Between 1965 to 1973, the name Harry Gordon caused trepidation in the hearts of all enlisted men and junior officers. Whenever Regimental Sergeant Major Harry Gordon marched across the square it would be unheard-of for anyone below field rank to be seen within a radius of two hundred meters of him. It was often said that he spoke softly, but carried a big sound. But, just who is Harry Gordon? He was born Harry Lovell Gordon, on 21st January, 1932 in Aenian Town, north Clarendon. His father, Mr G S Gordon was a tailor by profession. The young Harry was to be a soldier; this he became when he was only seventeen years of age. It was as natural for him to be a soldier as it was to breathe and to give up all thought of it would be to stop breathing.

With Harry Gordon, I had to search for clues to the kind of man he is, since he is himself a restrained person. However, I managed to get a few leads from him, his contemporaries and also his family. Not being a vain, glorious person, Harry spoke casually on his achievements and from time to time he would become very excited about past incidents which are of special significance to him. The rest of our knowledge was obtained from his amazing record, which speaks eloquently about him.

He enlisted in the Jamaica Battalion in March, 1949 and did his initial training at Palisadoes in Kingston and Moneague Training Camp in St Ann. Only four years after the conclusion of the Second World War, Harry vividly remembers when Hitler's Army crossed the Rhine to commence the War.

On completion of recruit training, Private Gordon was posted to Alpha Company as a Rifleman. Alpha Company at the time was commanded by Major 'Blacky' Ford, an Englishman. After doing a variety of jobs, Pte Gordon was the "best student" on a Cadre and on completion he was appointed Local Lance Corporal and sent to Newcastle as an armstore man.

In his spare time LCpl Gordon assisted in the Barber Shop, and on weekends he volunteered to take the weaker recruits on extra drill so as to give the training Corporals time "to sort themselves out". Harry recalls quite clearly a Sunday morning with the recruits when he was imitating Sergeant Major Savage.

"As you were," yelled Harry in the falsetto of his voice, indicating his annoyance at the poor display by the recruits of "bending the knees". Little did LCpl Gordon know that he was under surveillance and the "powers that be" were very impressed with his instructing skills.

The following Monday Sergeant Sinclair summoned him to report to the Orderly Room for OC's Orders. Harry confided that he experienced a volcanic eruption in his knees and a somewhat nauseous feeling in his stomach as he thought he was in trouble. LCpl Gordon was marched in to his Officer Commanding, Captain Bradley (an Englishman), who saw the agony in his face and told him to relax.. "Would you like to be a recruit training instructor?" the OC asked. Harry, who has always subscribed to the Churchillian concept that nothing is so stimulating as a fresh set of challenges, answered yes.

"Take over Corporal Field's squad immediately. March him out Sergeant Major." the OC concluded. Harry made the transition from an armstore-man to a recruit-training instructor with ease and elan. In Harry's words, Number 8 Squad, who were tail-end-Charlies in everything, made a smart about-turn and only a few major trophies eluded them."

After many years as a Non Commissioned Officer, Harry was called again for OC's Orders and told that he was promoted. He was about to add another chevron to his shoulder when someone told him that he was promoted to Lance Corporal as he was only holding the appointment of Local Lance Corporal over the years. He was eventually promoted to Corporal, and after a short stay in Alpha Company, he was sent back to the Depot to resume his duties as a Squad Corporal.

In a subtle way, I discovered that Harry's greatness rests on his ability to lead and inspire men. It was highly unusual in those days for a corporal to command a platoon on the 10th-week Drill Competition. This honour was usually accorded to a Sergeant. Cpl Gordon was the first Corporal to command a platoon on this Major(QM) Harry Gordon competition. He remembers with pride that the competition ended in a tie between Sergeant Turner and himself for first place.

There are many military firsts in Harry's service life. He was the first person to attend an All Arms Drill School in Pirbright, England; along with Sergeant Major Townsend, the first Jamaican to attend a Weapons Training Course in England; the first infanteer in Jamaica to be promoted to two ranks higher than his substantive rank; and the first Jamaican Warrant Officer from the Regular Force to be appointed Regimental Sergeant Major. During my interview with Harry, he showed me some of the drill forms for which he was famous during his tenure as Regimental Sergeant Major. He executed his moves with the supple dexterity of youth, notwithstanding the fact that his 60th birthday was on 21 January, 1992.

