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 Doctor, Death's Head once 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 his mother, 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 Death's Head "Jerry's new secret weapon". (DH: ''Time Bomb!)

Other accounts were less certain of the date, variously placing it in either 1914 (NA: Death and Diplomacy) or 1917. (EDA: Eater of Wasps) John Jarrow and Roger Gleave both fought and 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. (EDA: 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 in 1916. However, within the Doctor Who universe, the date is disputed with the sources contradicting one another.
 * DH: 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". In any event, the Second Battle has likely never been mentioned in the DWU.