The Trenches

My Story: Boys

by Jim Eldridge

Part of the million-selling MY STORY series that brings the past into the real world, giving it a truly human touch. TRENCHES is set in 1917 and is the story of Billy Stevens, a telegraph operator, stationed near Ypres. The Great War has been raging for three years when Billy finds himself taking part in the deadly Big Push. But he is shocked to discover that the bullets of his fellow soldiers aren't just aimed at the enemy. Vividly imagined and historically accurate, readers are taken on a first-hand journey of danger and peril.

Genres: Historical Fiction, War, Historical, Fiction, World War I, Middle Grade, Childrens

128 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 19, 2002

About the author

Jim Eldridge is the author of many books for children, including titles in the My Story series, the Warpath books, and How to Handle Grown-Ups. He has had 250 TV scripts broadcast in the UK and internationally for children's and teen television, and is also the creator and writer of Radio 4's long-running comedy-drama series, King Street Junior.

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Billy Stevens is a young man from England when WW1 Starts. He and his friend Rob decide that they want to join up believing that the war won't last very long and that by joining up they will have a grand adventure. Sadly many other boys had the same idea. The only thing they and the other did not realize was how god awful war really is. Rob is sent to the front lines to fight, Billy is sent to be an engineer working on telegraph equipment where he and 6 others lay cable so that the commanders can communicate with the front lines. Billy finds out very quickly that he is not even really safe there and soon finds out how wrong he was in thinking war would be a grand adventure.

This is the 3rd book this year that I have read about the fighting on the front lines in WW1. I knew very little about this time except some basic information I learned in school a million years ago. The information is interesting and informative and I will keep looking for more on this subject.

[Gerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the 'My Story' series this novel tells the tale of 16-year-old Billy Stevens who joins up and is assigned to the Royal Engineers. At home in Carlisle he wishes he were able to go to the front but, after a spell of training and more training, once he is there it is a slightly different matter. However, he is with his friends so he, and they too, make the most of it.

He tells his story vividly and the reader really gets the feel for life in the trenches with all the mud, bullets, constant rain and the officer/men relationship. After various sorties, and some near misses, on the battlefield he ends up at Passchendaele where he even spends an interesting Christmas Day there when he and his friends consort with the Germans, even singing Christmas carols together.

He sees the futility of war with first one side and then the other gaining as little as 100 yards before conceding it in the following attack. He loses many of his pals, one of the bravest who is shot for cowardice as he refused to follow orders and go over the top for the umpteenth time.

Eventually wounded he returns to his family in Carlisle where he was just grateful not to have been one of the 4,256,528 that were killed in the battlefield conflicts and where he campaigns for his late pal to be included on the war memorial that had been erected as he knew that he was one of the bravest men who fought in the war.

The book, which has a useful timeline at its conclusion, really does bring life in the trenches in the period 1914-18 to life and the reader will be very definitely be mud spattered and shell-shocked at the end of this enthralling read!

[fleur romy · Rating 3 out of 5]

*read for school*

This story takes place during the First World War and we see it happening from a 16 year old soldier, Billy Stevens. Billy and his friend Rob go fight in the war but it is very different then they expected.

So just 2 weeks ago I learned in history about the war and I processed it but not in this way. If you see what is happening inside the soldiers heads, you can feel the war. I liked this but it wasn’t that impressive.

*** stars, I liked the story but I didn’t feel it.

[Suad Shamma · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was definitely a very interesting perspective on the war from a young man's personal - albeit fictional - experience of being assigned to the trenches. He is stationed near Ypes as a telegraph operator, even though he dreams of being able to fight with the soldiers up front, with his best friend. However, Billy soon realizes that down at the trenches, things aren't as simple as they look and he experiences the horror of being stuck there when things get bad. He witnesses many of his closest friends dying, and he learns that anything he sees or hears happening around him is not to be spoken of. He is to pretend he does not exist. Orders have to be obeyed, no matter what they may be, or you'll find yourself with a bullet in your back...by one of your own.

This was quite a good book, not as exciting as some of the others in the series, but definitely good. I enjoyed reading it, and I found myself learning so much about the war in the trenches.

[John Naylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fictional book based on true events surrounding World War 1 and the soldiers in it.

This is a better book than the one I read last on World War 2 from the same series. It has a stronger story and characters. The main character not starting out as a trench soldier in the war does add to the story. I think some who is eight to twelve years old would enjoy it more.

It does share a few themes with Michael Morpurgo's Private Peaceful which I think is a better read but possibly more suitable for a slightly older audience.

