Desmond Gordon

Medals awarded

  • Companion of The Most Honourable Order of the Bath
  • Commander of The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire
  • Distinguished Service Order
  • India General Service Medal 1936-1939
  • 1939-1945 Star
  • Africa Star 1940-1943
  • Italy Star 1943-1945
  • France and Germany Star 1944-1945
  • Defence Medal 1939-1945
  • War Medal 1939-1945
  • Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal 1953
  • Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal 1977

Medals are shown left to right, as per the bullet point list above.

Desmond Gordon was born on the 25th of December 1911 in Middlesex. He was educated at Haileybury College and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst and commissioned into the Green Howards on the 28th January, 1932.

He served with the 2nd Battalion during the Waziristan operations of 1936/37. In 1938 he became Adjutant of the Depot. In 1940 he was present with the 1st Battalion during the operations in Norway.  That same year he also married Sybil Thompson.

From 1941 to 1942 he was Brigade Major of 69 Infantry Brigade in the Western desert. In May 1943 he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for his actions in the battle of Tunis in the face of enemy resistance, but which resulted in the taking of 4000 German prisoners.

After the war he held various senior positions in the Army and was Colonel of the Green Howards from 1965 to 1975. He was appointed CBE in 1952 and CB in 1961.

Major General Gordon retired in 1966.  His portrait was painted by Carlos Sancha in 1976 and hangs in the museum. He died on the 4th of November 1997.