocious conditions. As a result, the creeping barrage was weak and ragged. Some of the shells dropped short, causing casualties among the New Zealanders waiting to advance. To make matters worse, the earlier artillery bombardment had failed to breach the obstacle presented by the German barbed wire. Another key target, the Germans’ concrete pillboxes with their deadly machine-guns, were also left largely undamaged.

Although Donald Finch was killed and listed as Missing in Action and has ‘no known grave’ he is in fact buried on Bellevue Spur. This was revealed when scrutinising the service record form NZE no 2 below