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Clive Staples Lewis joined the Officer Training Corps whilst attending Malvern College in September 1913 and left it on leaving that school in August 1914. He joined the Malvern Contingent of the Oxford University OTC in March 1917. During one of these periods with an OTC he qualified in miniature and 200 yards range musketry.
On 25th April 1917, it was adjudged time for him to move on to join an Officers Cadet Unit. He completed the application form, noting his preference to serve in the infantry, preferably with the King’s Own Scottish Borderers or Royal Fusiliers, or with a horse transport unit of the Army Service Corps. As he was still under the age of 21, the application had to be counter-signed by his father. Character references were gained from his former Schoolmaster at Malvern, Arthur C.Allen, and his tutor, William Kirkpatrick of Great Bookham in Surrey. This action was a voluntary act, for he would not have been compelled to join the army. Conscription had been in force in Great Britain since the introduction of the Military Service Act in January 1916, but was specifically not applied to Ireland.
On 30th April 1917, the Officer Commanding Oxford University Officers Training Corps completed a recommendation that he attend an Officers Cadet Unit. It was noted that he was “likely to make an useful officer but will not have had sufficient training for admission to an OCU before the end of June”. A short medical was undertaken, which reported Lewis as being 5 feet 10 and three-quarter inches tall, weighing 13 Stone. His chest was 34.5 inches fully expanded and 32 at rest. His vision was good.
Lewis was accepted to admission to No.4 Officer Cadet Battalion, on 1st June 1917. This was announced publicly in the London Gazette edition of 12th October 1917. The normal minimum period with an OTU was 4.5 months. 26th September 1917 saw Lewis appointed from the Oxford University OTC to a temporary commission with the rank of Second Lieutenant in the Special Reserve of Officers in the regular army. He was posted to the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion of the Somerset Light Infantry, a depot unit headquartered at Crownhill in South Devon. After only a few days, Lewis was then posted to join the 1st Battalion of his regiment on 16th October 1917, crossing to join them in France on 17th November of that year.
The 1st Somerset Light Infantry was part of 11th Infantry Brigade, in the 4th Division. This was among the most highly regarded of Divisions in the army, having been among the original British Expeditionary Force that had been in action on the Western Front in France and Flanders since August 1914. When Clive joined them they were undergoing a period of reorganisation, while losses incurred at the recent battle of Passchendaele were made good.
He was wounded on 15th May 1918, struck by shell fragments that caused three wounds: to the left chest, which also broke a rib; a superficial wound to the left wrist; and to the left leg.
Although the records of his evacuation as a casualty no longer exist, it is possible to guess that after receiving first aid at his regimental aid post and at the 11th Field Ambulance, he would have been moved to No. 58 Casualty Clearing Station in Lillers. We know he was moved on to Etaples, to one of the base hospitals there. This would have been one of No. 6 British Red Cross Hospital, No. 23 General Hospital, No. 28 General Hospital, No. 46 Stationary Hospital or No. 56 General Hospital.
On 22nd May 1918 after almost a week of treatment, Clive was embarked at Calais, arriving at Dover on the same day. There is no record of the hospital that he attended, although a medical report after examination at Millbank on 11th June 1918 showed that the two lesser wounds were healing well, but the chest wound was continuing to give cause for concern.
He remained in hospital until 24th December 1918 and was demobilised on this day too.
Clive wrote to War Office on 18th January 1919, enquiring about his pension or gratuity. Shortly after this, on 4th February 1919 a letter arrived from the War Office stating that he was due nothing. His father wrote indignantly on 5th March 1919 that they should reconsider. Unfortunately there is no record of the official reply.
Clive Staples Lewis is better known as C.S. Lewis, the author of, among other works, the Chronicles of Narnia. Click here for a biography.
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