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2nd Lieutenant Donald Jervis GORDON
C Company, 8th (Service) Battalion Border Regiment Date of birth: 23rd November 1891 Date of death: 3rd July 1916 Killed in action aged 24 Buried at Mesnil Communal Cemetery Plot III Row D Grave 21
Donald Jervis Gordon was born at Court Lodge, Sevenoaks in Kent on the 23rd of November 1891 the son of Thomas Gordon, an architect, and Kathleen Gertrude (nee Milford) Gordon of Linden Chase, Sevenoaks in Kent, later of Tregenna Mead, Eastbourne in Sussex. He was educated at Mr E.J. Johns School at Winton House, Andover Road at Winchester in Wiltshire and at Lancing College where he was in Olds House from September 1906 to July 1909. He was a member of the Football XI in 1908 and 1909 and represented his House at both cricket and running. He was a member of the Officer Training Corps. He had wanted to be an architect from an early age and in 1910 he went on to the Architectural Association School in Tufnell Street as a Prizeman (Scholar) and won the Architectural Association Travelling Studentship in 1911,1912 and 1913. He was articled to Mr. W Tapper of St John's Wood in 1911 and from 1912 he attended evening classes at the Royal Academy School of Architecture. Following the outbreak of war he applied for a commission at the Maidstone Depot of the Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) on the 24th of August 1914 in an application which was supported by Adam Fox MA, housemaster at Lancing and a Captain in the Officer Training Corps. He underwent a medical examination which concluded that he was fit for general service. Unable to wait for a commission he enlisted at 64 Victoria Street, Westminster as Private 1536 in the 18th (Service) Battalion Royal Fusiliers, University and Public School Corps on the 2nd of September 1914. He underwent a further medical examination at which it was recorded that he was six feet tall, weighed 146lbs and that he had a dark complexion, blue eyes and dark brown hair. He was posted for training to Epsom. On the 2nd of October he wrote to the War Office asking to be struck off the list for prospective commissions as he had already enlisted as a Private soldier. He also asked to be informed if an opportunity for a commission became available in the future. He was discharged from the Royal Fusiliers on the 24th of December 1914 and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Border Regiment on the 4th of January 1915. After training on Salisbury Plain and at Aldershot he went to France with his Battalion on the 26th of September 1915 where they spent nine months in the routine of trench warfare before moving to Albert shortly before the beginning of the Somme offensive. On the 1st of July 1916, the opening day of the Battle of the Somme, the 8th Battalion Border Regiment was under orders to move at short notice to exploit any breakthrough which may occur as a result of the advance. In the event there was no breakthrough and they were not required. Twenty four hours later they marched to Martinsart Wood from where they moved into the front line trenches south of Thiepval in preparation for an attack. They were to attack the Thiepval Ridge which had not fallen on the 1st of July. At 6am on the 3rd of July, they advanced in four waves with A and D Companies attacking from the front line with B and C Companies attacking from the support trenches in a line of 150 to 200 yards. As the leading waves went forward the two supporting companies replaced them in the front trenches and waited to be called if needed. In a very short time message came back calling for support and for more bombs. The Borders took heavy casualties as they advanced and although they gained the German front line, the battalions either side of them were less successful and the pressure on their flanks from enfilade machine gun fire took a heavy toll. The length of trench captured was about 180 yards long but there was little cover due to the heavy bombardment by British guns over the previous week. By the evening with bombs running short the right of the Brigade front gave way and the order to retire was passed down the line. The Divisional history records:- “Being badly enfiladed by machine guns and heavy shell fire from Thiepval and beyond, they (the Battalion) were forced to retire to their original line. The failure of the operation can be largely attributed to the lack of time for reconnaissance, previous preparation, and the lack of co-ordination between artillery and infantry plans.” Casualties for the attack were four officers killed and ten who were wounded along with 430 other ranks killed, wounded or missing. Donald Gordon was among the dead. His father received the following telegram dated the 10th of July 1916:- "Deeply regret to inform you that 2/Lt D.J. Gordon Border Regt was killed in action July 4 (sic). The Army Council express their sympathy. Please wire relationship of next of kin" Interviews were taken with men from the battalion in order to establish what had happened to him. Testimonial of 15161 Private R. Proctor, C Company, 8th Battalion Border Regiment taken at Victoria Hospital, Shenfield on the 11th of July 1916:- "Informant states that on Monday 3 July 1916 at Thiepval we advanced on the German trenches. Lieut. Gordon was shot in the chest just before reaching them, and on getting over into the trench was shot again in the head. On returning wounded I saw him lying dead in the trench." His Company Commander wrote:- "He was a most efficient and conscientious officer; but where I feel his death even more is in losing one of his sterling character. Very many officers have passed through our ranks since we came out, but he stands out among them. In all our dangers and hardships, we could rely on finding him unmoved. How much he must have meant to his men we can only guess. When I came back from Headquarters with orders, I found him in a trench, moving about among his platoon who were already suffering casualties. He was quite fearless and seemed very happy. He took his platoon across the open to the firing line and I went with him. The next orders were for him to go forward. We had been watching our men in the Hun lines and he was most anxious to get over and help. When he did get the word he took his platoon across as though they were on parade. His leadership was most conspicuous. All his men looked to him and went without a break. I can't express to you all I admired in him- his unfailing unselfishness and good humour at all times. He is easily the finest man I have had as an officer. the feelings of his platoon could not have been expressed better than by the Lance Corporal who told your other son what he knew. He said the other men in the battalion "envied them their officer." His mother applied for his medals in February 1919. His brother, 2nd Lieutenant Bernard Vernon Gordon Royal Flying Corps, was killed on active service on the 14th of December 1916. He is commemorated on the war memorial at Eastbourne in Sussex and on the memorial at Sevenoaks.

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