Which country did C.S. Lewis represent as a soldier during World War I?

C.S. Lewis served as a soldier for the United Kingdom during World War I.

Although Lewis was born in Belfast, he served in the British Army during the First World War. He enlisted in 1917 and was commissioned as an officer in the Somerset Light Infantry. His wartime service took him to the Western Front in France.

Lewis fought in the trenches and was wounded at the Battle of Arras in April 1918. He recovered in England, but the experience permanently shaped his views of war, suffering, friendship, and mortality. He was discharged from the army in December 1918 after the war had ended.

Because Lewis was born in Ireland, some accounts loosely describe him as Irish. That reflects his birthplace and cultural background, but his wartime military service was with the United Kingdom’s army. His experiences later informed autobiographical writing, especially the memoir Surprised by Joy.