New Hampshire WWI Military: Private Thomas Daudier of Manchester NH (1889-1918)

Thomas Joseph Daudier was born 1 October 1889 in Biddeford, Maine, one of 13 children, and son of Thomas & Madeline (Bois) Daudier. He grew up in Biddeford Maine, and by 1910 had married Rosealma Bastarache. They had one child, Conrad Daudier.

In 1917 Thomas Daudier and family had moved to Manchester, New Hampshire where he was working as a driver for the Manchester Coal and Ice Company. They lived at 447 Rimmon Street. He, like other men his age, filled out his draft registration card that same year and entered the military. He served in Co. H of the 325th Infantry, 163rd Brigade, 82nd Division.

The history of the 325th Infantry Regiment states that they trained at Camp Gordon, Georgia, and were sent to Europe in April 1918, where they received additional training. The regiment was located at the Toul sector from 18 June – 10 August 1918. Then, following ‘a brief rest,’ the regiment returned to the front battle line at St. Mihiel. On 10 October, the regiment was fighting in the Argonne Forest, where he died on 25 October 1918.

“To Conquer Hell: The Meuse-Argonne, 1918” by Dr. Edward Lengel [Youtube Video]

The Washington Herald of 11 December 1918 printed the bad news: “Private Thomas Daudier, Manchester, NH, Killed in Action.” He was 29 years old, and he left behind a young widow and 7-year-old son.

As it was for all those who died in Europe, his body was at first buried near where he fell. When the war ended, his remains were returned to the United States, and he was reinterred in Mt. Calvary Cemetery in Manchester, New Hampshire, where his headstone reads:
THOMAS DAUDIER
SOLDAT MORTAU
CHAMP D’HONNEUR
ARGONNE FRANCE
LE 25 OCT. 1918
325 INF
163 BRIG. 82 DIV. [should be 163 BRIG]
1889-1918

—–PARTIAL GENEALOGY OF THOMAS DAUDIER—–

Thomas Joseph Daudier, son of Thomas & Madelaine (Bois) Daudier, b 1 October 1889 Biddeford Maine [or Canada]; d. 25 October 1918 Argonne Forest, France. He married by 1910 to Rosealma Bastarache. She b. 6 April 1893 d. September 1978.
[Rose SSDI]. One of 13 children. He is buried in Mt. Calvary Cemetery, Manchester, NH.
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1913 Manchester City Directory NH
Daudier Thomas iceman 147 Elm, house 447 Rimmon
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1917 WWI Draft Registration card
Thomas Daudier
447 Rimmon Manchester NH
Born: October 1, 1889
Place: Biddeford Maine USA
occupation: Driver, Manchester Coal U Ice, Manchester NH
Next of Kin: Wife and child, married
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1917 Manchester City Directory
Daudier Thomas (Rosalma) laborer h 447 Rimmon
[only Daudier in this directory]
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1920 US Census > NH > Hillsborough > Manchester > 447 Rimmon St.
Daudier, Rose Alma Head F W 26 widow immigrated 1903/1913 naturalized Canada-French C-F C-F milliner, millinery store
Daudier, Claude, Conrad W M 9 single Maine Maine Canada-French
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1940 US Census > NH > Hillsborough > Manchester
Rose E. Daudier Head F 47 Canada
Conrad Daudier son M 29 Maine bread salesman, bread company
Yvonne Daudier wife F 28 NH stitcher silk factory
Raymond Daudier son M 3 NH [b 14 May 1936, d. 28 Oct 1999 Milford NH]
Antoinetha Laundry niece F 24 NH shoe stitcher shoe factory
7 [Ray Daudier SSDI]
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1922 Manchester NH City Directory
Daudier Rose A widow Thomas milliner 142 Wayne Street, h 447 Rimmon
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Telegraph, The (Nashua, NH) — Friday, October 29, 1999
Raymond C. Daudier, 63, of Milford, died Thursday, Oct. 28, 1999, at Milford Medical Center following a sudden illness. Mr. Daudier was born May 14, 1936, in Manchester, son of Conrad and Yvonne (Huard) Daudier. He had been a resident of Milford for the past 30 years. Mr. Daudier was the husband of Sue Yuan (Chang) Daudier of Milford.Until his retirement, he had been employed by Sanders in Nashua for 30 years. Mr. Daudier served four years in the Air Force.He was educated in the local school system and attended Bishop Bradley High School. Mr. Daudier was a graduate of Wentworth Technical Institute. He was predeceased by his father, Conrad Daudier, who died in 1998. Besides his wife, survivors include two sons, Daniel Daudier and Steven Daudier, both of Milford; three daughters, Judith Merrill of Stratham, Angela Reeve of Hastings, N.Y., and Elizabeth Daudier of Nashua; six grandchildren; his mother, Yvonne Daudier of Amherst. The McHugh Funeral Home in Manchester is in charge of arrangements
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Child of Thomas & Rosealma “Rose” (Bastarache) Daudier:
1. Conrad Paul Daudier b, 27 June 1910 Biddeford Maine, d. 4 June 1998 Hillsborough Co. NH; he m. 19 May 1934 in Manchester NH to Yvonne Huard, daughter of Amedee & Sophie (Boucher) Huard. She b. 5 Dec 1911 in Dunbarton NH, and d 14 April 2006 at CMC Hospital Manchester NH. They had one child, Raymond C. Daudier who was b 14 May 1936 and d. 28 October 1999. [see obituary]

[Editor’s Note: this story is part of an on-going series about heroic New Hampshire men and women of World War I.  Look here for the entire listing].