The Boy Volunteers on the Belgian Front — Reading Companion

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In Category - School Stories

Authors: Ward, Kenneth Digital Source: Project Gutenberg Gutenberg Release Year: 2017 First Publication Year: Not confirmed

Key Word: War stories; Spies -- Juvenile fiction; World War, 1914-1918 -- Campaigns -- Belgium -- Juvenile fiction Target Reader: Readers of public-domain and historical texts

Book Edition: Project Gutenberg digital edition Book Language: en

Edition facts

Words 42,181

Reading time 184 min

Text sections 18

The Boy Volunteers on the Belgian Front — Reading Companion can be approached with a clearer sense of reading commitment from its source measurements: 42,181 words, 3 hr 4 min estimated reading time, and 18 detected text sections.

The text analysis averages about 15.7 words per sentence, while the detected sections provide another way to judge how the source is divided.

Project Gutenberg metadata also associates the work with “War stories,” connecting these edition facts with the source record’s subject description.

Source: Project Gutenberg record #56195

An editorial note on Kenneth Ward's 1917 boys' adventure novel, examining how the author uses dialogue, historical asides, and physical details to construct a wartime narrative for young readers.

Editorial Edition Score 4.8/5

★★★★★ ★★★★★

Calculated from edition completeness, EPUB availability, text structure and catalogue metadata. Not a user rating.

How this score is calculated

Description quality20 pts
Title & short description10 pts
Source metadata20 pts
Text length15 pts
Chapters / structure15 pts
EPUB file integrity20 pts

Total of 100 points, scaled to a 2.5-5.0 range. Editions with an empty description or a missing EPUB file are not scored.

Edition quality

File: pg56195

Read the Text

here was no time for explanations. The two boys were too excited to think of anything else than the two autos which had now reached the road on which they came.

"Yes, they are coming this way now," said Ralph.

"Can we beat them?" asked Alfred.

"Well," replied Pierre, after some reflection, "the car ahead is a racing Mercedes."

The boys knew what that meant.

"What'll they do if they catch us?" said Ralph, as his eyes expanded and he nervously glanced back.

Pierre merely shook his head and remained silent.

The Mercedes was not gaining, however. The second car was trailing along some distance in the rear.

"Hurrah for Belgium!" shouted Pierre, as he gazed forward intently and nodded in the direction of two low structures which were now plainly visible at the sides of the roadway. The boys saw a distinctive flag on each building.

Pierre's hand was on the throttle as he neared the frontier, but he held the lever without drawing it back, while the car sped on. He gave two blasts on the horn, and repeated the signal.

In Europe every road which crosses the frontier has two sets of guards, one belonging to each country, and it is necessary for every one crossing the line to make a formal entry under the inspection of a government official.

No one appeared in the road in front of the lodges but it was a hazardous thing to cross the border without stopping, as the guards were authorized to shoot anyone who refused to halt, and the boys were equally aware of this danger in attempting such an escapade.

They were now not a hundred feet from the posts which marked the frontier and the speed of the car was not cut down. They were surprised to see Pierre's right hand withdrawn from the lever while he leaned forward and grasped the steering wheel with an intense grip.

ZIP! They shot past the boundary line without a challenge. The flag on the first lodge was German, indicated by the three horizontal stripes, black, white and red, and the flag on the other building had three vertical stripes, black, yellow and red, the colors of Belgium.

The car fairly sizzled as it glided forward on a road that wound around a long curve parallel with the river and they had an excellent opportunity now to watch the pursuing car.

"That has a cross on the side of it, see?" said Ralph.

"It is a German military car," said Pierre.

"But why did they cross the frontier; and what right have they to try and to run us down, here in Belgium?" asked Alfred.

"Because Belgium is now at war with Germany," answered Pierre.

The boys drew back in astonishment.

"Since when?" asked Ralph.

"Since five o'clock last night," was Pierre's reply.

"When did you hear about it?" asked Alfred.

"While we were getting our luncheon at Dann," said Pierre.

"Is that why you were in such a hurry to start?" asked Ralph.

"Yes," was the reply.

The Mercedes now appeared to be gaining. It was becoming very exciting now to the boys, because the news stimulated their imagination. The pursuing car swung around the last curve in plain sight, but the other car was far in the rear. An officer could be seen in the front seat leaning out, with a gun pointing toward them and at the next turn of the road he deliberately fired.

The boys heard the crack of the rifle and in another instant were on the floor of the car, shielded by the rear seat. A hundred feet farther and there was a second explosion, much closer and more ominous than the noise of the gun. The machine gave a sudden lurch, and the boys arose, grasped the back of the front seat as Pierre shouted: "There it goes! It's all up!"

Pierre gained control of the machine which had violently swung to one side, but he did not slacken its speed.

They had barely time to recover from the shock when they were aroused by a fusilade of shots, and in a half-dazed condition they felt the shock of a suddenly-stopping car, and hear Pierre shout:

"Hurrah for the chasseurs!"

Alfred was the first to lean out and take note of the quickly passing events.

"Oh, look! see the horses leap the fences," he said.

The machine stopped dead still. The crashing noise of the horses and the shouts of the men held their attention.

Ralph opened the door of the car in excitement, as he sang out:

"Look at the machine back there; it's trying to turn around; it's starting."

Continue Reading →

Kenneth Ward's The Boy Volunteers on the Belgian Front (1917) opens with an interrupted train journey, immediately establishing a pattern of abrupt, event-driven plotting. The author's diction leans toward the expository: characters often state what they see or have just learned, as when Ralph identifies the train-stoppers with a simple declarative sentence. This directness, paired with frequent shifts between action and historical digression, shapes the book's particular rhythm.

Dialogue as Information Delivery

Ward uses dialogue primarily to convey facts rather than to develop character. When Ralph says, “They are the fellows who stopped our train,” the line serves to label the antagonists for the reader. Later, Alfred’s remark about being wounded—“it’s something to get in the way of a bullet that has been shot by an enemy for the purpose of killing”—reads less as natural speech and more as a moral summary. The surrounding men’s reaction (“turned their heads away”) suggests the author intends this as a moment of reflection, yet the phrasing remains instructional. Throughout the excerpts, exchanges between the boys rarely diverge from the immediate situation; they report, explain, or react in ways that keep the plot moving forward without much interiority.

Historical Digressions and Their Function

In Chapter X, Ward pauses the narrative to describe Belgium’s limestone quarries, an old Roman road, and battles from 1693 and 1793. The passage asserts that “it is no wonder that their proximity to the great battlefields should make the Belgians good soldiers,” linking geography to national character. This digression is typical of the book’s method: the author inserts mini-lectures on local history, often tied to the setting. The commander, “a descendant of a famous family,” serves as a conduit for this information. These asides break from the boys’ immediate experiences, offering a wider historical frame that the young protagonists themselves do not comment on. The effect is a layered text where adventure and textbook-like exposition coexist.

Physical Details and the Wounded Body

Ward pays careful attention to the physical consequences of war. Ralph is weakened by loss of blood and carried on a caisson, while Alfred is “too fatigued to care where he slept.” The author specifies that Ralph could only sleep “after he became accustomed to the rolling motion of the heavy ordnance wagon,” a concrete detail that grounds the adventure in bodily experience. The contrast between the two boys—one injured, one exhausted—creates a quiet differentiation in their roles. Alfred’s regretful tone about not being wounded, and Ralph’s brightening face, hint at a hierarchy of valor tied to physical sacrifice. These details, though sparing, give the narrative a tactile quality that the more abstract historical passages lack.

Night Operations and Tactical Description

The account of the night march toward Tongres is rendered with procedural clarity: the corporal makes rounds, picket patrols are gathered, the retreat is “effected without the knowledge of the Germans.” Ward specifies times (“promptly at twelve,” “at two in the morning”) and movements (the force halts, rests, moves on). Alfred finds the night operations “fascinating,” but the description itself remains functional, emphasizing order and silence. The author’s choice to detail the handling of guns and the composition of the rear guard reflects an interest in military mechanics. For a young reader, these passages offer a step-by-step view of troop movement, turning the chaos of war into a series of manageable, almost procedural steps.

Readers attentive to authorial craft will notice how Ward balances boyish dialogue, historical asides, and tactical detail. The book does not aim for psychological depth; instead, it builds a world where information—whether about a Roman road or the proper way to move artillery—is part of the adventure. The excerpts suggest a work that instructs as much as it entertains, embedding lessons about history, geography, and military procedure within a straightforward narrative of two American boys at war.

I remember sitting with my grandfather’s old war stories, feeling the weight of those boy adventurers’ choices. This companion’s careful notes on dialogue reminded me of how another book, The Boy Traders; Or, The Sportsman's Club Among the Boers — Themes and Context, once gave me that same quiet ache—boys learning duty not from speeches, but from the dirt and silence between words. Both linger like afternoon shadows.

Luke Harris

2 weeks ago

5 out of 5 (1 User reviews )

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Jane Sullivan - 1 month ago

An interesting story set during World War I, focusing on a group of boy volunteers. The historical backdrop is well-researched, and the action is stirring. However, the characters sometimes feel a bit flat, and the dialogue can be stilted. Still, it's a worthwhile read for those interested in the era.

Darryl Wiley - 1 month ago

A gripping and educational read that brings the Belgian front to vivid life. The young volunteers' bravery is inspiring, and the historical details are accurate and immersive. You feel as if you're right there with them amid the trenches. It's both an exciting adventure and a poignant reminder of the sacrifices of war. Highly recommended for history buffs and adventure seekers.

Tommy Hill - 2 weeks ago

Unfortunately, this book doesn't live up to its adventurous premise. The plot is thin, and the characters are underdeveloped, making it hard to care about their fate. The potentially gripping historical setting is undermined by clunky dialogue and a lack of emotional depth. It reads more like a tame textbook than a thrilling story.