If You Could See: Sketches of the Great War by R. H. Rabjohn

"…it's a story of unmitigated horror, highlighting more than any textbook the futility of war. This unique compilation of firsthand impressions of the Great War will be a valuable resource for…[anyone]…with an interest in this turning point in world history." Kirkus Starred Review.

Russell Rabjohn was just eighteen years old when he joined up to fight in the First World War. In his three years of soldiering, he experienced the highs and lows of army life, from a carefree leave in Paris to the anguish of seeing friends die around him. Like many soldiers, he defied army regulations and recorded everything he saw and felt in a small pocket diary, but Private Rabjohn was a trained artist, and as such he was assigned to draw dugouts, map newly captured trenches, and sketch the graves of his fallen comrades. This allowed him to carry an artist's sketchbook on the battlefield—a freedom he put to good use, drawing everything he saw. Here, in vivid detail, are images of a shell exploding amidst a platoon of soldiers on the crowded streets of Ypres; the captured pilot of a downed German aircraft; the trials of the men, mules and horses in the horrific Flanders mud; a German observation balloon exploding in midair; and the jubilant mood in the streets of Belgium when the Armistice is finally signed. The dramatic images are accompanied by extracts from his pocket diary and carefully researched text that place Rabjohn's experiences of war in a broader context. With no surviving veterans of the First World War, Rabjohn's drawings are an unmatched visual record of a lost time.

If You Could See: Sketches of the Great War by R. H. Rabjohn was originally published in 2017 in hardcover as A Soldier's Sketchbook The Illustrated First World War Diary of R. H. Rabjohn. This new paperback edition contains the entire original work and adds a new appendix presenting an extensive collection of previously unseen drawings. The result is a wonderfully detailed and dramatic account of the war as seen through an artist's eyes.

"…a captivating introduction to the realities of the Great War." Booklist

"With excellent use of illustration and original diary notes this book tells a terrible yet fascinating story of World War I. A brilliant book expertly done...it should appeal to many, young and old alike. Highly recommended." Amazon Reviewer