FLYER

FLYER 
by Andrew White


With the football and tennis currently on our TV screens, it's easy to forget that 2024 is also an Olympic year. A perfect moment then, to review another remarkable story written by retired Wing Commander Andrew White.

I can imagine that Donald Finlay would of been one of those annoying kids at school who seemingly was good at every sport. Football, rugby & cricket were all played to a high standard, but it was his ability as an athlete that makes his story stand out.

Joining the RAF at 16, this future hurdler would enter as an engine fitter before volunteering for flying training, to broaden his knowledge. Once again he impressed & proved himself to be an excellent pilot, soon becoming both a fully trained fighter & display pilot.
All this coincided with his growing reputation on the amateur athletics circuit. His times & results in the 110m hurdles would see him qualify for both the 1932 & the controversial 1936 Berlin Olympics. 
Don would win a medal at both of those games & already had one eye on a third medal at the 1940 Tokyo Olympics. But as we know, world events would change these plans considerably. 
When war broke out in 1939 Don Finlay was now a Flight Lieutenant controlling drones from the ground as target practice for anti-aircraft guns. The following summer & six weeks into the Battle of Britain, Don would find himself in the cockpit of a Spitfire.

Here I will now reign myself in from revealing too much about his war escapades. 
As he rose through the ranks & became a commanding officer,  his reputation for a strict approach to regulations & his frustration that others couldn't do what he did, would lead to him often becoming unpopular with those serving under him.

After the war & now aged forty, Don would incredibly run again at the 1948 London Olympics, where he also captained the British team. 
Here the story takes a very sad & tragic turn. This again I will leave for fellow readers to learn, just as I did.

This is another high quality book published by Fighting High. 
It is the story of a tremendous athlete who became a household name, a triple Olympian & a fighter pilot. Now thanks to Andrew's fascinating book, the name of Don Finlay will hopefully & deservedly, become much better well known. 

The hardback version of the book is available now. 
My thanks to Casemate UK for this review copy.  







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