Battle of the Somme

According to one account, the Battle of the Somme — also called the First Battle of the Somme — was a major battle of World War I that took place in 1916. Whilst searching through time for the Seventh Doctor, Death's Head materialised on the battlefield in the "no man's land" between the British and German lines. He mistook a German tank for his mother, then realised it wasn't and fired upon it. Before he could do more damage, he was again pulled through time by the Intra-Venus, Inc. time machine he was wearing. Mystified British soldiers thought that Death's Head was "Jerry's new secret weapon." (COMIC: Time Bomb!)

Richard Hadleman was killed in a poison gas attack during the battle. (PROSE: Human Nature)

The Sontaran soldier Brak witnessed the battle, and was captured by Britain shortly after it. (AUDIO: Old Soldiers)

Other accounts were less certain of the date, placing it in either 1914 (PROSE: Death and Diplomacy) or 1917. (PROSE: Eater of Wasps) John Jarrow and Roger Gleave each fought. Jarrow was killed.

Fitz Kreiner tried to stir memories of the battle within Gleave, after he was taken as a host by wasps affected by an alien device. (PROSE: Eater of Wasps)

Do you remember what the Somme looked like afterwards? All churned‐up mud, without a single tree or building left standing? Blasted and blasted until there was nothing but… well, desolation.Fitz Kreiner

Behind the scenes

• In reality, the battle took place from 1 July to 18 November 1916. However, within the Doctor Who universe, the date is disputed with the sources contradicting one another.
• COMIC: Time Bomb! does actually specify it as the "First Battle of the Somme", which is the most technically correct designation. Nevertheless, "Battle of the Somme" generally means to most people the 1916 action, not the 1918 "Second Battle of the Somme". The Second Battle has likely never been mentioned in the DWU.