THE FATE OF A GISBORNE SOLDIER.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLVIII, Issue 4459, 29 January 1917, Page 5

THE FATE OF A GISBORNE SOLDIER.

TEMPORARILY MOURNED FOR DEAD. A STIRRING INCIDENT IN THE BATTLE OF THE SOMME. NOW A PRISONER IN A HUN CAMP. It is now known for certain that Private H. J. Poole, who was formerly in the employ of Messrs. Aicken and Co., timber merchants, of Gisborne, as yard foreman, wa s not killed in the battle of the Somme, but is a prisoner of war in Germany. On November 18, a friend of Private Poole, then in No. 2 General Hospital at Walton-on-Thames, wrote to Mr. Y\ alker, of this town, detailing the events of September 20, on the night of which date Private Poole wa s missed. This was in keeping with a solemn promise which, both had made to one another, that, in the' event of anything untoward happening to either and the other surviving, word should be forwarded to the relatives. It was stated that this particular battalion attacked and captured a section of German trench. Next afternoon the Huns counter-attacked in a determined manner. The attack wavered .before reaching their trench and the Colonials went out to meet the Huns with the bayonet. They had not gone iar when Private Poole was hit, and, as far as the writer knew, killed instantly. .The writer was caught by the same machine gun burst, and was only just out of Tied as a sequel to a severe c'aest wound. Pie was, he thought, the sole survivor of this particular section to which Private Poole and himself belonged. Four days later, however, the writer was surprised to read in the London Times that Private Poole was reported as a. prisoner of war in Germany, and he despatched a further letter to Mr. Walker and Mrs. Poole. Pie could not at first credit the good news, for he had actually seen Private Poole fall. What was more, he had compared notes with others who were in the charge and they had all come to the same sad, but imppily quite erroneous, conclusion tnat Private Poole had been killed. The writer said that he had at once got into touch with the High Commissioner and with the N.Z. M ar Contingents’ Association on the matter, providing them with the- address of Private Poole’s mother. He added, “You cannot tell how much I rejoice at t-oe good news. Harry alone can tell what really happened.’ 5 The grand news that Private Pome is alive and in Germany^is'confirmed by some communications which Mrs. Poole has received at her home m Latrobe, in Tasmania. It appears that Sir Thos. Mackenzie has written to Mrs. Poole as under:— •Y wish to send you my most hearty congratulations upon tiny news that your son is after all &hv e and a prisoner in Germany. Hie first news of tile fact that he imd been captured came in a postcard addressed to myself, and I enclose copy of it, as you will doubthss_ be glad to know what he wrote. Immediately upon receipt of the postcard orders were given that a weekly parcel of bread should be sent to your son through Switzerland, a weekly feed parcel from London, a complete shaving and toilet set, including a safety razor, and tobacco and cigarettes "ill be sent to him periodically. I hope that your son may bo recovering from bis wounds, which, however, seem to be severe.’’ The card which Private Poole sent to the High l Commissioner stated that he was rather badly wounded; that he had been in hospital ever since, and .so far had been well treated, and that the wound was improving steadily.