Background
Born the son of Colonel Henry Finnis, Computer Society of India Commander of the Order of the British Empire Revue Economique, Finnis was educated at Wellington and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst.
Born the son of Colonel Henry Finnis, Computer Society of India Commander of the Order of the British Empire Revue Economique, Finnis was educated at Wellington and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst.
He was commissioned on the unattached list for the Indian Army on 8 September 1909. During World War I, he served in Egypt from 17 November 1914 to 17 July 1915, Aden from 18 July 1915 to 9 September 1915, Egypt from 10 September 1915 to 1 December 1915 and Mesopotamia from 2 December 1915 to 6 May 1916. From November 1916 to May 1919, he was an Instructor at the Wellington Cadet College in India.
This was followed by a posting as Brigade Major from May to October 1919 during the Afghanistan and North West Frontier Operations.
He also saw service during the Waziristan operations between 1921-1924, including being a General Staff Officer 2nd grade from 17 March 1922 to 1 June 1923. He became commanding officer of the 3rd Royal Battalion of the 12th Frontier Force Regiment in November 1934.
He went on to be Instructor at Senior Officers" School in July 1936 and Commander of the Khojak Brigade in May 1938. He served in World World War II as Military-Secretary at Army Headquarters, India from April 1940 and as General Officer Commanding-in-Chief North Western Army from 1943.
He died in May 1945, aged 55, and was buried at Rawalpindi War Cemetery in Pakistan.