T. E. Lawrence

Thomas Edward Lawrence (1888 - May 18, 1935), also known as Lawrence of Arabia, became famous for his (now controversial) role as a British liaison officer during the Arab Revolt of 1916-1918. His fame as a soldier rests on American traveller and journalist Lowell Thomas[?]'s reportage of the Revolt, as well as Lawrence's autobiography, Seven Pillars of Wisdom.

On July 6, 1917 he led Arabian troops in the capture of Aqaba[?] from the Turks.

Lawrence was born in Caernarfonshire[?], North Wales of mixed English and Irish ancestry, and was educated at Jesus College, Oxford. He worked in the Middle East as an archaeologist with Flinders Petrie[?] before World War I, joining army intelligence at the start of the war. After the war, he attempted to achieve anonymity, joining the Royal Air Force in 1922 under the name "Ross". After a year, his cover blown, he joined the Royal Tank Corps, this time using the surname "Shaw".

Eventually he left the forces for an academic career, and wrote extensively about his experiences and about the history of the Middle East. He was killed in a motorcycle accident.

Quotes

I loved you, so I drew these tides of men into my hands

and wrote my will across the sky in stars

To earn you Freedom

-- from dedication of Seven Pillars of Wisdom

I deem him one of the greatest beings alive in our time...

We shall never see his like again.

His name will live in history. It will live in the annals of war...

It will live in the legends of Arabia.

-- Winston Churchill of Lawrence

External links

• Fact file from Lawrence biographer: http://www.lawrenceofarabia.info/
• Site dedicated to Lawrence and his Brough Superior motorcycles: http://www.dropbears.com/m/models/brough/index.htm