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Alister Fraser Gordon

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Alister Fraser Gordon
Born(1872-02-01)1 February 1872
Died31 July 1917(1917-07-31) (aged 45)
Near Langemark, Belgium
BuriedLijssenthoek Military Cemetery
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service / branchBritish Army
Years of service1890–1917
RankBrigadier-General
UnitGordon Highlanders
Commands153rd Infantry Brigade
182nd Infantry Brigade
2nd Battalion British Central African Rifles
Battles / warsChitral Expedition
War of the Golden Stool
Second Boer War
First World War
AwardsCompanion of the Order of St Michael and St George
Distinguished Service Order
Mentioned in Despatches (9)

Brigadier-General Alister Fraser Gordon, CMG, DSO (1 February 1872 – 31 July 1917) was a British Army officer. He was killed during the First World War whilst commanding the 153rd Infantry Brigade, shortly before the beginning of the Third Battle of Ypres.

Military career

The third son of W. G. Gordon, of Drumdewan, Inverness, Alister Gordon was educated at The School, Inverness, and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. He was gazetted to the Royal Highlanders as a second lieutenant in October 1890, before exchanging to the Gordon Highlanders the following month. He became a first lieutenant in 1893 and a captain in 1899.

Gordon saw service with the Chitral Relief Force in 1895 and with the Tirah Expeditionary Force from 1897 to 1898, for which he was twice mentioned in despatches. In 1899, he was seconded to the British Central African Rifles, eventually commanding the 2nd Battalion (with local rank of captain/major), and took part in the Anglo-Ashanti War of 1900. For his services, he was mentioned in despatches and appointed a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order.

From 1901 to 1902, Gordon took part in the Second Boer War as Station Staff Officer and Railway Staff Officer. He was regimental adjutant from 1903 until 1906. He later passed the Staff College. From 1908 to 1912, he was a General Staff Officer (GSO) Grade 3 and promoted to major. In 1913, he was appointed a deputy assistant adjujant and quartermaster general in the Territorial Force.

At the outbreak of the First World War, Gordon was appointed Deputy Assistant Adjutant and Quartermaster-General, then Assistant Adjutant and Quartermaster-General with the temporary rank of lieutenant-colonel, his rank being made permanent in December 1914. Gordon was wounded at the Battle of Festubert in May 1915 and sent home. He was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George in June 1915. In December, he was appointed temporary GSO2 at the War Office.

In February 1916, Gordon was made a temporary brigadier-general and given command of the 182nd Infantry Brigade, which he led during the Battle of Fromelles in July 1916. He was injured in August 1916 and relinquished command. On 1 January 1917, he was made a brevet colonel for "distinguished service in the field". He then held an appointment as a deputy director in the War Office.

Gordon took command of the 153rd Infantry Brigade in May 1917. On 29 July 1917, two days before the beginning of the Third Battle of Ypres, Gordon was visiting the trenches when he was hit by a German shell. He died two days later. He is buried at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery.

By the King's special order, a printed copy of his six mentions in despatches from the First World War was sent to his widow by the War Office along with a message from His Majesty.

See also

References

  1. "Page 5930 | Issue 26105, 11 November 1890 | London Gazette | the Gazette".
  2. "Page 5521 | Issue 27114, 5 September 1899 | London Gazette | the Gazette".
  3. "Page 5870 | Issue 27120, 26 September 1899 | London Gazette | the Gazette".
  4. "Page 2807 | Issue 27076, 2 May 1899 | London Gazette | the Gazette".
  5. "Page 3943 | Issue 27092, 23 June 1899 | London Gazette | the Gazette".
  6. "Page 1646 | Issue 27292, 8 March 1901 | London Gazette | the Gazette".
  7. "Page 2855 | Issue 27308, 26 April 1901 | London Gazette | the Gazette".
  8. "Page 468 | Issue 27518, 23 January 1903 | London Gazette | the Gazette".
  9. "Page 544 | Issue 27877, 23 January 1906 | London Gazette | the Gazette".
  10. "Page 1205 | Issue 28111, 21 February 1908 | London Gazette | the Gazette".
  11. "Page 1883 | Issue 28118, 10 March 1908 | London Gazette | the Gazette".
  12. "Page 2364 | Issue 28123, 27 March 1908 | London Gazette | the Gazette".
  13. "Page 2092 | Issue 28592, 22 March 1912 | London Gazette | the Gazette".
  14. "Page 5425 | Issue 28161, 24 July 1908 | London Gazette | the Gazette".
  15. "Page 4220 | Issue 28728, 13 June 1913 | London Gazette | the Gazette".
  16. "Page 6688 | Issue 28879, 25 August 1914 | London Gazette | the Gazette".
  17. "Page 8843 | Supplement 28959, 30 October 1914 | London Gazette | the Gazette".
  18. "No. 29119". The London Gazette. 6 April 1915. p. 3342.
  19. "Page 6114 | Supplement 29202, 22 June 1915 | London Gazette | the Gazette".
  20. "No. 29406". The London Gazette (1st supplement). 17 December 1915. p. 12649.
  21. "Page 2183 | Supplement 29490, 25 February 1916 | London Gazette | the Gazette".
  22. "Page 16 | Supplement 29886, 29 December 1916 | London Gazette | the Gazette".
  23. "Page 1128 | Supplement 29925, 30 January 1917 | London Gazette | the Gazette".
  24. "Page 5846 | Supplement 30129, 12 June 1917 | London Gazette | the Gazette".
  25. "The History of the 51st (Highland) Division 1914-1918".

Bibliography

  • Davis, Frank; Maddocks, Graham (1995). Bloody Red Tabs – General Officer Casualties of the Great War, 1914–1918. London: Leo Cooper.
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