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Rank : Brigadier-General

Unit : 2nd Bn

Biography :

Educated at RMC Sandhurst, Herbert ('Laddie’) Gordon was commissioned into The Leicestershire Regiment on 21.9.1889. He was awarded a pair of Earl Howe's Cups in 1889, silver goblets presented by Earl Howe, Colonel The Leicestershire Regiment. He was promoted Lt on 1.4.1891 and Captain on 1.1.1898. After initial service in 2nd Bn in England and Ireland, he was employed with the Egyptian Army from 12.12.1900-12.11.1910. He served in The Sudan 1900-02 and was present at the re-occupation of the Bahr-el-Ghazal Province (Egyptian Medal with clasp) and again in 1905, taking part in the operations against the Nyam Nyam tribes in the Bahr-el-Ghazal Province as Officer Commanding the Xth Sudanese Battalion, for which he was awarded the Turkish Order of Osmanieh (4th Class) (L.G. 3.8.1906), Mentioned in Despatches (L.G. 18.6.1906) and received the clasp to the Egyptian Medal. Promoted Major 26.6.1907. He served as an AAG from May 1905-27.12.1908, and was Governor of Bahr-el-Ghazal Province from 28.12.1908 till 12.11.1910, and took part in the fighting at Atwot in 1910. He was awarded the Turkish Order of the Medjidie (3rd Class) (L.G. 24.3.1911).
Returning to 2nd Bn in India in 1911, he was a Company Commander and then Bn 2IC, in the latter capacity moving with the Bn to France in 1914. He commanded 2nd Bn from Jan-Nov 1915, being awarded the D.S.O. (L.G. 29.3.1915). In the rank of Brigadier General he then commanded 70th Infantry Brigade in France from 26.11.1916 until the end of the war, being awarded the C.M.G (L.G. 29.12.1916), a Mentioned in Despatches, and the C.B. in 1919. He was promoted Brevet Colonel on 1.1.1918. He was also awarded seven more foreign decorations: Croix de Guerre (Italy) (L.G. 17.5.1919); Croix de Guerre avec palme (France) ((L.G. 7.6.1919); Legion d'Honneur [officer] (France) (L.G. 18.6.1919); Order of the White Eagle with swords (2nd class) (Serbia) (L.G. 15.10.1920); Order of St Maurus and St Lazarus [commander] (Italy ((L.G. 2.3.1923); Order of Bento'Aviz (Portugal); and the Order of The Crown (Rumania). He retired in 1923. He died at his home in Leicester in 1951, aged 81 years.
His medals are in the collection of Leicester City Museums Service.

Date of Birth : 26.2.1869

Date of Death : 11.6.1951

Place of Death : Stoneygate, Leicester

Period of Service : 1889-1923

Conflicts : The Sudan, WW1

Places Served : UK, Ireland, Egypt, Sudan, India, France