ɪn fˈækt ɪt bɪkˌeɪm ɐ sˈoːɹs fɔːɹ hɪz ˈɑːɹt æz ɹᵻlˈeɪɾᵻd tə hɪz mˈʌðɚ baɪ hɪz tʃˈʌm; "...wˌɛn ðɛɹ kˈɑːnvɔɪ wʌz bˈɑːmd, æz ɪt fɹˈiːkwəntli wʌz, dʒˈɑːn wʊd dᵻlˈɪbɚɹˌeɪtli ɡˌoʊ ˈaʊt wɪð hɪz skˈɛtʃ bˈʊk ænd pˈɛnsəl ænd skˈɛtʃ ˈɛvɹɪθˌɪŋ ɪn sˈaɪt, ɪspˈɛʃəli ðə fˈeɪsᵻz ʌvðə lˈædz æz ðeɪ ɹˈæn fɔːɹ kˈʌvɚ."
In fact it became a source for his art as related to his mother by his chum; "...when their convoy was bombed, as it frequently was, John would deliberately go out with his sketch book & pencil and sketch everything in sight, especially the faces of the lads as they ran for cover."