The War Comes To An End
Nate Arnot, a 26-year-old American stationed in France during World War I, describes his long wait to go home once the war was finally over. For Parts 1 and 2 of this never-before-published diary, click here and here.
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Nov 27, 1918 – Wed. Packing up preparatory to going home today.
Nov 28, 1918 – Thurs. Had a good dinner of roast pig etc. Last meal at Colombey. Left this pm for Cour Cheveny near Blois. Are traveling in box cars – 3 squads to a car. Rations are hard tack, beans, corn willie, tomatoes and jam.
Nov 29, 1918 – Friday – Still going slow but sure. We stop a few hours at every station. Had a wild ride last night – little sleep.
Nov 30, 1918 – Sat. – Passed thru Dijon & Beaume. Much side tracking.
Dec 1, 1918, Sun. – Stopped at Spincoiz and Bruges in the eve. Many people at the station give us reception.
Dec 2, 1918 – Mon. Arrive this am at Ville Trovie [Trovigny] and later at Coeur Cheverny where we are in barracks knee deep in mud. Had some vin in evening.
Dec 3, 1918, Tues. Dodging detours all day. Company goes on hike. Went to town with Knott in eve.
Dec 4, 1918 – Wed. Same as yesterday.
Dec. 5, 1918. Thurs. – B[arrac]ks guard today. Got our clothing records fixed up etc.
Dec 6, 1918 – Friday – Visited Chateau of the Count of Cheverny built in 1633 – Fine old house with many priceless tapestries etc. Class Q.
Dec 7, 1918 – Sat – We were inspected by Gen., had high praise for the Meteor [unit].
Dec 8, 1918 – Sun. – Took a hike today. Waiting orders to go to port.
Dec. 9, 1918 – Mon – Still waiting for orders. Nothing to do but stick around and wine up.
Dec 10, 1918 – Tues. – Raining today. Still waiting to go.
Dec 11, 1918 – Wed – Got orders to go today. Bill Earl argues with Lt. Wheeler.
Dec. 12, 1918 Thurs. Left this am for port – changed cars at Blois and St. Pierre des Corps. Arrived at Tours and slept in hallway of the H.Q. Bldg of S.O.S. A wild night.
Dec. 13, 1918 – Friday. Left at 6 am for St. Nazaire’s. Later: Got to Nantes at 4 pm and are billeted here for some time owing to congested port.
Dec. 14, 1918 – Sat. – Took a walk around this part of Tours. We are in the slums known as Pont Rousseau.
Dec. 15, 1918 – Sun. — Took a long hike up the river with Ponco. Had a good French feed.
Dec. 16, 1918 – Mon. Went into town today. Nantes is a fine city. Fine stores etc. Had a tub bath – Class.
Dec. 17, 1918 – Tues. – Company goes on hike up the river.
Dec. 18, 1918 – Wed. Change of quarters today – Rain all day.
Dec. 19, 1918 – Thurs. – Another hike today – visited a French foundry.
Dec. 20, 1918 – Friday – More hiking. Went to Nantes and visited museum of fine arts etc.
Dec 21, 1918 – Sat – Company hikes again. Morale low these days.
Dec 22, 1918 – Sun – Bummed around all day – Rain all day.
Dec 23, 1918 – Mon. – Same as yesterday.
Dec 24, 1918 – Tues – Took a stroll to the Mad house in eve.
Dec 25, 1918 – Wed – Had a fine feed today. Got orders to go to St. Nazaire tomorrow – Morale high.
Dec 26, 1918 – Thurs – Got all packed up and ready to go when we were put in quarantine for measles – curses – curses!
Dec 27, 1918 – Friday – Stuck around all day in billets.
Dec 28, 1918 – Sat. Cards in am – hike in pm.
Dec 29, 1918 – Sun – Still waiting as usual.
Dec 30, 1918 Mon. – Ditto
Dec 31, 1918 – Tues. Inspection.
Jan 1, 1919 – Wed. – Still in.
Jan 2, 1919 – Thurs – Had bath in Nantes. Some class.
Jan 3, 1919 – Friday – preparing for a final rigid inspection tomorrow.
Jan 4, 1919 – Sat – Rained today – Inspection postponed till Monday. More delay.
Jan 5, 1919 – Sun. – Preparing for inspection.
