A Spitfire has recently joined the existing Hurricane as a gate guardian for RAF High Wycombe. Of special note is the fact that the Spitfire has been restored to the colour scheme of Gp Capt Donald Finlay: a distinguished wartime fighter pilot, Olympic medallist, and ex-Halton Trainee!

Donald Finlay was born 27 May 1909 and died 18 April 1970.  During his time he ran for Great Britain in three Olympics both pre- and post-World War II.  He first competed in the 1932 Summer Olympics held in Los Angeles, United States in the 110 metre hurdles where he won the bronze medal.  Four years later he returned to the 1936 Summer Olympics held in Berlin, as British Team Captain, where he improved to win the silver medal.  In the 1948 Summer Olympics in London he was chosen to take the Olympic Oath, though he failed to win any medals in these games.

He joined the RAF as an aircraft apprentice in 1925 and became an Officer in 1935.  During World War II he initially flew Spitfires with No. 54 Squadron during the Battle of Britain before being wounded and later commanding No. 41 Squadron.  He was promoted to the rank of Wing Commander in August 1941, becoming 11 Group Engineering Officer.  He received the DFC in June 1942.  His victory tally flying fighters was 4 and 2 shared destroyed, 3 and 1 shared damaged.  He then commanded 608 Squadron, flying Lockheed Hudsons in the Middle East in 1943.  In 1945 he commanded 906 Wing in Burma, being awarded an AFC.  He became a Group captain in 1950.

He was stationed for much of his time at RAF Acklington, whose chapel contains a recently dedicated stained glass window to honour him.  As a Group Captain he was posted to No1 School of Technical Training, RAF Halton, as Senior Technical Training Officer.  He regularly took part in the station sports meeting and even at the age of 43 won every event he entered!  He was also the first ever Gp Capt to win an RAF Athletics title, the second being Gp Capt Gammage, current Chairman of the Association, in the Pole Vault in 2008.

Olympic Record:-

London 1948

• 110mH

Berlin 1936

• 4 x 100m Relay & 110mH (Silver)

Los Angeles 1932

• 4 x 100m Relay & 100mH (Bronze)

Peter Hildreth, an Author, Reporter and International Athlete, who equalled Donald Finlay's British record of 14.3 no less than seven times, gave a speech at a memorial for the great athlete.

'Donald Finlay was in my event and it was his record I equalled so many times. To me he was the greatest British high hurdler. Colin Jackson is only the fastest. Donald Finlay's career reached it's peek in 1938 when he won the European in Paris in 14.3. He then served in the War for six years. He was a fighter pilot in the Battle of Britain, shooting down four enemy aircraft and was awarded various medals. He then came back after the war and at the age of 40 in 1949 ran 14.4 (Still a British Veterans record in 2006), only a tenth slower than when he was a young man and he had had hard war service that is quite extraordinary. Gordon he was a maverick. I said at his funeral he was a great and lovable eccentric, a likable chap. He was as near to being professional and he wanted to be a professional athlete in the amateur days and eventually he could not earn a living as he was devoting too much time to athletics and his health suffered.'