Bernard (Bernie) Gordon

Victoria Cross citation

1st Military District.

No. 223 Lance Corporal Bernard Sidney Gordon, M.M., 41st Battalion.

For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty on the 26th-27th August, 1918, east of Bray. He led his section through heavy shell fire to the objective, which he consolidated. Single-handed he attacked an enemy machine gun which was enfilading the company on his right, killed the man on the gun, and captured the post, which contained one officer and ten men. He then cleared up a trench, capturing twenty-nine prisoners and two machine guns. In clearing up further trenches he captured twenty-two prisoners, including one officer, and three machine guns. Practically unaided, he captured, in the course of these operations, two officers and sixty-one other ranks, together with six machine guns, and displayed throughout a wonderful example of fear less initiative.

['Government Gazette Proclamations and Legislation', Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, 23 May 1919, p 877, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article232511575]  

Military Medal citation

On the 8th August 1918, during the attack east of Hamel Pte Gordon single-handedly attacked a machine gun crew which was holding up his section. He killed the crew and captured the gun. Later on in the day he stalked and killed an enemy sniper.

Throughout the operation he displayed much bravery and devotion to duty.

[Military Medal: Lance Corporal B S Gordon, 41 Battalion, AIF, Australian War Memorial, https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1225207]