Jan 6, 1919 – Mon. – Passed inspection today with flying colors
Jan 7, 1919 – Tues – Hike today – Rain – Lukens goes to hospital with pneumonia. & Dick Ellis goes with measles. More quarantine and delay – curses.
Jan. 8, 1919 – Wed – Hike today.
Jan 9, 1919 – Thurs “ “
Jan 10, 1919 – Friday. Lukens dies of pneumonia.
Jan 11, 1919 – Sat. – Funeral of Lukens today.
Jan 12, 1919 Sun. – Nothing today.
Jan 13, 1919 Mon – Rain all day – Loire River is very high covering several streets.
Jan 14, 1919 – Tues – Bath today in Nantes.
Jan 15, 1919 – Wed – Problems & knots today.
Jan 16, 1919 Thurs – Cards and hike today.
Jan 17, 1919 Friday – In strict quarantine again after being darn lax.
Jan 18, 1919 – Sat – Another long hike in am and p.m.
Jan 19, 1919 – Sun – Things as usual.
Jan 20, 1919 Mon “ “
Jan 21, 1919 – Tues – Inspection today. Quarantine lifted.
Jan 22, 1919 – Wed – Good feed in Eve at Madame Houchet’s.
Jan 23, 1919 – Thurs – Went to Nantes for bath. – Visited Museum of Natural History.
Jan 24, 1919 Friday – Company hikes in morning. Snow in Nantes at night
Jan 25, 1919 – Sat. Turned in tent poles & pins. Visited several estates along the Loire with Banks.
Jan 26, 1919 – Sun. – Stuck around the stove all day. Cold wave has arrived.
Jan 27, 1919 – Mon. – Company hikes up the river. Sign the payroll.
Jan 28, 1919 – Tues – Hike down the river Banks. On K.P.
Jan 29, 1919 – Wed. – Bridge in eve at Banks’ room.
Jan 30 – Thurs – Hike today around the “loop.”
Jan 31 – Friday – New clothes issue today.
Feb 1, 1919 – Sat. – Went to commissary on ration detail today.
Feb 2, 1919 – Sun – Bummed around all day – Bridge in eve as usual.
Feb 3, 1919 – Mon. Inspected today by Gen. Pershing et al. Streets of Pont Rousseau were lined with troops for about a mile. Many French make the occasion a holiday.
Feb 4, 1919 Tues – 6th Squad on police detail today. Read all day.
Feb 5, 1919 Wed – Got word of our orders today.
Feb 6-7, 1919 – Thurs – Friday Packed up today and left Pont Rousseau on trucks for the Depot – Arrived in St. Nazaire at 1 am and walked to Camp 1 – The dirty camp. In morning went to Camp 2 – the clean camp – and went thru the delousing plant etc. In barracks at Sec I and very cold and high wind.
Feb 8, 1919 – Nothing today but a little drill and mess formations. Large mess hall, will feed thousands in a short time. Movies in eve.
Feb 9, 1919 – Sunday – Nothing to do but keep warm. Paperwork being finished.
Feb 10, 1919 – Mon. – Passed the final pack inspection today.
Feb 11, 1919 – Tues – Still waiting. Movies in Eve at the . . . Y.
Feb 12, 1919 – Wed – Holiday with nothing to do. German prisoners Drill.
Feb 13, 1919 – Thurs – Agriculture lecture in the Y Auditorium. Movies in eve.
Feb 14, 1919 – Friday – Rain today. No duties.
Feb 15 – Sat – Movies at Y in the eve.
Feb 16 – Sun – Nothing doing today.
Feb 17 – Mon — Capt. Cassidy decorated by French Gen[eral] for bravery at Chateau Thierry. Reg[imental] review follows.
Feb 18 – Tues. Some drill today. Squabble in mess line between lieut[enant]s.
Feb 19 – Wed. – Passed another one of the numerous inspections today.
Feb 20 – Thurs. Nothing unusual.
Feb 21 – Friday – Got our sailing orders today – morale high.
Feb 22 – Sat. – Getting things fixed up to leave tomorrow.
Feb 23 – Sun. – Left camp at 1:00 pm and boarded the “Mongolia” this pm. At 4:00 pm we leave dock and anchor out in the harbor.
Feb 24 – Mon. – Lifted anchor and sailed early this am. Many men are seasick. I am OK so far.
Feb 25, Tues – Am still OK. Lots of the boys a[re] putting up their grub.
