James Hannah (aka Heather) Gordon VC

CITATION: On the night of 10th July 1941 during an attack on Greenhill, north of Djezzine, Private Gordon’s Company came under intense machine-gun fire and its advance was held up. Movement even by single individuals became impossible, one officer being killed and two men being wounded in the effort to advance. The enemy machine-gun position which brought the two forward platoons to a halt fortified completely covered the area occupied by our forces. Private Gordon, on his own initiative, crept forward over an area swept by machine-gun and grenade fire and succeeded in approaching close to the post; he then charged it from the front and killed the four machine-gunners with bayonet. His action completely demoralised the enemy in this sector and the Company advanced and took the position. During the remainder of the action that night and the following day, Private Gordon, who has throughout operations shown a high degree of courage, fought with equal gallantry. (London Gazette: 28th October 1941.)

“Jimmy” Gordon’s action occurred in the last fierce fight of the campaign in Syria against the forces of Vichy France. Already reduced to about sixty from previous fighting in the central sector, Gordon’s Company-then commanded by Lieutenant NS Stable –was ordered to capture a feature over-looking the villages of Amatour and Badarane. The objective known as "Greenhill” rose almost sheer for 600 feet, on the far side of an 800 feet-deep wadi. The company moved off at 9pm on the 9th, from its base three miles to the south, and for some hours negotiated the gorges and precipices which characterised the area. In the darkness it was difficult to maintain direction, and the inevitable sounds of movement carried a long way.

At 2.30am, at a point about 400 yards from Badarane, heavy machine-gun fire broke out from 250 yards ahead. Stable swung his men left to an olive grove , and from there he launched an attack. The right platoon, led by Lieutenant LT Hurrell, and including Gordon, was immediately pinned down by machine-gun. Any attempt at movement drew swift and accurate enemy fire. In the left platoon, the commander, Lieutenant MH Davis-with two of his men-had been killed, and several wounded. The advance now being in danger of failure, Gordon slithered out from Hurrell’s position on his stomach and commenced to crawl toward the gun. A continuous stream of bullets passed over him, and as he got closer enemy grenades were thrown out to burst above him. Miraculously uninjured, he suddenly leapt to his feet and charged the rest of the way into the post. The gunners lost their nerve at the sight of his bayonet, and before they could recover themselves, all four lay dead on the floor of the pit.

Afterwards this attack proceeded, and at 5am, Stable reported by wireless that he was on the objective. The attack had cost thirteen killed and wounded, but 50 Senegalese dead were counted and many prisoners taken. It was estimated, moreover, that the positions had been occupied by more than 200 troops. Having destroyed all arms and equipment, the company was then ordered to rejoin the battalion. This was later carried out under another French attack. JH Gordon was born at Rockingham (Western Australia) on 7th March 1909, the son of William Beattie Gordon, one time Member for Canning in the Western Australian Legislative Assembly. Educated in Western Australia, Jim was brought up on his parent’s property at Gin Gin, near Perth.

He enlisted in the AIF on 26th April 1940. On 22nd September 1940 Gordon was posted as a reinforcement to the 2/11th Battalion and embarked at Fremantle the same day for Palestine, where he arrived on 13th October. On 27th February 1941, however, Gordon was reposted to the 2/31st Battalion, which arrived in the Middle East from England where it had been formed at Tidworth in the previous June. Further training followed, and in June the battalion commenced its first campaign in Syria. In March 1942 the 2/31st returned to Australia, and served in the gruelling Owen Stanleys campaign in Papua. In September 1943 it participated in the capture of Lae and subsequent operations in the Markham and Ramu Valleys. On 1st July 1945 the battalion went into its final campaign in Balikpapan (Borneo). Gordon was promoted to Corporal on 26th September 1941, and received his third stripe on 28th January 1943.

After the war, Gordon returned to farming, but in December 1947 he re-enlisted in the newly formed Australian Regular Army, was appointed to the 30th Cadet Battalion, at Karrakatta (Western Australia) and later the 5th Cadet Brigade Training Depot, rising to the rank of Warrant Officer Class II. “I always like the army life,” he said, “and thought I’d give it another go.” At the time he was the only VC recipient member of the ARA.

Other Links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Gordon_(VC)
http://www.artistsfootsteps.com/html/Dargie_JimGordon.htm
http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/gordon-james-hannah-jim-12554