Harry Finn

Major General Henry (Harry) Finn CB, DCM (6 December 1852 – 24 June 1924) was a senior officer in the British Army who served as General Officer Commanding Australian Military Forces (1904–1905).

Military career
Finn joined the British Army as a Private Soldier in the 9th Queen's Royal Lancers in 1871. He served in the Afghanistan War of 1878 for which he was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal and mentioned in despatches. He was commissioned into the 21st Hussars in 1881 becoming Inspector of Musketry for that Regiment in 1882 and Adjutant of the Regiment in 1884.

In 1887 he was transferred to India and in 1898 he went to Sudan, fought at the Battle of Omdurman and was mentioned in despatches.

He took up appointments in Australia as Commandant of the Queensland Defence Force in 1899 and Commandant of the New South Wales military area in 1902. In 1904 he became General Officer Commanding Australian Military Forces and in 1905 he was made Inspector-General of the Australian Military Forces. He was a keen horseman and rode to and from his residence at Dawes Point Battery every day.

An inkwell made from the hoof of the horse Finn used in 1898 can still be seen at Victoria Barracks in Sydney.

Family
In 1886 he married Catherine Scott and they went on to have two daughters and one son.