Feb 26, Wed – Things are better today. Ocean is more quiet. Only a few are heaving.
Feb 27, 1918 – Thurs. Lat. 45° 30’ – Long 24° 22’. Rather rough.
Feb 28 – Friday. Lat 44° 23’ – Long 31° 13’
Mar 1, 1919 – Sat – Lat 42° 58’ Long 36° 17’
Mar 2, 1919 – Sun – Lat 41° 25’ Long 42° 19’. Everything OK. Calm sea.
Mar 3, 1919 Mon. Lat 39° 28’ Long 48° 36. Very calm today – Bright sun.
Mar 4 – Friday. Lat 39° 38’ 54° 57’ Very rough again. Otherwise nothing unusual.
Mar 5 – Wed 39° 35’ 61° 13’ Calm again. Passed some other ships. School of Whales sighted.
Mar 6 – Thurs. – Cold today. Expect to land tomorrow.
Mar 7 – Friday. Arrived at New York today and received a great welcome – Brass bands etc. Lots of eats put out at the dock. Came by ferry and train to Camp Merritt where we are waiting to go thru the delouser before going to bed. It has been a great day. Best in a long time.
Mar 8 – Sat. Went thru the delouser at 1 am this morning. All our clothes were steamed out and looked like h—l when the job was done. In bed at 4:30 am and up again at 8:00 to move to other barracks.
Mar 9 – Sunday – went to N.Y. today and had dinner with [brother] Paul & [his wife] Hope. Very fine chicken feed. Came back on 11 pm ferry to camp. Rainy day.
Mar 10, 1919 – Mon. – Signed payroll today. Went to a very fair vaudeville at the camp theatre in eve.
Mar 11, 1919 – Tues – Paid today. Sent a package home. Eating lots of fancy stuff these days.
Mar 12, 1919 – Wed. – Meteor [unit] busted up and moved into casual companies according to states. Lt. Weightman [Waitman] addresses bunch for last time. Found Sgt. Hittie as service record clerk at H Co. Casual B[attalio]n. Saw [brother] Paul & Hope in NY – Show etc.
Mar 13, 1919 – Thurs. Moved into Transportation B[arrack]s all ready to go to Presidio S.F. Blakeslee, Knott, Henry, Snyder & I are all that are left of Meteor [unit] here.
Mar 14, 1919 – Friday. Nothing unusual today. Just waiting.
Mar 15, 1919 – Sat. – Rain all day. Nothing to do but eat & sleep.
Mar 16, 1919 – Sun. – More rain etc.
Mar 17, 1919 – Mon. – Attended lecture in afternoon and Vaudeville show in eve.
Mar 18, 1919 – Tuesday – Company formed into Squads etc. today – got charge of 14th squad.
Mar 19, 1919 – Wed. – Orders to leave tomorrow.
Mar 20, 1919 Thurs. – Left Camp Merritt at noon going up Hudson on West Shore line.
Mar 21, 1919 – Friday. Arrived at Niagara Falls early in morning. Had a good view of same. Went thru Canada to Port Huron – Lansing – Battle Creek etc.
Mar 22, 1919 – Arrived in Chicago in am. We are now routed by Santa Fe – Kansas City – 200 miles away – Later – arrived in KC at 10 pm.
Mar 23, 1919 – Woke up in Newton. Red Cross put out sandwiches & coffee etc.
Mar 24, [19]19 – Came thru Arizona – good reception.
Mar 25, [19]19 – Got fine receptions at Bakersfield & Fresno. Lots of eats etc.
Mar 26, [19]19 – Arrived at Oakland woke in early morning. Had eats at the rech & on the pier. Came thru Frisco on trucks. Saw the family for first time in 19 months.
Mar 27, [19]19 – Final physical ex this am
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Happiness awaited Nate after his discharge from the service. He married Ethelyn Ebright in 1920, and their wedding trip included a trip to Lake Tahoe and Yosemite by auto.
Nate died on February 26, 1954 in San Francisco, at the age of 61. He is buried at Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Bruno (San Mateo County), and his military headstone reflects his service as a corporal during WWI. His obituary noted that he had two daughters, and had been “active in his own automobile accessory business in San Francisco for many years.” He was a proud member of the American Legion. Nate’s handwritten diary of his WWI experiences was thoughtfully donated to the Alpine County Historical Society, which kindly gave permission to share his story.