James Hannah Gordon, VC (7 March 1909 – 24 July 1986) was an Australian recipient of the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...

, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and

Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with "republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the ...

forces. Gordon was one of 20 Australians to receive the award for their actions during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, receiving it for deeds he performed while fighting against the

Vichy French Vichy France (french: Régime de Vichy; 10 July 1940 – 9 August 1944), officially the French State ('), was the fascist French state headed by Marshal Philippe Pétain during World War II. Officially independent, but with half of its terr ...

during the Syria-Lebanon campaign. He later served against the Japanese in the

New Guinea campaign The New Guinea campaign of the Pacific War lasted from January 1942 until the end of the war in August 1945. During the initial phase in early 1942, the Empire of Japan invaded the Australian-administered Mandated Territory of New Guinea (23 Jan ...

and after the war became a soldier in the Australian Regular Army, serving until 1968. He died in 1986, at the age of 77.

Early life

Gordon was born in

Rockingham, Western Australia Rockingham is a suburb of Perth, Western Australia Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indi ...

, one of eight children born to William Beattie Gordon, a farmer who served as a state parliamentarian between 1901 and 1911, and his wife Harriet Ann Scott. Growing up on farming properties near Moora and in Gingin, Western Australia, after completing his schooling, Gordon undertook various laboring jobs including droving, farming and working on the goldfields.Horner 2007, pp. 448–449.

Military career

On 26 April 1940, during the early stages of the Second World War, Gordon volunteered for overseas service, lying about his age to join the Australian Imperial Force; falsely giving his middle name as Heather. Shortly afterwards, he married Myrtle Troy at St Edmund's Church of England, Wembley Park, Perth, on 14 June 1940. After a period of training, Gordon was sent to the Middle East in September 1940. He was later assigned to the 2/31st Battalion, an infantry unit formed in Queensland and Victoria, which was part of the

7th Australian Division The 7th Division was an infantry division of the Australian Army. It was formed in February 1940 to serve in World War II, as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF). The division was raised on the British establishment of nine in ...

, in February 1941. In June–July 1941, the unit was engaged in the Syria-Lebanon campaign against the Vichy French. During the Battle of Jezzine, on 10 July 1941, Gordon's company was "...held up by intense machine-gun and grenade fire from

forces, but on his own initiative, he crept forward alone and succeeded in getting close to the machine-gun post. He then charged it and killed the four machine-gunners with his bayonet. His action demoralised the enemy in this sector and the company advanced and took the position." He was subsequently awarded the

for this action. On 12 July 1942, a plaque in his honour was unveiled in front of the Gingin Post Office; it was later moved to the town's war memorial. Later that year a portrait of Jim Gordon painted in 1941 by artist

William Dargie Captain (armed forces), Captain Sir William Alexander Dargie (4 June 1912 – 26 July 2003) was a renowned Australian painter, known especially for his portrait paintings. He won the Archibald Prize, Australia's premier award for portrait ...

won the 1942

Archibald Prize The Archibald Prize is an Australian portraiture art prize for painting, generally seen as the most prestigious portrait prize in Australia. It was first awarded in 1921 after the receipt of a bequest from J. F. Archibald, J. F. Archib ...

, Australia's most famous portrait prize. Gordon returned to Australia in March 1942 with the rank of corporal. Due to malaria he did not rejoin the 2/31st Battalion in Papua until November 1942. In July 1943, he was promoted to the rank of

sergeant Sergeant (abbreviated to Sgt. and capitalized when used as a named person's title) is a rank in many uniformed organizations, principally military and policing forces. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and other uni ...

. After seeing further action during the capture of Lae and the subsequent advance through the Markham and Ramu Valleys in New Guinea, he returned to Australia in January 1944. He was hospitalised due to malaria again, and was later reassigned to administrative duties. He remained in the Army until 17 February 1947. After discharge, Gordon briefly worked for the state electricity commission, before rejoining the army as a regular soldier on 2 December 1947, achieving the rank of

Warrant Officer Class II A warrant officer (WO) in the British Armed Forces is a member of the highest group of non-commissioned ranks, holding the King's (or Queen's) warrant, which is signed by the Secretary of State for Defence. Warrant officers are not saluted, bec ...

in 1950. He continued service until 1 August 1968 when he retired; after this, he was employed at

Campbell Barracks (Western Australia) Campbell Barracks is an Australian Army base located in Swanbourne, a coastal suburb of Perth, Western Australia. It is named after Lieutenant Colonel Campbell (1842–1924), former commandant of the Commonwealth Military Forces in Western Au ...

, Swanbourne, as a groundsman until 1975.

Later life

Gordon died on 19 July 1986 at the

Repatriation General Hospital, Hollywood Hollywood Private Hospital (Hollywood) is an acute care hospital located in Nedlands, Western Australia. Hollywood is Western Australia's largest private hospital, with more than 900 licensed beds. The hospital is part of Ramsay Health Care Gro ...

. After being cremated, he received full military honours. The Jim Gordon Ward at the former Repatriation General Hospital has been named in his honour. His wife, Myrtle, and one son survived him.

Notes

References

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External links

Private J.H. Gordon
in ''The Art of War'' exhibition at the

UK National Archives , type = Non-ministerial department , seal = , nativename = , logo = Logo_of_The_National_Archives_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg , logo_width = 150px , logo_caption = , formed = , preceding1 = , dissolved = , superseding = , juris ...

1942 Archibald Prize winner
William Dargie's 1941 portrait of Jim Gordon.

''Who's Who in Australia'', p 356, 1980 Edition, compiled and edited by W.J. Draper, Melbourne, Australia

File:Jim Gordon 022350.jpg, Dargie painting Gordon's portrait File:Jim Gordon 022351.jpg, Gordon and the completed picture File:Jim Gordon 015895.jpg, Right: Sgt Jim Gordon, VC of Gin Gin, WA. 1943-10-01. New Guinea. Lae {{DEFAULTSORT:Gordon, James Heather 1909 births 1986 deaths Australian Army soldiers Australian people of Scottish descent Australian World War II recipients of the Victoria Cross Military personnel from Perth, Western Australia Australian Army personnel of World War II