Second Lieutenant Donald Jervis Gordon was born on 23 November 1891 at Court Lodge, Sevenoaks, Kent, the fourth of the eight children of Thomas Gordon (1855-1902), an architect, and Kathleen Gertrude Gordon née Milford (1858-1943).
The 1901 census shows him living at 5 Chatsworth Gardens, Cliffe Road, Eastbourne, Sussex, with his parents, three of his siblings: Caroline F. Gordon (b.1890), Kathleen Mary Gordon (1894-1975) and Bernard Vernon Gordon (1898-1916), together with a lady's help and a cook. In the 1911 census he is recorded as a architectural student still residing at 5 Chatsworth Gardens, Eastbourne with his widowed mother and five siblings: Thomas Milford Gordon (1889-1977), Kathleen Mary Gordon, Enid Helen Gordon (b.1897), Bernard Vernon Gordon and Violet Mary Gordon (b.1902).
He attended the Royal Academy School of Architecture from 5 November 1913 and our Picture Source gives details of his education and military service.
He was killed in action, aged 24 years, on 3 July 1916, and was buried in Plot 3, Row D, Grave 21 in the Mesnil Communal Cemetery Extension, 25 La Croisette, 80300 Mesnil-Martinsart, France. Probate records show that his home address had been Tregenna Meads, Eastbourne and that when administration with a will was granted to his mother on 20 December 1916 his estate totalled £202-17s-9d. On 10 January 1917 his mother was sent his army effects totalling £67-19s-6d and his £5-0s-0d war gratuity was sent to her on 23 March 1920.
He was posthumously awarded the 1914-1915 Star, the British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal and these were sent to her at Tregenna Meads, Eastbourne. He is also commemorated on the Lancing College War Memorial located in the Lancing College Chapel, Lancing, BN15 0RW, on oak tablets within Eastbourne Town Hall, Grove Rd, Eastbourne BN21 4UG and the Sevenoaks War Memorial, Dartford Road, Sevenoaks, TN13 3SY.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
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