Name
Gordon Alick Broderick Birdwood
22/12/1895
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
20/09/1914
18
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Second Lieutenant
South Lancashire Regiment
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star (with Clasp & Roses), British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
VAILLY BRITISH CEMETERY
Sp. Mem. 20.
France
Headstone Inscription
"WAITING" -"TILL HE COME"
UK & Other Memorials
St. Peter's Church Memorial, Gustard Wood, Wheathampstead Village Memorial
Pre War
Gordon Alick Broderick Birdwood was born in Mhow, Madhya, Pradesh, India, on 22 Dec 1895, son of William Spiller Birdwood, a Colonel in the Indian Army (He commanded the Baroda State Army in Gujarat, India), and Evelyn Stuart Birdwood (nee Sheppard). He was baptised at Christ Church, Mhow, Madhya, Pradesh, India, on 1st Feb 1896. Evelyn was the second wife of William Birdwood and married in Kaira, Bombay, India on 5 Jan 1886. Gordon was younger brother of Elinor Brodrick, (born 1887), George Brodrick (born 1888 died 1910) and Gladys Brodrick (born 1892 died 1918). There was a half –brother Christopher William Broderick Birdwood (born 1882) to William’s first wife Ellen Frances Turner.
Gordon was educated in England at The Bonhams Private School in Hastings, Sussex and Tonbridge School, Tonbridge, Kent.
1901 Census records Gordon aged 5, a pupil at “The Bonham Private School” in Hastings, Sussex.
1911 Census now aged 15, Gordon is a boarder at The Tonbridge School, Tonbridge, Kent.
While at the Tonbridge School he joined the school’s Army Cadet Force in May 1911, gaining a Cadetship to the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst in the summer of 1913. He was Gazetted to the 2nd Battalion, The Prince of Wales Volunteers (South Lancashire Regiment), 2nd Lieutenant in Aug 1914, aged 18.
Wartime Service
After a short period of training at Liverpool, he left to join his Battalion in France on 8 September 1914. The 2nd Battalion had been in France from 14 Aug 1914 as unit of 7 Brigade 3rd Division, II Corps (Smith –Dorrien) and had been involved in the retreat from Mons and Le Cateau. Gordon probably arrived at the Battalion at the end of the Battle of the Marne (7 – 10 Sep 1914) where the German initial advance was arrested. He would have taken part in the Battle of the Aisne (12-15 Sep 1914) as the Germans had been forced to retreat. Gordon was killed in action on the Aisne Heights (Chemin des Dames) on 20 Sep 1914, whilst leading a successful charge of his platoon against a German Machine Gun Post. His body was later found about ten yards from the German Machine Gun Post. He was aged 18 and had been in France for less than two weeks.
Additional Information
His father, Col. W. S. Birdwood, Colmer, Nr. Modbury, S. Devon, ordered his headstone inscription: ""WAITING" -"TILL HE COME".
Gordon's name was added to the memorial in 2014. His Gratuity of £35 and arrears of £42 10s was paid to his father Colonel William Spiller Birdwood.
His connection to Gustard Wood is through his mother’s side of the family (The Sheppard’s), his Great Aunt Emma Flora Sheppard, married George Upton Robins in 1876, of Delaport Estate, Gustard Wood, they had a son George Upton Robins (later Captain) who was killed in the war, he is commemorated on the St. Peter’s Church Memorial, Gustard Wood, it is believed Emma wanted her Great Nephew included on the memorial. Gordons half-brother Christopher William Broderic served in 1st Battalion, 6th Gurkha Rifles and died on 7 Jun 1915 at Cape Helles, Gallipoli.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne, Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild
