Battle of the Somme
From Tolkien Gateway
The Battle of the Somme was a battle in which J.R.R. Tolkien fought in shortly after receiving his first class degree in literature at Oxford. From July to October of 1916 Tolkien was on active duty until he acquired trench fever and was let go. Many of Tolkien's dearest friends perished during this time and it became a major event in Tolkien's life which reflects in his writings.
