Changes

==Early life==

==Early life==

The second son of Albert James Lewis, a solicitor, and Flora Augusta Hamilton Lewis, whose father was a [[Church of Ireland]] minister, he was born in Belfast [[Ireland]] and [[baptism|baptized]] as an infant in the [[Anglican]] church at St Mark's Dundela, Belfast. Aged 4, after his pet dog "Jacksie" was killed by a car, Lewis declared that ''his'' name was now ''Jacksie''. This later became truncated to ''Jacks'' then ''Jack'', the name used by friends and family for the rest of his life. His older brother was [[Warren Hamilton Lewis]] (1895 - 1973) whom C. S. referred to as "Warnie" and described as "''my dearest and closest friend.''" The brothers formed a very close bond playing together at home, writing and illustrating stories for their fictional world called "Boxen", a world populated by dressed, talking animals, and obviously the precursor of the land of [[Narnia]], the magical land of children's adventures that retell the story of the [[Creation]], [[Fall of Man|Fall]], and [[Redemption]] of humankind. Lewis loved to read, and as his father’s house was filled with books, he felt that finding a book he had not read was as easy as "finding a blade of grass." The "reality" he found on the pages of this extensive library seemed as tangible and meaningful to him as anything that transpired outside in the "real world", and he has said of these childhood years that "''at the age of seven, and eight, I was living almost entirely in my imagination; or at least that the imaginative experience of those years now seems to me more important than anything else.''"<ref>'''Lewis, C. S.''', ''Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life'', London: Harvest Books (1955) ISBN 0-1568-7011-8</ref>

The second son of Albert James Lewis, a solicitor, and Flora Augusta Hamilton Lewis, whose father was a [[Church of Ireland]] minister, he was born in Belfast [[Ireland]] and [[baptism|baptized]] as an infant in the [[Anglican]] church at St Mark's Dundela, Belfast. Aged 4, after his pet dog "Jacksie" was killed by a car, Lewis declared that ''his'' name was now ''Jacksie''. This later became truncated to ''Jacks'' then ''Jack'', the name used by friends and family for the rest of his life. His older brother was [[Warren Hamilton Lewis]] (1895 - 1973) whom C.&nbsp;S. referred to as "Warnie" and described as "''my dearest and closest friend.''" The brothers formed a very close bond playing together at home, writing and illustrating stories for their fictional world called "Boxen", a world populated by dressed, talking animals, and obviously the precursor of the land of [[Narnia]], the magical land of children's adventures that retell the story of the [[Creation]], [[Fall of Man|Fall]], and [[Redemption]] of humankind. Lewis loved to read, and as his father’s house was filled with books, he felt that finding a book he had not read was as easy as "finding a blade of grass." The "reality" he found on the pages of this extensive library seemed as tangible and meaningful to him as anything that transpired outside in the "real world", and he has said of these childhood years that "''at the age of seven, and eight, I was living almost entirely in my imagination; or at least that the imaginative experience of those years now seems to me more important than anything else.''"<ref>'''Lewis, C. S.''', ''Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life'', London: Harvest Books (1955) ISBN 0-1568-7011-8</ref>

[[Image:C S Lewis child.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Lewis as a child]]

[[Image:C S Lewis child.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Lewis as a child]]

C. S. was [[homeschooling|homeschooled]] until he was 10 years old. On August 23, 1908 - her husband's birthday - Flora Lewis died of cancer. In the same year, Albert Lewis' father and brother also died, and as their father grieved, C.S. and Warren Lewis were left with only each other for comfort and support.

C. S. was [[homeschooling|homeschooled]] until he was 10 years old. On August 23, 1908 - her husband's birthday - Flora Lewis died of cancer. In the same year, Albert Lewis' father and brother also died, and as their father grieved, C.S. and Warren Lewis were left with only each other for comfort and support.

==Military service==

==Military service==

Lewis had joined the Officer Training Corps in September 1913 whilst at Malvern College. Although he had left the corps when he had commenced his study under Kirkpatrick, he rejoined the Malvern Contingent of the Oxford University OTC in March 1917. On April 25, 1917, he applied to join an Officer Cadet Unit, stating a 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. Still under the age of 21, the application was counter-signed by his father and character references were taken from Arthur C. Allen (his former Schoolmaster at Malvern) and also from Kirkpatrick. His action was completely voluntary, as although conscription had been in force in Britain since the introduction of the Military Service Act in 1916, it did ''not'' apply to Irish nationals. Five days later the Officer Commanding Oxford University Officers Training Corps completed a recommendation that Lewis attend an Officer Cadet Unit, noting that Lewis was  "''likely to make an useful officer but will not have had sufficient training for admission to an OCU before the end of June''".<ref>[http://www.1914-1918.net/index.htm The Long, Long Trail] A [[World War I]] website</ref>  

Lewis had joined the Officer Training Corps in September 1913 whilst at Malvern College. Although he had left the corps when he had commenced his study under Kirkpatrick, he rejoined the Malvern Contingent of the Oxford University OTC in March 1917. On April 25, 1917, he applied to join an Officer Cadet Unit, stating a 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. Still under the age of 21, the application was counter-signed by his father and character references were taken from Arthur C.&nbsp;Allen (his former Schoolmaster at Malvern) and also from Kirkpatrick. His action was completely voluntary, as although conscription had been in force in Britain since the introduction of the Military Service Act in 1916, it did ''not'' apply to Irish nationals. Five days later the Officer Commanding Oxford University Officers Training Corps completed a recommendation that Lewis attend an Officer Cadet Unit, noting that Lewis was  "''likely to make an useful officer but will not have had sufficient training for admission to an OCU before the end of June''".<ref>[http://www.1914-1918.net/index.htm The Long, Long Trail] A [[World War I]] website</ref>  

The medical examination then conducted reveals that Lewis was 5 feet 10{{3/4}} inches tall and  weighed 182 pounds, with a chest measurement of 34{{1/2}} inches fully expanded and 32 at rest. His vision was rated "good".<ref>''The Long, Long Trail'' op cit.</ref>

The medical examination then conducted reveals that Lewis was 5 feet 10{{3/4}} inches tall and  weighed 182 pounds, with a chest measurement of 34{{1/2}} inches fully expanded and 32 at rest. His vision was rated "good".<ref>''The Long, Long Trail'' op cit.</ref>