Remembering World War I Yarmouth Connections

Edward Joseph Gaudette (Gaudet)

Edward Joseph Gaudette (Gaudet) 397672 Private “E” Battery 68 Artillery, United States Coast Artillery Corps February 15, 1887 Melbourne, Yarmouth Co., NS May 6, 1917 Boston, Mass. US 53 East Eagle St., East Boston 30 “Tall” Medium Dark Brown Grey July 7, 1918 Motorman, Boston Elevated Rail Road Co., East Boston, US Single Roman Catholic March 18, 1919 November 21, 1944 Holy Cross Cemetery, Malden Mass. US One of sixteen children,Edward Joseph Gaudet (Gaudette) was the son of Timothy Olivier Gaudet (1856–1923) and Maria Vénérante (Comeau) Gaudet (1862 - 1903). Brothers, Rene Paul Gaudet, and Timothy Gaudet served with the Canadian Army in World War I. Born on February 15, 1887 in Melburne, Edward was living in East Boston in 1917 and completed the required US Draft Registration. At the time he was living at 28 Stanton St., Boston. Prior to his service he was employed as a Motorman with the Boston Elevated Rail Road Co., in East Boston. He served in the Artillery during World War I between July 7, 1918 and March 18, 1919. After his war service he returned to his former employment. On June 28, 1921 he married Mary Florence Meuse (1893–1991). They had four daughters and two sons. On April 27, 1942, Edward completed a World War II US Draft Registration Card. The family was living at 28 Stanton St., Malden, Mass. He was fifty-five years of age. He died two years later on November 21, 1944. His son, Edward Joseph Gaudette (1924-2003) served during World War II. He enlisted on January 5, 1944 and served as 2nd Lieutenant US Marine Corps during World War II.

Name: Service No: Rank: Battalion: Date of Birth: Place of Birth: US Registration: Place of Registration: Address at Enlistment: Age at Registration: Height: Complexion: Hair: Eyes: Military Service: Trade: Martial Status: Religion: Date of Discharge: Date of Death: Cemetery:

The Gaudette family (1940)

Edward wrote the following letters to Addie Boudreau who was a friend, also from Melbourne, Yarmouth Co., NS. Addie would marry Edward’s brother, Rene Paul Gaudet on November 18, 1919 at Wedgeport, Yarmouth Co, NS. Fort H J. Wright July 19, 1918 Dear Friend It is with pleasure that I sit down to drop you a few lines to let you know that I am well and hope you are all the same. Well, Addie, I suppose you will be surprised when you get this letter for I have not written for quite a long while. I was always too busy, but since I got in the army I have lots of time to write. I like the army fine. I passed my physical examination for overseas. I expect to go across most any time after the first of August and I would rather go to France at once than stay in camp on this side for the sooner I go over the sooner I will get back. I am one hundred and twenty miles from Boston. I have been here two weeks next Sunday and the first chance I get I am going to Boston on a visit. I think that that will be in about two weeks more I have been feeling kind of sick since yesterday for I got vaccinated and inoculated for the second time yesterday morning and it is not very pleasant to take. Well, Addie, I want you to write me a good long letter as soon as you can and tell me all the news from around home for I haven’t had a letter since Maggie left their last summer. I wrote to father last week but I don’t know if he will answer or not for he is getting old. I am sorry I could not go home to see the people around there before I got in the army but I sure will go as soon as I can after I get out of this for I would like to see the folks. I suppose those that were little ones running around in their bare feet are grown up so that I would not [know] half of them now for it is near eleven years since I was down there. Well, Addie, how is it that you are not married. If you don’t hurry up the first thing you will know you will be an old maid. You see what I got for being so slow. I am a soldier and when the other three boys are at home having a good time but I don’t think I’d want to change place with any of them for awhile anyway for this is the easiest job I ever had. The only thing about it, the pay is small but no chance to spend money if I have it, for we have a free show every night and it is a good one. We go about four times a week. We are an island about ten miles from the main land and it is a real nice place. It is nice and cool here all the time so it makes it alright for drilling. Well, Addie, as the news are scarce on the island I will close in hoping to hear from you soon, so will say goodbye for this time. I remained a friend, Ned Private Edward J Gaudette Detachment B Fort H G Wright New York

Fort H G Wright July 30, 1918 Hello you little Sweetheart Received your letter today and was glad to hear from you and hear that you all are well and for my part I am the same. Well, Addie, I would like to go home to see you all but I don’t think I can tell a big enough lie to get a pass for we are getting ready to go to France. We are going over soon. I don’t know just when but I will have my Christmas dinner in Paris or near there … We might get orders to go any time now. I am in the Coast Artillery Corps, one of the highest branch in the U.S. Army. We have all six inch guns or bigger and I think we will give the [Germans] something to do when we get there. … I wish we were there now for this getting ready is hard work. We work about twelve hours a day and it is awful hot here and we are on an island and we can’t get a pass to go to the main land. So, you see, we have to stay on the job all the time waiting for orders. So don’t be surprised if you get a letter from me from France. If you answer as soon as you get this, I might be here when it comes and might not. Well, Addie, about the picture. I can’t get any taken for a while yet and I don’t know if I will be able to have any taken before I go over or not but if I do I will send you one just to show you what I’d look like. So, if you get one don’t faint when you look at it for I look worse than I did the last time you saw me if you remember what that was like. I know that I remember what you looked like and I remember the ride you had with me the last day I was down there, for a I was on my way to town to take the boat that night. Say, Addie, about you getting married, you had better wait till I get back from the war and give me a chance. Of course I am not of a widower but an old bachelor and they are just as bad. Now don’t get mad. I did not put that in the letter for you to stop writing for I would like to get news from my old home. I hear from Maggie quite often. I had a letter from her today. She is fine. Well, Addie, I have two stop writing for they are driving us to bed so will close in hoping to hear from you soon. So, goodbye, I remain your friend Private E J Gaudette

Letters: From a collection of letters written to Addie (Boudreau) Gaudet during World War 1. Courtesy of Lucie Leblanc (grand-daughter)