Neil Douglas Findlay

Brigadier-General Neil Douglas Findlay (7 May 1859 – 10 September 1914) was a British Army general. A Royal Artillery officer, Findlay served in action on the Hazara Expedition of 1888 and in the Second Boer War. He was commended by General Redvers Buller for his actions during the latter and subsequently became a staff officer. After the outbreak of the First World War Findlay was promoted to brigadier general and appointed Commander, Royal Artillery of the 1st Infantry Division. Whilst serving in this capacity during the First Battle of the Aisne Findlay was hit by shrapnel from a German shell and killed. He was the first British general to be killed in the war.

Early career Findlay was born on 7 May 1859 in Lanarkshire, Scotland, the son of Thomas Dunlop Findlay of Easter Hill. Findlay was promoted to captain on 23 July 1887 and served in the Hazara Expedition of 1888 in British India where he was mentioned in despatches. He served in the Second Boer War, seeing action in Natal and Transvaal and taking part in the Relief of Ladysmith. serving as a brigade major with a Royal Artillery unit.

Staff officer Findlay was promoted to brevet lieutenant colonel on 29 November 1900 and served as brigade major of the artillery of the I Army Corps until 15 April 1904. He was succeeded in that post by John Du Cane, who would later serve as a Royal Field Artillery general in the First World War, and afterwards became Master-General of the Ordnance.

Findlay was promoted to brevet colonel on 15 October 1905 and to colonel on 2 March 1908. His replacement following the latter appointment was Alexander Hamilton-Gordon, who later commanded a corps in the First World War.

Findlay served as assistant adjutant general at the War Office until 14 July 1910 when he was appointed to command the artillery of the 1st Division, then stationed at Aldershot, taking over from Colonel Benjamin Burton. He was granted the rank of brigadier general, although this was only a temporary rank and only lasted whilst he held this appointment.

First World War Findlay was promoted to brigadier general on 25 August 1914, shortly after the outbreak of the First World War on 28 July 1914. He served with the 1st Division in France as Commander, Royal Artillery and fought with them at the First Battle of the Aisne.

German forces held the high ground on the east of the Aisne valley and a Franco-British offensive was planned to dislodge them. A French Zouave unit simultaneously crossed at Villesur Aigue to threaten the German right flank. His body was exhumed and moved to Vailly British Cemetery on 15 June 1938. There is a plaque in his memory at Kenmuir Mount Vernon Church in Kenmuir near Mount Vernon, Glasgow. Findlay was married to Alma Lloyd and had two daughters.