[fenna buren · Rating 4 out of 5]

i had to read this for school but i actually quite enjoyed it:)

[Blake H · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Best Trench

KABOOM! There was an ear splitting roar and I ducked down, hoping not
to be blown to bits or be hit by deadly shrapnel.
Imagine if you were one bullet or one explosive away from death.

This is the story of sixteen year old Billy Steavens, a new recruit in
World War I who must fight for his life in the war. "Mustard gas! A feeling of panic hit me as I scrambled to get my respirator over my face before the killer gas got into my mouth and my nose and burnt my lungs it burnt everything it touched eyes. skin. And it always found a way in. Like now I could feel where it crept up inside my uniform and the skin on my arms felt like they were on fire." pg,57-58]

I believe this is a book for a pretty strong reader. {And it would be good to be at least ten years old.} If you like war books, this is the book for you.

This book was written by Jim Eldridge
The name of this book is called The Trenches.


Historcal facts

-world war one lasted from 1914 -1918
-mustard gas, phosgean gas was both used in world war one
-he war started by the assasanation of the archduke Franz Ferdinand at Sarajevo
-Trench warfare was very unsafe, as it provided the enemies an unmoving, or stationary target

[Lei Koopmans · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Trenches by Jim Eldridge

The Trenches, by Jim Eldridge, is about Steve and his story of going to World War I. This started off by him and his friend Rob going both having the same problem. both their moms didn't allow them to go off to war, so they decided to just sign up without telling their moms. They were accepted, and their dreams to join the war had finally come true. Luckily, Steve was not recruited for the fight, but he was recruited for communication. I'll tell you why in the theme.

I think that the theme of this book is that maybe your dreams are not always really smart, and you should think before you do. This is because Steve wanted to be recruited for the fighting, but was recruited for communication. When he was sending and receiving messages, he could see all these dead people who died fighting, and then realized that he was lucky he was in the communication part of the war. He also keeps repeating this.

I really recommend this book to the people who like adventures. Also the people who liked the following books (1/2): The Boy In The Striped Pajamas, and A Long Way Gone. I say this because in all of these books, the main characters are on a journey with exciting happenings (but sad), and also lose some friends. This book for me was really great and I hope you enjoy it too.

[Devon · Rating 5 out of 5]

The title of this book is The Trenches. The author of this book is Jim Eldridge. I have never read a book from Jim Eldridge but I would like to read another one of his books. The book is about two best friends Billy and Rob who sign up for WW1. Once they get into training Billy gets moved into a engineering group. Once Billy gets to the front he sees how bad it is Billy Finnaly finds Rob. But later Billy finds out that Rob gets killed. Read the book to find out more. I would recommed thos book to any in grade 6 and above and to any one who like military books

My favorite part of the book is when Billy and Rob sign up with out there parents knowing. My least favorite part is when Jed told Billy that Rob died. The main characters in this book is Billy,Rob and Charlie Billys other friend. I like the characters in this book because they are realistic and sometimes funny. This book is defently my favorite book i have read. And there are many more books like this one by Jim Eldrige.

[Joey Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very insightful and interesting read, set during the First World War. The story follows Billy Stevens who at the start of the war wanted to join up and fight for his country having the dreams of what it’s going to be like and the hero he would be, only to be told he was much too young.

As the war goes by and he gets older now working as a telegraph operator for a railway station the pull of the war falling he and his best friend Rob, both not wanting to be cowards and to join, both go against their mothers wishes and sign up. Training ensues but they become separated at Billy’s skills are needed for the engineers. As he heads for the trenches to start fixing the communications, it fastly turns to something he never expected. Seeing first hand how the war was, it was nothing he was expecting and death was surrounding him and looming around him.

It was so fascinating and the Christmas scene had me weeping a little it was beautiful, that one day all the ugliness can stop, they can be friends for one day I adored that. The book was very well written, with clearly lots of thought, care and research having gone into it.

[Bookthesp1 · Rating 5 out of 5]

The My Story series appears to be an inspired series of books and it looks like the publishers and indeed readers are in very capable and safe hands with Jim Eldridge and this book The Trenches- the story of a single soldier and some pals. This is all written as a first person narrative story from the pre war years to Billy Stevens joining up and his service during the war. Eldridge cleverly includes dozens of facts and references that provide full context for events described in atmospheric prose with a very well realised milieu. These books are obviously written for children and indeed my 10 year old son recommended this to me as his favourite amongst the ones he has read at school. It is indeed a good read for any age (though clearly recommended ages apply) and doesn't shy away from horrors of World War One. The narrative is gripping and exciting whilst also managing detail and key moments. The end of the book gives brief but useful full context with timelines and some background. There are also some excellent selected photos that add atmosphere and piquant moments of reflection. A worthy volume and an excellent idea to focus on an ordinary soldier. I will look at other volumes in this series and seek out other work by this author.

