Born at Carlton, Melbourne in 1870, son of John Gordon a building contractor, he was educated at King's College, East Melbourne and the University of Melbourne, and was resident medical officer at Melbourne Hospital. He was in England in 1894-95, but went back to Melbourne and was elected surgeon to out-patients at the Melbourne Hospital in 1903, and surgeon to in-patients 1911. He served throughout the war of 1914-18 in the Australian Army Medical Corps, was promoted Colonel and was created CMG. He saw active service in Gallipoli and France, but contracted rheumatoid arthritis and bronchial asthma and had to give up operative surgery. He retired from Melbourne Hospital as consulting surgeon in 1924, and was surgeon to the Victoria Railways 1924-34. He was President of the Victoria branch of the BMA 1921-22. Gordon married in May 1907 Ada Waters of Brisbane who survived him. They lived at 2 Embling Road, Malvern, Melbourne, where he died on 18 January 1939. He had played cricket and lacrosse for Melbourne University. After the first world war he worked for the welfare of limbless soldiers.