I got my first real bad impression of French troops today.

Late in the evening of November 26, 1918, SSU 647 received orders to move from the comforts of Nancy to the town of St. Avold, 75 km to the northeast near the present-day border with Germany. While excited to be going into Germany proper, the order to move was a bit of disappointment for the men as they had expected to stay in Nancy to celebrate Thanksgiving; they'd already bought all the food. Now they had to take it on the road.

An ancient town that has seen many invasions, St. Avold changed hands between the Germans and French several times in recent centuries; it's been in French hands (mostly) since 1918. Just north of the city center is the Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial. The largest U.S. military cemetery in Europe, it is the final resting place of more than 10,000 Americans who died in WWII advancing against the Siegfried Line.

Wednesday, November 27, 1918:

Everything set to roll at 10 a.m. except two cars -- 17 and 20. We managed to get 17 started after drying his plug wires. 20 wouldn’t go so at 11 a.m. we pulled out leaving Anderson with Fraser to follow us when they were fixed up.

No sooner had we left Nancy than we began to hit French troops moving up -- infantry, artillery and supply trains. It looked like a whole army moving up. By 1 o’clock traffic was hopelessly tied up. Our convoy got split up and cars dropped out with engine trouble because of the hard running. 

I got my first real bad impression of French troops today. They deliberately blocked us at every chance. Wagons were driven across the road purposely to stop us so that we could not pass them. The infantry threw insinuating remarks our way and were intentionally mean. I can’t understand it. Are they no longer grateful to us? Don’t they want us over here? Or is it because of some unfortunate experience with somebody of ignorant Americans? One French infantryman shouted as we passed, “It’s the Americans! Don’t let them pass! They have done nothing but pass us since they declared war and now it’s our turn.” 

Finally, about dusk we drew the convoy off on a side road and made note of those present. Ahlers had returned to Nancy when about 15 km out with a burned bearing. McEnnis had burned out his low-speed transmission band and was left until tomorrow when we will send down after him. We decided to make our destination tonight if it took all night to do it so we pushed on in the dark. Risley dropped behind to wait for the truck; I took the rear to pick up the stragglers. At Château-Salins, Titchner ran into a hole in the road and smashed his front end all to pieces. I left him there with Rorty promising succor tomorrow. Before Woodie and I had picked up the convoy again we ran on to Kirkpatrick with engine trouble. We fixed him up and went on. Roads had cleared up with darkness and we met very little traffic. Wonderful roads! Soon ran on to Kerr (motor trouble). Kirkpatrick kept on going. Fixed Kerr up and started on. Picked up Kirkpatrick again at Landron where he was inquiring the road. We three cars went on together, Kerr in the lead and Woodie and me in the rear -- nothing but dim kerosene lights in the outfit. We made good time, however, over excellent roads. Stopped several times to inquire our way and once in a cafe for a beer. With the exception of French soldiers in these towns nearly everybody was German with whom we tried to talk (with very discouraging results) and some seemed none too glad to see us. 

We pulled in to St. Avold about an hour before the convoy. How we missed them I don’t know. We must have come another road. We met our Lieut. who had our quarters arranged. The D.S.A. to whom we were to report were very nice about our being about 4 hours late (D.S.A. - Divisionaire Service Automobile). We ate a fine supper in town, ordered in German from German-speaking people, before the convoy came up. Food shortage in Germany seems to be a joke. We ate beef steak, German-fried potatoes, bread (good bread), salad, coffee with sugar and milk and sweetened cookies for 4 fr. 50 c. -- cheaper than at Nancy. The people in the Cafe are very agreeable though they do speak nothing but German. It’s hard to tell where their sympathies lie. The bar tender wears an iron cross and as we ate, two Boche soldiers in uniform came in and sat near us and drank their beer. The town is full of French soldiers. St. Avold is divisional h.q. -- a very nice town. We are told we were lucky to be permitted to come here because it is the h.q.