[Mark · Rating 1 out of 5]

In defence of this book, I picked it up in a charity shop and did not clock it was aimed at children, presumably as an introduction to the life of the ordinary soldier in the First World War.

Whilst the aim might be laudable, the means are not. This book is filled with every tired trope of First World War history, brave plucky soldiers, lead by callous officers who are incompetent and don’t care for the welfare of their men, who go over the top daily. And here lies the problem. Soldiers, during their spell in the frontline, did not routinely go over the top, it is not credible a solider of 6 months experience had ‘gone over the top more than anyone’ nor that a 16/17 year old has developed deep tactical experience in that time frame. Soldiers being shot for refusing to advance was the exception, not the rule. The Christmas truce, exchanging gifts and singing silent night across no man’s land all exist here again implying but for the politicians the war would be over.

A disappointing reinforcement of poor history.

[Brentman99 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an okay book with some good descriptions. However, a couple of things threw me off.

First, the title says 1914-1918, but Billy wasn't able to enlist until he was 17. So why include 1914-1917 in the title if that period is not covered? That omission was not appreciated.

Second, the book describes the unofficial Christmas truce as if it happened in 1917, which it did not. While the author acknowledges and had a picture from 1914, as a person who is aware of the history, I found this creative license a bit distracting.

Also, I though that the court martial and execution of the friend could have included a bit more detail than it did. There was a big opportunity here that was missed to make an important comment about how soldiers were treated.

Other than the above, I thought that the book was a good quick read about life in the trenches and during the war. I thought there was some good descriptions, but nothing in great detail. Overall, it would be a good introductory to WWI for a middle to lower level high school student.

[Jasmine Inglis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was really good and made you understand just how hard it was for EVERYONE in the war.

The Christmas part was my favorite because i loved how Christmas had brought 2 war struck countries together and they acted like friends even when they were suppose to be killing each other. It was very moving but haunting at the same time.

The fact that they killed Rob was horrible. It was so in humane and i loved his character as well.

Stevens was an interesting character to read from and i was always engineering people etc in the war got off easy apposed to soldiers but this proved me wrong.

I was very short however.

[Niva · Rating 3 out of 5]

I came across this book a few days before my high school graduation. The library of my high school was getting rid of old books, and I always like to read and watch more about war. It never feels like it's enough. It's been more than 100 years since world war 1, weird to think about. This book is a straightforward one, a couple of details with the experience and feelings of a young boy who is, in part of the time it's meant to be set in. Fast and good read, with some sad stuff that is expected of a war.

[Lynda · Rating 5 out of 5]

A simply told tale of complex issues in World War 1. The marvel is how layered this short fiction is.

All sorts of readers will love it, including reluctant readers.

Young Billy Stevens is a fictional character, experiencing the real events of trench warfare. As well as experiencing many battles, we gain insights into his life as an Engineer, and the cabling required to keep vital communications going.

The historical notes and photos at the end are also intriguing

[Adel Fountain · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 7 year old son has been reading paper back bigger books for a year now and picked this one at the local Buckingham University book shop
I was a bit apprehensive about whether he would stick with it but he did
It was informative and didn’t sugar coat anything
It was better researched than some adult books/TV shows
I definitely recommend this book for young adults wanting to get to grips with the Great War and characters they can get on board with

[Mavis Hewitt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written for young people and quite short so an easy read, not one persons story, but a collection many peoples memories turned into a story as though they were one person's, for those who know little about WW1 in the trenches, a good introduction.

[Jer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Similar to Eldridge's other book (Spy Smuggler), it's an easy book to recommend if the subject makes you curious. Though not a true story, it was a fun read that seems to paint a pretty accurate picture of what events were like during the period... and doesn't hold back. The trenches were hell.

[Kamila Zikmundová · Rating 5 out of 5]

Největší překvapení celého mého pídění se po knížkách o 1. světové válce v literatuře pro děti.
Příběh je velmi čtivě napsaný a Jim Eldridge tu strašnou atmosféru války dokázal vykreslit velice sugestivně.

[Meghan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Despite the date range in the cover, about 95% of the story is set in 1917. It was interesting to get the POV of a Royal Engineer, rather than an infantryman, and how their experiences in the trenches differed. Quite a bit of repetition in the text, though.

[Tessie Dragon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tato knížka z pohledu chlapce se mi líbila více než Římská invaze.První světová válka byla doopravdy děsivá a strašná.Zemřelo kvůli ní spousta nevinných lidí.Bylo mi líto Billyho,co všechno si prožil.

