| Gordon | Alister Fraser | | Captain | GORDON, ALISTER FRASER, Captain, was born 1 February 1872, third son, of William Grant Gordon, of Drumdevan, Invernessshire, and Louisa, daughter of John Fraser, of Achnagairn, Invernessshire. He was educated at The College, Inverness, and at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, and was gazetted to the Royal Highlanders 8 October 1890; was transferred to the Gordon Highlanders 12 November 1890, becoming Lieutenant 1 September 1893. He served in Chitral, 1895, with the Relief Force (Medal and clasp); and on the North-West Frontier of India, 1897-98, including the actions of Chagru Kotal and Dargai, where, as Lieutenant, he commanded a company and led it across the zone of fire and was the first across it; was present at the capture of the Sampagha and Arhanga Passes; operations in the Waran Valley, and at the action of 16 November 1897, and at the operations in the Bara Valley, 7 to 14 December 1897. He was mentioned in Despatches [London Gazette, 5 April 1898], and received two clasps. He was promoted to Captain 28 May 1899; was employed with the Central African Rifles, and with the King's African Rifles, 12 April 1899 to 11 April 1902, and served with the 2nd British Central African Regiment in the Ashanti Campaign of 1900. He was mentioned in Despatches [London Gazette, 8 March 1901], and created a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order [London Gazette, 26 April 1901]: "Alister Fraser Gordon, Captain, Gordon Highlanders. In recognition of services during the recent operations in Ashanti". Invested by the King 24 October 1902. He served in the South African War, 1901-02, as Railway Staff Officer and Station Staff Officer, taking part in the operations in the Transvaal, September 1901 to 31 May 1902 (Queen's Medal with three clasps). He was GSO, 3rd Grade, Coast Defences, Northern Command, 18 February 1908 to 17 February 1912; was promoted to Major 4 July 1908; was DAA and QMG, Highland Division, Scottish Command, 6 June 1913 to 20 January 1914. He served in the European War from 1914, as DAA and QMG 5 August 1914 to 17 September 1914; was promoted Lieutenant Colonel, Gordon Highlanders, in April 1915, and was severely wounded in the leg at the Battle of Festubert 1(5 May 1915; AA and QMG 18 Sept, 1914 to 9 April 1915; GSO, 2nd Grade, War Office (temporary), 1 December 1915 to 12 February 1916; Brigade Commander 13 February 1916. For his services in the European War he was six times mentioned in Despatches, and created a CMG in 1915, and Brevet Colonel in 1917. Temporary Brigadier General A F Gordon died on the 31st of July 1917, of wounds received in action, aged 45. He was a highly scientific and brilliant officer—a loss to the Army and the nation. The following is an account of General Gordon's death: "On the Sunday morning, 29 July 1917, General Gordon was visiting the frontline trenches, as was his custom, when the trench that he was in was hit by a direct German shell, which killed his Brigade Major and two Gordon Highland NCO's on the spot, and mortally wounded him. He died two days later in the Casualty Clearing Station to which he had been carried, and was buried in the Cemetery at Esporinghe. By the King's Special Order, a printed copy of his six Mentions in the European War was sent from the War Office to Mrs Alister Gordon, 18 December 1917, with a kind message of ‘high appreciation of these services', by His Majesty". He had married, in January 1908, Pilar Mary, daughter of C E H Edmonds-toune Cranstoun, of Corehouse, and they had one son, Alastair Joseph Edgar, and two daughters, Margaret Colette Mary and Elizabeth Pilar Mary.
Source: DSO recipients (VC and DSO Book) | Gordon Highlanders |
