Roland Elphinstone Gordon was a Scotsman born in 1893 in Selangor, Malaya, where his father oversaw irrigation works. Although little is known about his life in Asia, records show that Roland studied at Canterbury for 4 years from 1907; he was also vice-captain of the King's College cricket team. Rugby often went hand in hand with cricket and Roland was no exception: he was quoted in the university magazine as "a powerful runner with a good swerve [...] Good tackler but must learn to mark his man more closely." 
  
In 1911 he joined Woolwich Royal Military Academy, where he captained the rugby team the following year, as well as playing for Royal Artillery FC, and for Blackheath. He was known for his impressive stature (1.85m), and above all for his ability to feint his speed and destination to take opponents by surprise. 

This highly sought-after talent makes him a natural rugby player: quick, intuitive, skillful and able to adapt to anything. His skills earned him Scotland caps at three-quarter center in three international matches. His first match was a victory over France at the Parc des Princes on 1 January 1913 - Roland himself scoring two tries. 
 
Unfortunately, his sporting career was soon cut short. While stationed in India in 1913, the 82nd Battery of the Royal Field Artillery was then sent to Mesopotamia, where he was severely wounded for the first time in November 1915 during a patrol. 

Repatriated to Exeter in the UK, he wrote: "I was very lucky not to have been killed outright". He spent his convalescence training recruits and continued to play rugby. 
 
His courage on the battlefield earned him two Military Crosses and several commendations. He was not a stranger to wounds; he was wounded again in 1917 during the Battle of Cambrai, and then again in May 1918. When he was offered a post at the rear in England, he refused. He was killed in the Battle of Saint Quentin on 30 August 1918, aged 25. 

He now lies in Daours Communal Cemetery Extention, Plot VIII, Row B, Grave 3.