The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1921-04-08
PAUL CORDONS BODY
WILL COME SATURDAY
Barre Young Man Died in German Mil,
itary Prison, After Being Cap
tured While Engaged in
Bringing in the "
Wounded.

The body OF Paul ID. Gordon, son OF
Mr.. and Mrs. John w. Gordon of .23
Richardson street, Barre, who died in
a German military prison during the
World war, arrived in New York yes
terday and is being accompanied to
Barre by brother, Norman Gordon, a
student in Dartmouth college, who
went to New York last night when his
parents received unexpected word of
the arrival of the body of the young
soldier. A funeral will be held in Barre
but the date has not been fixed.
Private Paul d. Gordon was a mem :
Der of the l02d engineers of the 9th
Division and he went overseas with
that division in April 1918, seeing ac-
tive service during the hardest of the
fighting. On Sept. 27, 1918, he went over
the top with his comrades<and while en-
gagged in bringing in the wounded in
response to an appeal of the famous
chaplain, FIR. Kelley, young Gordon and
four others of his regiment were sur
rounded by the Germans and captured.
They were taken to a German prison
at Larocque, in the northern part of
France, not far from Maubeuge.
From that time till the young mans
death on Oct. "a. 1918, the facts of his
fate are little known. 1t Is said that he
was slightly wounded before being cap
tured but that he died of disease, one
report being that his companions saw
him topple over with the 'fu," which
was running riot in Europe at that
time. All trace of the young man was
lost by his parents for some time, and
even the war department records OF
him were very hazy; but finally word
came back from overseas that Private
Gordon died military prisoner.
The Gordon family did not give up
hope of finding the grave of Private
Gordon; and Philip Gordon, one of the
four sons of the family to serve in the
World war, he being master mechanic
in the American navy engaged in over
seas duty, spent much time in looking
up records Of the dead in France when
he returned to Brest, France, after
spending some time at his home In
Barre following the close of the war.
It was while hunting around the Gem
eteries of northern France that his |
search was at last rewarded in October,
1919.
In conversation with a number of |
French children he learned of few
graves at Larocque and that one of |
he graves bore the name of Gordon. |
Going to the little burial ground Philip |
Gordon came upon the grave of his |
1rother, the name being plainly marked
IN the cross together with the regi
nent and division. There were only a
ew bodies buried there, includingNsome /
iermans, Frenohman and two Ameri
ans. The grave of Pfivate Gordon had
French people who had returned to
heir homes after the departure of the
Germans
Having notified his parents Of the
hiding Of the grave, Philip Gordon re
urned TO his station in. Brest; and
he parents, in turn, notified the army /
department. of their desire to have the 4
'ody returned to the United States so I
hat it could find final resting place
n the city, where Private Gordon had
een born and brought up. So the BODY
) now on the last lap of the. long jour
ey from the place where he gave his
lie.
Private Gordon was 26 years OF age
'hen the soldiers death came to him. /
lie spent the greater part of his life in
.arre but just b bore the outbreak of !
he war was residing in New York !
tate, where he had enlisted in the New 8
'ork National Guard prior to the out {
reak on the Mexican border. He served
18th the New York troops There and
hen the war with Germany broke out I
e re.entered the same troops and made ,
lady to 90 overseas 4
Besides his parents. he leaves three 5
rothers and one sister, the brothers 7
eing Philip. John A. and Norman Cor {
on and the sister being Miss lillian c
ordon. As already stated ali four a
oys went to war. all being engaged in a
merssn service except John A. Cor i
1n who, because of poor eyesight, was ?
nable 10 get into American service but a
no entered the French Red Cross am i
llance service and, at the time of the 5
S.s training for an officer in d
Ie French army