Major General Ian Campbell Gordon, AO (born 20 March 1952) is a retired senior officer of the Australian Army. He had a long and distinguished career culminating as Deputy Chief of Army (2004–2006) and Chief of Staff of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (2006–2008).[1]
Ian Gordon | |
|---|---|
| Born | 20 March 1952 Perth, Western Australia |
| Allegiance | Australia |
| Service | Australian Army |
| Years of service | 1970–2009 |
| Rank | Major General |
| Commands | United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (2006–09) Deputy Chief of Army (2004–06) Training Command (2002–04) Australian Command and Staff College (1998–99) 1st Signal Regiment (1990–91) |
| Battles / wars | Western Sahara East Timor United Nations Truce Supervision Organization |
| Awards | Officer of the Order of Australia |
Early life
editGordon was born in Perth, Western Australia, on 20 March 1952 to Glenice Pascoe and Ivor Gordon,[2] a decorated bomber pilot who flew with No. 455 Squadron RAAF in the Second World War.[3][4] Educated at Swanbourne High School, Gordon entered the Royal Military College, Duntroon as an officer cadet in 1970. He graduated in 1973 with a Bachelor of Science in Military Studies, and was commissioned as a lieutenant in the Royal Australian Corps of Signals.[2]
Military career
editGordon graduated from the Royal Military College, Duntroon,[5] in 1973 and was commissioned into the Royal Australian Corps of Signals.[1][5] He graduated from the Royal Military College of Science in Shrivenham, United Kingdom, in 1983,[1] and from the Australian Command and Staff College in 1985.[1]
By 1990, Gordon was posted to command the 1st Signals Regiment in Brisbane.[5] The following year, he was made commander of the Australian Service Contingent to the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO).[5] For his command of the 1st Signals Regiment and work with MINURSO, Gordon was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 1992.[5] In 1993, Gordon was named Director of the Royal Australian Corps of Signals.[5] He graduated from the Australian Centre for Defence and Strategic Studies in 1996 and,[1] in 1998, was appointed Commandant of the Australian Command and Staff College.[1] He was appointed Director-General Personnel – Army in 2000,[5] and Director-General, Future Land Warfare in 2001.[5] That September, he was promoted to major general and appointed Deputy Force Commander in the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET).[6]
Gordon returned to Australia in 2002 and was appointed Commander, Training Command – Army.[6] He became Deputy Chief of Army in May 2004,[6] and was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for his distinguished service to the Australian Defence Force in senior command and staff appointments in January 2006.[6] In November the same year, he was appointed Chief of Staff of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO).[1]
Personal
editGordon is married to Ula and they have three children: Tom, Alison and Jenny. His hobbies include scuba diving, touch rugby, restoring cars, reading and bushwalking.[5] Since retiring from the Australian Army, Gordon has owned and managed a small publishing business, Barrallier Books, which has a focus on deluxe books and fine writing.
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g UN Secretary-General appoints MAJGEN Ian Gordon as COS UNTSO, media release, 22 November 2006, www.un.org
- ^ a b "Major General Ian Campbell Gordon". Who's Who in Australia. ConnectWeb. Retrieved 10 August 2014.
- ^ "Gordon, Ivor Montague". World War II Nominal Roll. Commonwealth of Australia. Archived from the original on 12 October 2016. Retrieved 10 August 2014.
- ^ "Recommendation for Ivor Montague Gordon to be awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross". Recommendations for Honours and Awards. Australian War Memorial. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 August 2014. Retrieved 10 August 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Bio, Force for Good? 60 Years of Australian Peacekeeping, 1947–2007, Australian War Memorial, www.awm.gov.au
- ^ a b c d "Peacekeeping in the Middle East today, AIDN Lunch Briefing with Major General Ian Gordon, AO, Australian Industry and Defence Network, www.aidn.com.au" (PDF). 15 April 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 September 2009. Retrieved 31 May 2018.