OBITUARY

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24986, 21 September 1946, Page 8

OBITUARY

COLONEL JOHN FINDLAY The death occurred at Ashburton yesterday of Colonel John Findlay, C. 8., D. 5.0., T.D., a well known farmer in the Ashburton County.' Colonel Findlay, served in the South African Waif and the Great War. ©nd had a distinguished military career. He left New Zealand with the 2nd Contingent for South Africa and remained there as a major with the 6th Contingent. At the outbreak of the Great War, he was placed in charge of the Canterbury Mounted Rifles, Main Body, with which he served throughout the war. On several occasions he was temporarily in charge of the New Zealand Mounted Brigade. He served with distinction at Gallipoli, where he was wounded during a charge on a Turkish machine-gun post, apd was awarded the Most Honourable Order of the Bath. He was awarded the D.S.O. after the Palestine campaign, and a further honour gained was the Order of Nile. He was mentioned in dispatches in the South African War and the Great War.

Colonel Findlay was born at Taieri, Otago, in 1869, and before going overseas farmed at Taieri and Lowcliffe (Ashburton County). On his return,

he took up farming again on a block of land which was part of the original Longbeach estate. Although he was mainlyinterested in light horses and was well known as a judge at the principal agricultural and pastoral association’s shows, Colonel Findlay was probably most noted as a farmer for his flocks of Southdown and Border Leicester sheep. As a breeder and exhibitor at shows in many parts of the country he gained a high reputation and was also prominent for his success in crossing the two breeds of sheep in which he specialised. He was also well known for his work as a member of the Ashburton Agricultural and Pastoral Association.

Colonel Findlay was president of the Ashburton Returned Services’ Association for some years and a prominent figure in the Mid-Canterbury Gallipoli Association. He was also a member of the Coqnty Club (Ashburton), Ashburton Racing and Trotting Clubs, and Mid-Canterbury Aero Club before it was merged with the Canterbury Aero Club. He is survived by two daughters, Mrs R. Rutherford (Hawarden) and Miss Molly Findlay (Eiffeltonj-i