10th July 1941 and 2/31st Battalion of the 7th Australian division have been halted by intense machine-gun fire from well dug-in Vichy French forces during the Battle of Jezzine. With an entire company pinned down and casualties beginning to mount, Corporal James Gordon decided to act.
Crawling forward alone over ground now racked by enemy machine-gun fire and grenades, James managed to get within a few feet of the machine-gun post undetected. From here, he leapt up and charged the position, bayonetting the entire 4-man gun crew, thus silencing the position. With the enemy completely demoralised, the Australians were now able to move forward and overwhelm the Vichy French positions, and eventually take all objectives in the sector - the actions of one ballsy Corporal being the difference between total failure and success.
For his actions that night Corporal James Gordon was awarded the Victoria Cross. He would ultimately survive the war and continue service until 1968, reaching the rank of Warrant Officer Class II.
