Herbert grew up in Elm Cottage on what was Halsall Road, and is now Southport Road, on the boundary of Maghull and Lydiate, the son of James and Mary. He enlisted in Maghull and joined the 8th Battallion, York and Lancashire Regiment, serving in France and Belgium. Private Finch was killed in action during the Third Battle of Ypres, Passchendaele, in 1917. His name is on the Memorial to the Missing at Tyne Cot Cemetery. However, he does not feature on either Maghull nor Lydiate war memorials, so his name is not read out on Remembrance Day. At least one tour guide points out his name on the memorial wall, ensuring that Herbert is not forgotten.