John Hudson Gordon was born in Bristol, Gloucestershire on 11 October 1914, the son of Henry Hudson Gordon (Captain (E) Royal Navy) and Aby May Gordon (née McCarthy). He joined the Royal Navy as a Cadet on 1 January 1932. He was promoted Midshipman (E) on 1 September 1932 and was appointed to the Royal Naval Engineering College, Keyham for the Engineering Course on 15 September 1932. He was promoted to Acting Sub Lieutenant (E) on 1 January 1935 and was confirmed in the rank of Sub Lieutenant on 16 July 1935. He was further promoted to Lieutenant (E) on 16 July 1937.

His date of qualification as a submariner is not known. On 16 August 1938, he was appointed to the Submarine Depot Ship HMS MAIDSTONE and, on 15 May 1939 to HMS PANDORA as Engineering Officer. On 29 December 1941 John Gordon was appointed to HMS P311 as the Engineer, standing by whilst building at Vickers at Barrow in Furness and on completion. P311 failed to return from a chariot operation to La Maddalena in Italy and was presumed to have been sunk with all hands by a mine on or about 2 January 1943.

John Hudson Gordon was the husband of Joan Gordon, and he is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial on Panel No. 73 Column No. 1.