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Dylan Ferris is not your average history buff.

After receiving “very vague” instructions on a personal project for class, the 10th grader decided to dig a trench so he could sleep like a First World War soldier.

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The trench, about four feet deep and six feet long, is now ready and wide enough to clean a rifle inside.

“It’s basically like a grave with a bunch of dirt piled on the sides,” Ferris said.

There’s a ladder on one side and piles of sandbags stuffed with paper on the other side. There’s even a duckboard to keep from stepping or sleeping on mud.

Photo by Greg Southam / Postmedia

Ferris, 15, holed up Sunday night in a First World War replica sleeping bag, wearing a full uniform and helmet.

Once you’re in “you can’t see anything.”

His friends threw mud at him to simulate bombardment.

Getting sleep in the backyard trench wasn’t easy, he said. His home’s motion sensor shone a harsh light whenever he moved.

Ferris plans to go in again tonight but this time he’s hoping to last 24 hours.