The Great War M.C. group of four awarded to Major R. E. Gordon, Royal Field Artillery, the S...

'He was, indeed, one to be envied - his happy disposition, his peerless ability at our great game, and his glorious death’ The Great War M.C. group of four awarded to Major R. E. Gordon, Royal Field Artillery, the Scottish Rugby Union player capped three times for Scotland in 1913, he scored two tries in his debut against France; he served in Mesopotamia and France and was wounded on 3 separate occasions before being mortally wounded in August 1918 Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued, in case of issue; 1914-15 Star (Lieut. R. E. Gordon, R.F.A.); British War and Victory Medals (Major R. E. Gordon.) these last two with named card box of issue, together with War Office enclosure for the three campaign medals, Registered envelope, and Memorial Plaque (Roland Elphinstone Gordon) with enclosure, card envelope and outer transmission envelope, extremely fine (5) £3,000-£4,000 --- M.C. London Gazette 3 June 1918 (Birthday Honours). Roland Elphinstone Gordon was born at Selangor, Straits Settlements, Malaya, on 22 January 1893, the son of George Dalrymple Gordon, of the Government Irrigation Department, Ceylon, and Georgina Meredith of ‘Alwyns’, Teignmouth, South Devon. He was educated at the King’s School, Canterbury and played for the first XV at right three-quarter between 1909 and 1911, as well as being a member of the five pairs between the same dates. In 1911 he entered the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, coming forty-fifth in the entry exam. While at Woolwich he became captain of the rugby XV and also represented the Royal Artillery and the Army. On 22 January 1913, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Royal Artillery. It wasn't long before Scotland saw his worth and he went on to play for them on three occasions. He played brilliantly against France at the Parc des Princes on 1 January 1913 and scored two, contributing greatly towards Scotland’s twenty one-three victory before going on to play against Wales at Inverleith on 1 February 1913, Wales winning this time eight-nil. His final match was against Ireland, again at Inverleith, this time Scotland emerged as victors twenty nine-fourteen. His international career was cut short when he was posted to India in late 1913 attached to 82 Battery Royal Field Artillery (RFA), stationed at Kirki. In November 1914, shortly after the outbreak of the First World War, he was posted to Mesopotamia where he was seriously wounded in action during the summer of 1915 and returned home. Not that he was about to let serious wounds stop him playing: while convalescing he not only coached the RA cadets at Exeter but also played for the Cadet XV during the 1916/17 season. Before returning to the front he played one more big game, this time against the previously undefeated Army Service Corps XV at Rectory Field, Blackheath. It was mainly due to his great performance at the centre that the ASC were beaten, his winning try in the last minute of the match proving decisive. He recovered well and returned to the front in 1917, this time to France. He was wounded again in June of that year and again for a third time in May 1918. He was also awarded an MC in the King’s Birthday Honours of June 1918 and was also Mentioned in Despatches [not traced]. In August 1918 he was wounded for a fourth and final time, this time succumbing to his wounds [on 30 August]. Not even this brave heart could stop his inevitable fate. He is buried in the Daours Communal Cemetery (Extension VIII, B. 3), Somme, France. (Into Touch, by Nigel McCrery refers) Sold with his caps for representing the Royal Military Academy, the Royal Artillery 1911-12; the Army 1912-13, and Scotland 1913; together with an embroidered thistle badge and four small Royal Artillery tunic buttons.