The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-12-16
PAUL GOPDON
TAEIggfrRISONER
ents, Mr.. and Mrs. John
w. Gordon, Get Card
from Limburg, Ger.
HE WAS PROBABLY
CAPTURED OCT. 8
Notification Said That the
Young Man Was in
Good Health

Explanation why they had not received
letters recently from their eldest son,
Private Paul d. Gordon, who was with
the American expeditionary forces in
France, was furnished to Mr. and Mrs.
John w. Gordon of Barre when, on Sat
urday afternoon, they received little
blue card from Limburg, Germany, stat
ing that the young man was prisoner
OF war and was held at Limburg. The
last letter they received from Private
Gordon was dated Sept. Z, and the date
on the blue card (0ct. 81 is taken to
mean that he was captured that day.
The Sept. letter stated that the writ
er had been up to the front and was then
back in rest area but was expecting to
be sent to the front within a short time.
1t is probable that he was taken prison
er on the occasion of the second move
ment of his unit, the l02d q. s. engi-
neers, to the front lines.
The blue card was the usual form al
lowed prisoners in Germany, stating the
bare facts concerning the writer. In
printed words it stated: u am a prisoner
of war in Germany and in a space left
blank under the printed word "sound"
there was cross mark, the inference
bringing some relief to the parents in
the midst OF their depression over the in
formation that he was a prisoner. That
Private Gordon's health was unimpaired
was welcome news. They expect to hear
shortly that he has been sent back to the
allied lines along with the other prison
ers whom Germany was forced by the
armistice to release.
IN ss ,.T IL
enlisted in the 74th New York National
Guard in 1916 and went to the Mexican
border with that organization. He served
there year and had only been back a
month when the National Guard was
called into federal service for the war
with Germany. He went TO Camp Greene,
Charlotte, N. G., and was transferred to
the l02d engineers, going across with
that regiment last April.
Mr.. and Mrs Gordons three other sons
are in France in service at the present
time, Philip being connected with the ma
val arm Of the United States, John A.
being in the French artillery and Norman
being in the United States infantry.
Mrs. Gordon has Just received letter
from the iast-named, who went across
recently with the 57th Pioneer infantry.
The letter il dated Nov 8 and it relates
in a humorous vein some of the expe
riences Of the young soldier. He writes
in part;
I'm staying at Duke So-and Sos
house, and he has taken particular notice
of me and has placed me in the former
staying place Of certain persons who are
now doing their bit, and then some, for
our cause in the war. He calls it a cha
teau and the place is not fake either.
ii stay in his old pigeon house, Yester
day he sent his secretary around and
asked me how liked the place, and told
me that he would oblige me with trans
portation in any line, such as his car, or
carriage, If | wished, but / patriotically
refused to use up petrol and now | faith
fully carry a pack on my back to and
from town, which is only one and one
half miles away. We make the trip
eight times a day
"Our first advance of the day consists
in battle of mess kits, for our dinners,
breakfasts, etc, are served in town; for
the duke insists on our having a great
variety of courses, which he cannot fur
nish at the chateau Of course we work
hard and diligently during the day and
we sure appreciate our meals, which con
sist of stew and bread with coffee which
cannot quite equal yours"