"Communication Trench" is not just another book written about WWI. The author, Will Bird, was a soldier in the trenches. He collected published articles containing facts and ancedotes and compiled them in this book. History buffs will take interest in the unusual and forgotten facts of the War. (ex: "One man was killed every three minutes of the entire four years of the war") More importantly, this is a book for soldiers by a soldier. A modern soldier can read this book and feel a kinship with soldiers living in the front lines in a war almost 90 years ago. ("Our Paddy Flynn liked liquid of any colour, and occasionally got too heavily loaded. One day at Ecoivres he was very late in joining the afternoon parade, having missed his way as he came down from Mont St. Eloi. 'You,' roared Sarge Turner. 'Where have you been?' 'In-in the burying ground', hiccoughed Paddy. Good old Turner was very sentimental. 'Oh, sorry, Paddy,' he said gently. 'Who is dead now?' 'All of thim,' said Paddy as he lurched into his place: 'All of thim.') A great book, for yourself or as a gift.

A remarkable tale of trench warfare written in exceptional detail. Throughout there are bits of humour as well as showing the horrors of combat. The camaraderie between the soldiers is strongly demonstrated as well. A book hard to put down and one is compelled to read it a second time. The author had a brother killed in the First World War and tragically his son was killed in the Second World War. This man knows what he is writing about. Another great book by this author is No Retreating Footsteps.

This book is spectacular. As a 4th year history major (with an emphasis on Canadian military history) I can assure anybody who is looking for details on what it was like for the CEF in the trenches, Bird captures it perfectly.

Other books by CEF Books are just as worthy and deserve to be checked out.