Harry also remembers other outstanding soldiers of his time. He remembers Cpl Reggie Lowe and Cpl "Tiger" Haynes. In the words of ex-WO2 Noel Walcott, "Harry was always well turned-out and very courteous. When he spoke, all who heard listened and acted without question". Ex-WO2 Walcott remembers an English officer who had this to say about Harry: "This young man bids fair to become an officer distinguished by his learning, energy and ability. I count myself fortunate to have served with such a man." There was an incident which occurred at the British Army's All Arms Drill School at Pirbright, England which Harry remembers with pleasure. He recollects that he was the only non-European and the shortest person on the course, which always caused him to be obscurely placed in the center rank whilst on parade. One morning the drill instructor asked for a volunteer to drill the squad. When Harry volunteered, everyone looked skeptically at him, perhaps expecting an episode from Popeye and Brutus. Needless to say they were embarrassingly disappointed. When Harry finished his drill task, the instructor commended him and openly confessed that he (the instructor) could not have done it better. Harry went on to get a B+ grade on the course; a result that placed him in good stead for his future appointment as Regimental Sergeant Major of an infantry battalion.

After the West India Regiment was disbanded in 1962, the newly-formed. Jamaica Defence Force still had British soldiers holding various JDF appointments including that of Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) of the First Battalion Jamaica Regiment (IJR). It was considered desirable to get a qualified Jamaican to fill the slot of RSM 1JR and take over from Warrant Officer Class 1 (WO1) Louis Jordon. Based on his amazing record, Harry Gordon was promoted to WO1 and appointed Regimental Sergeant Major of the First Battalion The Jamaica Regiment in 1965. Mr Gordon was the RSM of the Ceremonial Guard mounted from 1JR at Edinburgh Castle in Scotland, the first non-British battalion to ever have the honour of mounting the Castle Guard. After the parade some Scottish gentlemen came over and asked for "the little man. with the big voice". Mr Gordon was invited to the TIFFANY's Club in Edinburgh and honoured for his fine performance.

Mr Gordon continued as Regimental Sergeant Major until 1973 when Lieutenant Colonel(now Colonel) Ken Bames recommended him for a Quartermaster Commission in the Jamaica Defence Force. In 1973, after completing a Service Funds Accounting Course in Worthy Down, England, Harry Gordon was granted a Queen's Quartermaster Commission in the Jamaica Defence Force in the rank of Lieutenant(QM). He was posted to Newcastle and appointed Administration Officer. Harry is somewhat sentimental about Newcastle as it was there he was discovered; humorous cynics would say the guilty person will always go back to the scene of the crime.

In 1975 Lieutenant Gordon was promoted to Captain and was soon posted to the JDF Coast Guard as the Administration Officer. Even as a commissioned officer, he has always given sage advice to warrant officers on procedures for parades and ceremonial occasions. Captain Gordon was promoted to Major in 1979;a rank he held until his retirement on the 21 April, 1992 after honourably serving his country in the profession-at-arms for forty-three years. In the area of sports, Harry fancied himself a sprinter and it is said that he won a few races for Alpha Company, Jamaica Battalion in his younger days. He is more known for his skill in dominoes and he is usually referred to as Domino King.

Harry was married in Portland in 1964 to the former Miss Monica Lee. The marriage produced three children: Maxine and Michele, both graduates of the University of the West Indies, and Hugh, a student at Jamaica College. "There are some words which are easily identifiable with Daddy:" gushed Michele, Harry's daughter. "They are: sharing, understanding, discipline and the ability to make sacrifices. He is a wonderful father." Major Gordon is the proud recipient of the Independence Medal, the Medal of Honour for Long Service and Good Conduct and the Medal of Honour for Meritorious Service. He recommends the army to all able-bodied and ambitious. young men and women. "I have nothing but praises and glory to give to the army". Upon his retirement Major Gordon said, "The army is the only life I know and there comes a time when one has to say it is time to go."