A Soldier’s Sketchbook | National Geographic

most people call me Joe I’ve earned my
living cartooning and now I’d like to
think I’m a writer too
I’m very proud to have been a World War
two veteran when I first landed in
Marseilles it had already been captured
by the Americans and we were there for a
week or so before they sent us in the
front line so I took advantage of it I
was sketching away among the supplies
that I carried were watercolours paper
of course and I append I use any ink
they didn’t have sharpies in which would
have been wonderful hello 578 the number
indicates how many metres the hill was
tall and this is one of our very first
really difficult battles bullets were
whistling just above our heads and we
hugged the ground beneath us we quickly
full loaded the machine-gun and returned
farther it was the first time we were
under enemy fire there was no mistake in
the danger we were in we didn’t expect
to come out of this engagement alive and
when we did we thought we were living on
borrowed time obviously I couldn’t draw
there I don’t quite remember what I did
if I suspect was right after it came
home with memories were still quite
sharp I know it’s gonna be an artist but
it didn’t occur to me you know I’m on my
way yeah I just did it without any
question about it I just always true and
I still always draw