"I was there" with the Yanks on the western front, 1917-1919

In this intimate memoir, a young American private recounts a year behind the wheel of a French army truck and another year in the infantry, sketching the daily life of the doughboy on the Western Front. His drawings, first published in wartime newspapers, capture everything from mud‑caked trenches and makeshift helmets to quiet moments of camaraderie among soldiers. Accompanying verses add a poetic rhythm to the visual record, giving voice to the sights and sounds of 1917‑1919 France.

The book weaves together sketch after sketch, each annotated with terse, often wry commentary that reveals the absurdities and hardships of front‑line service. Readers glimpse the routine of waiting in endless supply lines, the strain of cold, rain and rationing, and the fleeting kindness of letters from home. Though the author admits his artistic skill falls short of conveying the full horror, the collection stands as a vivid, human snapshot of a generation caught in an unprecedented conflict.