Air Vice-Marshal Air vice-marshal (Air Vce Mshl or AVM) is an air officer rank used by some air forces, with origins from the Royal Air Force. The rank is also used by the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence and it is sometime ...

James Lindsay Gordon DFC (11 December 1892 – 3 March 1940) was a leading figure in the pre-World War II

Royal Canadian Air Force The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; ) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environmental commands within the unified Can ...

and a pilot in the

Royal Naval Air Service The Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) was the air arm of the Royal Navy, under the direction of the Admiralty (United Kingdom), Admiralty's Air Department, and existed formally from 1 July 1914 to 1 April 1918, when it was merged with the British ...

during

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

Career

James Lindsay Gordon was born on 11 December 1892 in

Montreal Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...

Quebec Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...

the son of Edward Percy Gordon and his wife Helen Lindsay. The young Gordon was educated at Montreal High School and

McGill University McGill University (French: Université McGill) is an English-language public research university in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1821 by royal charter,Frost, Stanley Brice. ''McGill University, Vol. I. For the Advancement of Learning, ...

. In 1918, while a member of the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the Air force, air and space force of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. It was formed towards the end of the World War I, First World War on 1 April 1918, on the merger of t ...

, Gordon was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. His citation was as follows: From 1922 to 1924 Gordon was the first Director of the Royal Canadian Air Force. Promoted to

air vice-marshal Air vice-marshal (Air Vce Mshl or AVM) is an air officer rank used by some air forces, with origins from the Royal Air Force. The rank is also used by the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence and it is sometime ...

in 1938, Gordon continued to serve until poor health forced him to retire in January 1940. Gordon died only a few weeks later in March of that year.

Notes

External links

Hall of Valour - Temple Du Courage - James Lindsay Gordon

Canada at War - Air Vice Marshal James Lindsay Gordon
, - , - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Gordon, Lindsay 1892 births 1940 deaths Military personnel from Montreal Royal Canadian Air Force air marshals of World War II Royal Air Force officers Royal Naval Air Service personnel of World War I Canadian recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom) Royal Naval Air Service aviators McGill University alumni