Tolkien and World War I

[Kuruharan]

As today is the centennial anniversary of the start of World War I, I have been working today on a post drawing from Tolkien's letters and other writings about how his experiences helped shape his writings.

Alas, my save file became corrupted and I lost what I was working on.

So instead I mark the day by leaving a quote by him of what it was like when he left Edith to join the B.E.F.

Parting from my wife then ... it was like a death
-Taken from Tolkien and the Great War by John Garth

[Inziladun]

As a general observation, I see echoes of the trenches in the Battle of the Pelennor, and, just maybe, of dogfighting Sopwith Camels and Albatroses in the aerial conflict between the foes in the War of Wrath.

But Eärendil came, shining with white flame, and about Vingilot were gathered all the birds of heaven and Thorondor was their captain, and there was battle in the air all the day and through a dark night of doubt.

The Silmarillion Of the Voyage of Eärendil

I can see Tolkien gazing into the sky at spitting machine gun rounds and smoking aircraft, thinking of the ruin of Morgoth. Probably only a fanciful imagining of my part, though.

[Tuor in Gondolin]

And JRRT lost two of his three close schoolboy chums (of the T.C.B.S.) in the war.