Edward Finch was the fifth son of
Heneage Finch, 3rd Earl of Aylesford and entered
Westminster School in 1768 and
Trinity College, Cambridge in 1773. He was awarded a B.A. in 1777. He joined the British Army as a cornet in the
11th Dragoons in 1778, soon transferring to the
20th Light Dragoons, and the following year was promoted lieutenant into the
87th Regiment of Foot. He served in the West Indies and North America before being promoted a captain in the
Coldstream Guards in 1783. In May 1789 he was elected MP for
Cambridge, a seat he held continuously until 1819. In 1792 he was promoted captain and lieutenant-colonel and went with the Guards Brigade as part of the 1793
Flanders Campaign under General Lake. He was present at the actions of
Caesar's Camp,
Famars, and
Lincelles, and at the battles of
Hondschoote, Lannoy,
Turcoing, and
Tournay, remaining with his corps throughout the campaign. He was promoted colonel in 1796. transferred in 1809 to the
22nd Foot, and on 12 August 1819 was promoted full general. He died unmarried in 1843. ==References==