[Michael P. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book with my 11 year old son. It was an amazing glimpse into life as a soldier in WWl. I highly recommend this book, especially for someone in the 10-15 age range.

[Tommy]

rip rob

[Philip Baumbach · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short but quite descriptive account of one young man's experiences during the First World War.

[Shauna McLean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice quick book for the end of the term. Very different from the other books we read but most of the kids were actually super into it. Little bit of history as a bonus.

[marina · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[Jasper · Rating 4 out of 5]

The boom of the gunfire. The rumble of the explosions. I could feel it like I was on the battlefield. Jim Eldridge’s “My Story: The Trenches” is truly an amazing work of art. It takes place during World War 1 in Belgium when the Allies are battling the Germans. The story is from the point of view of a fictional character named Billy Stevens from Carlisle, England. He’s a boy that’s 17, after his training to be an engineer in the army of the Allies. He is short, and skinny from the small amounts of food soldiers receive, but he’s strong from the treacherous work that they are assigned. Loyalty is one of his biggest character traits. He is loyal to his country, and hates the Germans, but only to a certain extent. Because of his hatred, he works extremely hard, but he jokes around when he is in a relaxed, or off the battlefield. The battlefield with water filled trenches, and bedraggled men everywhere. The battlefield with gunfire, ear piercing shouts, and explosions that ring in his ears. The smell of smoke, and gunpowder in the putrid air. The battlefield of May through December. The summer humidity, the fall gusts, and the winter chill in this history. This history with a twist, that’s what a historical fiction is, and that’s what this book is. A story with real events like World War 1, and a fictional character like Billy Stevens.
Billy Stevens had signed up to be a soldier, but was later moved to be trained as an engineer for the army instead. As soon as he arrives on the battlefield after training, he gets to work with his co workers. Weeks later, the Allies make a push that involves the engineers greatly, and they gain about 100m, but the victory is shortly lasted when the land is lost. The pushes continue on both sides for a couple of weeks, but all of a sudden Billy is severely burned by mustard gas. He is sent back to HQ until his wounds heal. When Billy returns, he’s shocked to find out that 2 of his co workers had died. A while later, Billy is in sorrow again to find out that his best friend had been killed. The battle continues until Christmas, when ceasefire is adjourned, and gifts are exchanged, giving a break to all on the battlefield. Later on, Billy acquires an injury that makes him unsuitable for battle, ending the story of Billy Stevens.
With this end, I give the book a 4 out of 5 stars. I loved the spectacular detail, and vivid language used to describe the scene in a way like I was there. I also liked how the author displayed the hardships of a soldier. No 5 star, because I enjoy the main character being in the battles more, and not a side piece. This book is for age 9-13 in my opinion. There is an influence of guns, and a lack of action.

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

the author of this book is Billy Stevens and the name of this book is The Trenches.this book is about two young boys in Carlisle they were 15 years old they had a job on the railways and they both decided that they wanted to go to war so they tryed to desscus it with their parents.at first his mom did not want him going to war and his best friend rob was aloud to go. So than he asked his dad and he let him go. Next morning they went and signed up they ask their ages they said 15 and they were a little low on soilders so they said yes.for the next couple of weeks him and his friend rob went to a camp.They pulled him aside and heard that he was a telegrapher and wanted him to do it in the war for them. so he went for training for that a couple more weeks than a bus came and they were off to war. they were off right to the trenches for the first couple of months they were in the trenchs and then they got t go to bar for a little bit to wash their clothes. he saw his friend rob so atleast he was alive he thought. but than back to the trenches and than the germans threw mustard gas and it was right on us so i fell down. i woke up in the hospital . i healed for some days and than went back to the trenches and months and months later i got hit with sharpenal. i had to get amputated in my arm and leg and got sent home. i heard that rob got killed by our own team.I could not put this book down. their was so much detail i got addicted to reading this book. By far this was my favourite book ever.

yes i would recomend this book the was so so much detail. it went on and on that got you thinking what was gonna happen next.It got me in to thinking what war was about.The charcters in this book were always enthusiastic. They were always their for eachother and at times they would crack up some jokes. Even know people are at war doesnt meen they are mean.the setting was very discriptive of where this war was taking place from all the water to all the mud to all the dead bodies. In the trenches there were some rodents everywhere they were rats but the size of a cat.They ate off the bodies.The setting was very interesting just to hear all the discriptive words that their were to dicribe the trenches.

[Connor Francois · Rating 5 out of 5]

there was lots of dying