J. M. Gordon

Joseph Maria Gordon (1856–1929) was a soldier of Scottish descent, born at Jerez de la Frontera in Spain, who became a senior officer in Australia. Schooled partly in Britain, he saw his first fighting with the Carlists in Spain, then emigrated to South Australia, where he worked as a newspaper proprietor, merchant, actor and policeman before joining the colonial artillery. He served in the South African War, commanded the military forces of Victoria and New South Wales after federation, and was chief of the general staff of the Commonwealth. He told his story in The Chronicles of a Gay Gordon.