After the outbreak of the First World War Findlay was promoted to brigadier general and appointed Commander, Royal Artillery of the 1st Infantry Division.

"[9]Shortly after this commendation was published in the London Gazette on 8 February 1901 Findlay was appointed a staff officer (on 5 March),[11] serving as a brigade major with a Royal Artillery unit.

[12] Findlay was promoted to brevet lieutenant colonel on 29 November 1900 and served as brigade major of the artillery of the I Army Corps until 15 April 1904.

[13][14] He was succeeded in that post by John Du Cane, who would later serve as a Royal Field Artillery general in the First World War, and afterwards became Master-General of the Ordnance.

[14] Findlay was promoted to lieutenant-colonel on 1 September 1904, and was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath (military division) in the 1905 Birthday Honours on 30 June 1905.

[18] Findlay served as assistant adjutant-general at the War Office until 14 July 1910 when he was appointed to command the artillery of the 1st Infantry Division at Aldershot.

[21][5] German siege howitzers opened fire on Findlay's artillery and the road adjacent to his position, though few deaths were caused as the shrapnel shells exploded too high at 300 to 400 feet (91 to 122 m).

[3] The German fire may have been directed at a unit of British infantry which was passing along the road adjacent to Findlay's position at the time.

[10] Findlay, the first British general to be killed in the war and described as one of the army's best artillery officers, was buried at the churchyard in Courchamps under a bronze cross.