27/11/2023
FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH
Brothers Private Frederick Thornley Finucane 1845 and Private John Finucane 2282
Fred was born around 1900 in Ashton. His parents were Theodore and Emily, and he had an older brother John.
The family lived in Bardsley Oldham and on the 1901 Census their address was Bardsley Lodge. Theodore was a goods receiver, but before that he had served in the army, as had many of his family,
On the 1911 Census their address was the Brow off Oldham Rd and Fred was a Wheelwright.
It is said that Fred enlisted in Ashton, it states that he was 5ft 8ins. He served with B Coy 9th Bn Manchester Regiment (Ashton). His father gave him permission to enlist, despite him only being 14.
The 9th Bn was a Territorial unit, and on the 20th the unit went to Bury to start training. On the 9th September 1914 they left Bury for Southampton, the following day they boarded the Aragon to sail to Cairo. They landed on the 25th September and went to Citadel and Kasr-el-Nil barracks, Cairo. Fred wrote home telling them of him seeing the Pyramids at Giza and training during the night.
It was there that young Fred died of Dysentery on the 27th November 1914. He was only 15.
He was buried in the Cairo Memorial Cemetery B 123. Locally his name is on the Bardsley War Memorial and the Memorial of the local Church, Holy Trinity Church Bardsley.
His brother John also served in the 9th Bn Manchester Regiment and served in Gallipoli. He also caught dysentery and was sent to Netley Abbey Military hospital and died exactly a year after Fred (27th November 1915). He is buried in Gorton Cemetery P 200.
Their Uncle Arthur also enlisted in 1914, after previously serving for 21 years, winning the distinguished Conduct Medal. However at 41 he was not fit enough and was discharged. He died on the 9th May 1915.
The family placed the following verse on Fred's grave: FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH
