T. E. Lawrence facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

"Lawrence of Arabia" redirects here. For the 1962 film, see Lawrence of Arabia (film). For the 1989 book, see Lawrence of Arabia: The Authorised Biography of T. E. Lawrence.

Quick facts for kids T. E. Lawrence CB DSO
Lawrence in 1918
Other names	T. E. Shaw, John Hume Ross
Nickname	Lawrence of Arabia
Born	Thomas Edward Lawrence (1888-08-16)16 August 1888 Tremadog, Carnarvonshire, Wales
Died	19 May 1935(1935-05-19) (aged 46) Bovington Camp, Dorset, England
Buried	St Nicholas' Church, Moreton, Dorset
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Branch	British Army Royal Air Force
Service years	1914–1918 1923–1935
Rank	Colonel (British Army) Aircraftman (RAF)
Conflicts	First World War Arab Revolt Siege of Medina Battle of Aqaba Capture of Damascus Battle of Megiddo
Awards	Companion of the Order of the Bath Distinguished Service Order Knight of the Legion of Honour (France) Croix de guerre (France)
Alma mater	Jesus College, Oxford

Script error: No such module "Check for conflicting parameters".

Thomas Edward Lawrence (born August 16, 1888 – died May 19, 1935) was a British soldier, archaeologist, diplomat, and writer. He became famous for his important role during the Arab Revolt and the Sinai and Palestine campaign against the Ottoman Empire in World War I. Because of his many adventures and his exciting writings, he became known around the world as Lawrence of Arabia. This name was even used for a famous 1962 movie based on his wartime experiences.

Lawrence was born in Tremadog, Wales. His parents, Thomas Chapman and Sarah Lawrence, were not married. In 1896, his family moved to Oxford, England. He attended the City of Oxford High School for Boys and later studied history at Jesus College, Oxford. From 1910 to 1914, he worked as an archaeologist for the British Museum. He mostly worked at an ancient site called Carchemish in what was then Ottoman Syria.

When World War I began in 1914, Lawrence joined the British Army. He was stationed in Egypt with a military intelligence unit called the Arab Bureau. In 1916, he traveled to Mesopotamia and Arabia. There, he became deeply involved in the Arab Revolt, which was a fight by Arab people for independence from Ottoman rule. Lawrence was assigned to work with Emir Faisal, a key leader of the revolt. He helped plan and participate in battles against the Ottoman military. These efforts led to the capture of Damascus in October 1918.

After the war, Lawrence worked with the Foreign Office and Emir Faisal. In 1922, he chose to live a quieter life. He served as an ordinary soldier in the Army and later in the Royal Air Force (RAF) until 1935. He published his famous book, Seven Pillars of Wisdom, in 1926. This book was his own story of his part in the Arab Revolt. Lawrence also translated books and wrote The Mint, which described his time in the RAF. He corresponded with many famous artists, writers, and politicians. He also helped develop rescue motorboats for the RAF. Lawrence's fame grew partly from exciting news reports about the Arab Revolt by American journalist Lowell Thomas. In 1935, Lawrence died at the age of 46 after a motorcycle accident in Dorset, England.

Early Life and Education

Lawrence's birthplace, Gorphwysfa, in Tremadog, Wales

The Lawrence family lived at 2 Polstead Road, Oxford from 1896 to 1921.

Thomas Edward Lawrence was born on August 16, 1888, in Tremadog, Wales. His father, Thomas Chapman, was an Anglo-Irish landowner. His mother, Sarah Junner, had been a governess. Lawrence's parents were not married, but they lived together using the last name Lawrence.

The family moved several times when Lawrence was young. They lived in Scotland, on the Isle of Wight, in the New Forest, and in France. From 1894 to 1896, they lived at Langley Lodge in Hampshire. This home gave young Lawrence many chances to enjoy outdoor activities.

In 1896, his family settled at 2 Polstead Road in Oxford, where they lived until 1921. Lawrence attended the City of Oxford High School for Boys from 1896 to 1907. One of the school's student groups was later named "Lawrence" in his honor.

Exploring Ancient Lands

Leonard Woolley (left) and Lawrence at the excavation of Carchemish, around 1912

When he was 15, Lawrence enjoyed cycling with his friend Cyril Beeson around England. They visited many old churches, studying their monuments and ancient items. They even helped the Ashmolean Museum by finding valuable historical objects at building sites in Oxford. The museum praised them for their "incessant watchfulness." In the summers of 1906 and 1907, Lawrence cycled through France, collecting photos and drawings of medieval castles.

From 1907 to 1910, Lawrence studied history at Jesus College, Oxford. He continued his travels, cycling alone through France to research castles. In the summer of 1909, he went on a three-month walking tour of Crusader castles in Ottoman Syria, walking over 1,000 miles. He was very interested in the Middle Ages.

In 1910, Lawrence became an archaeologist at Carchemish, an ancient site in northern Syria. He worked for the British Museum under the guidance of David George Hogarth and Leonard Woolley. He also learned to speak Arabic. While working at Carchemish, Lawrence gained experience in dealing with different groups of people and solving problems.

In January 1914, Lawrence and Woolley were asked by the British military to survey the Negev desert. They pretended to be archaeologists looking for a biblical area called the Wilderness of Zin. However, their real mission was to map the desert, paying special attention to water sources and other features important for military use. This area was important because an Ottoman army might cross it to attack Egypt.

Joining the War Effort

An early Hittite carving found by Lawrence (center) and Leonard Woolley (right) in Carchemish

When World War I started in August 1914, Lawrence joined the British Army. He was commissioned as a temporary second lieutenant-interpreter. By December 1914, his mentor, David Hogarth, called him to work at the new Arab Bureau intelligence unit in Cairo, Egypt.

At this time, many Arabs living under Ottoman rule wanted independence. Sharif Hussein, the leader of Mecca, was talking with the British. He offered to lead an Arab uprising against the Ottomans if Britain promised an independent Arab state. This uprising would help Britain in its war against the Ottomans. However, there were disagreements among the British and their allies, like France, about what would happen to these lands after the war.

At the Arab Bureau, Lawrence helped create maps and gathered information from prisoners. He believed in an independent Arab Syria. He also supported the idea of a British landing at İskenderun in Turkey, though this never happened.

In 1916, Lawrence was sent to Mesopotamia to help with the Siege of Kut. His mission was to try and start an Arab uprising or bribe Ottoman officials, but it didn't work. Meanwhile, secret agreements were being made between Britain and France about dividing up the Middle East, which conflicted with the promises of Arab independence.

The Arab Revolt

Lawrence at Rabigh, north of Jeddah, 1917

The Arab Revolt began in June 1916. After some early successes, it started to slow down. Ottoman forces threatened to recapture Mecca. On October 16, 1916, Lawrence was sent to the Hejaz region to gather information. He met Sharif Hussein's sons and decided that Faisal was the best leader for the revolt.

Lawrence was then assigned to work permanently with Faisal's staff. In late 1916, Faisal and Lawrence planned to move Arab forces to threaten the railway from Syria. This would keep Ottoman forces around Medina from attacking Arab positions.

Lawrence's most important work in the Arab Revolt involved strategy and connecting with British forces. But he also took part in many battles between 1917 and 1918. He attacked Ottoman communication lines, like railways and bridges. He also fought in assaults on Ottoman garrisons.

In June 1917, Lawrence traveled 300 miles north towards Aqaba. He met with Arab nationalists, advising them to wait for Faisal's forces before revolting. He also attacked a bridge to make it seem like guerrilla fighters were active. His findings were very valuable to the British. He was awarded the Order of the Bath and promoted to major.

He also fought in larger battles, like the defeat of Ottoman forces at Aba el Lissan, part of the Battle of Aqaba. In January 1918, he led Arab regulars in the Battle of Tafilah. This battle was described as a "brilliant feat of arms." Lawrence received the Distinguished Service Order for his leadership and was promoted to lieutenant colonel.

Arab Strategy

Faisal and Lawrence developed a strategy for the Arab Revolt. They decided not to capture Medina, but instead to move northward through Maan and Dera'a to Damascus. Lawrence believed that the Bedouin fighters were best for guerrilla warfare. He wrote that they were "intelligent, and very lively, almost reckless, but too individualistic to endure commands, or fight in line, or to help each other."

Leaving Medina under Ottoman control was actually helpful. It forced the Ottomans to use many soldiers to defend and repair the Hejaz railway that supplied the city. This prevented them from using those troops elsewhere. The Arab strategy of moving north made sense because it aimed to liberate Syrian territory, which was important for the idea of an independent Arab state.

Capture of Aqaba

Lawrence at Aqaba, 1917

In 1917, Lawrence suggested a joint attack with Arab irregulars against the town of Aqaba. Aqaba was important strategically but not heavily defended from the land side. Lawrence kept the details of this inland attack secret from his British superiors. He worried they might block it due to French interests. The expedition left on May 9, and Aqaba fell to the Arab forces on July 6. It was a surprise attack from behind the Turkish defenses.

After Aqaba, General Sir Edmund Allenby, the new British commander, agreed with Lawrence's strategy for the revolt. Lawrence became a powerful adviser to Faisal and had Allenby's trust. Allenby later said, "He was the mainspring of the Arab movement and knew their language, their manners and their mentality."

Dera'a Incident

Lawrence describes an event in November 1917 when he was captured by Ottoman soldiers while scouting near Dera'a. He was beaten during his captivity. This experience deeply affected him.

Fall of Damascus

Lawrence in 1919

Lawrence was involved in the plans for capturing Damascus in the final weeks of the war. He arrived in Damascus around 9 AM on October 1, 1918, several hours after the city had fallen. The 10th Light Horse Regiment was the first to arrive and accepted the city's surrender. Lawrence played a key role in setting up a temporary Arab government under Faisal in the newly freed Damascus. He hoped this would be the capital of an independent Arab state. However, Faisal's rule ended in 1920 when French forces entered Damascus. This destroyed Lawrence's dream of an independent Arabia.

During the war, Lawrence tried to convince the British government that Arab independence was good for everyone. But his efforts were complicated by secret agreements between France and Britain. These agreements went against the promises of independence he had made to the Arabs.

After the War

Lawrence returned to the United Kingdom as a full colonel. After the war, he worked for the Foreign Office. He attended the Paris Peace Conference as part of Faisal's group. In May 1919, a plane carrying Lawrence crashed in Italy. The pilots died, but Lawrence survived with injuries.

A map presented by Lawrence to the Eastern Committee of the War Cabinet in November 1918.

In 1918, American journalist Lowell Thomas met Lawrence in Jerusalem. Thomas was fascinated by Lawrence in his Arab uniform. Thomas and his cameraman filmed and photographed Lawrence extensively. Thomas created a popular stage show about the Middle East. At first, Lawrence was a supporting character. But Thomas soon realized that photos of Lawrence in Arab dress captured the public's imagination. He relaunched his show as With Allenby in Palestine and Lawrence in Arabia, making Lawrence a household name. Lawrence helped Thomas with the show, but later regretted being so famous.

Emir Faisal's party at Versailles, during the Paris Peace Conference of 1919; left to right: Rustum Haidar, Nuri al-Said, Prince Faisal (front), Captain Pisani (rear), Lawrence, Faisal's servant (name unknown), Captain Hassan Khadri

Lawrence worked as an adviser to Winston Churchill at the Colonial Office for about a year starting in 1920. He found bureaucratic work difficult. He traveled to the Middle East often, supporting his and Churchill's vision for the region. Some people in France viewed him with suspicion because of his support for Arab independence.

Lawrence, Emir Abdullah, Air Marshal Sir Geoffrey Salmond, Sir Wyndham Deedes, and others in Jerusalem

Lawrence admired the use of air power during the war. In August 1922, he joined the Royal Air Force as an aircraftman, using the name John Hume Ross. However, his identity was discovered, and he was forced to leave the RAF in February 1923. He then changed his name to T. E. Shaw and joined the Royal Tank Corps. He was unhappy there and eventually rejoined the RAF in August 1925.

More publicity after his book Revolt in the Desert was published led to him being assigned to bases in British India (now Pakistan) in late 1926. He stayed there until 1928. He had to return to Britain after rumors spread that he was involved in spying.

Lawrence on the Brough Superior SS100 that he called "George V"

Lawrence continued serving at several RAF bases. He became involved in developing faster and more capable air-sea rescue boats for the RAF. He had seen a seaplane crew drown because the rescue boat was too slow. He worked with Hubert Scott-Paine to introduce new, high-speed rescue tenders.

He left the service in March 1935, feeling sad to go. Winston Churchill later wrote that Lawrence "saw as clearly as anyone the vision of airpower."

Death

Lawrence's grave is in the separate churchyard of St Nicholas' Church, Moreton, Dorset.

Lawrence loved motorcycles and owned eight Brough Superior motorcycles. His last one, an SS100, is now in a museum.

On May 13, 1935, Lawrence was seriously injured in a motorcycle crash in Dorset, near his cottage Clouds Hill. This happened just two months after he left military service. He swerved to avoid two boys on bicycles, lost control, and was thrown from his motorcycle. He died six days later, on May 19, 1935, at age 46. A small memorial marks the crash site. One of the doctors who treated him, Hugh Cairns, began studying head injuries from motorcycle accidents. His research led to the use of crash helmets for motorcyclists.

Lawrence was buried in the family plot of his cousins at St Nicholas' Church, Moreton, Dorset. Many famous people attended his funeral, including Winston Churchill and E. M. Forster. Churchill described him as "one of those beings whose pace of life was faster and more intense than what is normal." It is generally accepted that his death was an accident.

Lawrence's Writings

Lawrence was a very active writer throughout his life. He wrote many letters every day to friends and famous people, including George Bernard Shaw, Winston Churchill, and E. M. Forster. He could speak French and Arabic well, and read Latin and Ancient Greek.

He published three main books during his lifetime. The most important was Seven Pillars of Wisdom, his story of the Arab Revolt. He also translated Homer's Odyssey from Ancient Greek and a French novel called The Forest Giant.

Seven Pillars of Wisdom

14 Barton Street, Westminster, London, where Lawrence lived while writing Seven Pillars

Lawrence's most famous book is Seven Pillars of Wisdom, which tells about his experiences during the war. He worked on this book for several years. It also includes his thoughts on military strategy and Arab culture. Lawrence felt conflicted about the promises of independence made to the Arabs by the British government.

The first edition of the book was published in 1926 as a special, expensive edition for private subscribers. Lawrence did not want to make money from the book because he felt it was a result of his war service. He ended up in debt because the book's production costs were so high.

Revolt in the Desert

Revolt in the Desert was a shorter version of Seven Pillars. It was published in March 1927 and became a bestseller. Lawrence again decided not to take any money from its sales. The money earned from this book helped pay off the debt from Seven Pillars. He set up a trust to manage the book's income, which went to an educational fund for children of RAF officers and to the RAF Benevolent Fund.

Books Published After His Death

Lawrence left a memoir called The Mint unpublished. This book describes his experiences as an enlisted man in the Royal Air Force. It uses a simpler writing style than Seven Pillars of Wisdom. His youngest brother, Arnold, edited and published it after Lawrence's death.

Arnold Lawrence also inherited his brother's estate and copyrights. He sold some rights to pay taxes. He set up trusts to control the copyrights of Lawrence's works. A lot of the income from these trusts went to the RAF Benevolent Fund and to projects in archaeology and education.

Awards and Commemorations

Eric Kennington's bust of Lawrence in St Paul's Cathedral, London

Lawrence was recognized for his military actions. He was mentioned in official reports three times. He received several high military honors, including the Order of the Bath and the Distinguished Service Order. He also received the Legion of Honour and the Croix de guerre from France. King George V offered Lawrence a knighthood in 1918 for his service in the Arab Revolt, but Lawrence declined it. He felt that British policy had not fully supported the Arab cause.

There are many artistic tributes to Lawrence. These include a bronze bust by Eric Kennington in St Paul's Cathedral, London, and a stone statue, also by Kennington, in St Martin's Church, Wareham, Dorset. Jesus College, Oxford has a portrait of him.

English Heritage has placed blue plaques at his childhood home in Oxford and his London home. In 2002, Lawrence was voted 53rd in the BBC's list of the 100 Greatest Britons. In 2018, he was featured on a special £5 coin celebrating the Centenary of World War I.

Published Works

Autobiographical and War Books

The 1911 Diary of a Journey across the Euphrates
Military Report on the Sinai Peninsula (1914)
Military Handbook on Palestine (1917)
Arab Memorandum to the Paris Peace Conference (1919)
Sidelights on the Arab War (1919) – article published in The Times
Seven Pillars of Wisdom, (1922, revised and shortened in 1926) – an account of Lawrence's part in the Arab Revolt.
Revolt in the Desert, an abridged version of Seven Pillars of Wisdom published for the general public.
Guerrilla Warfare, article in the 1929 Encyclopaedia Britannica

Posthumous Books and Collections

Crusader Castles, Lawrence's Oxford BA thesis in 1910.
The Mint, (1955) – an account of Lawrence's service in the Royal Air Force.
Oriental Assembly (1939)
Secret Despatches from Arabia (1939) – expanded as Wartime Diaries and Letters (1990)
The Essential T.E. Lawrence (1951)
The Evolution of a Revolt: Early Post-War Writings (1968)
War in the Desert (2016) – an abandoned abridgement of the 1922 Oxford Text of Seven Pillars of Wisdom

Selected Correspondence

The Letters of T.E. Lawrence edited by David Garnett. (1938)
T.E. Lawrence to his Biographer Robert Graves, edited by Robert Graves and B. H. Liddell Hart
The Letters of T.E. Lawrence selected and edited by Malcolm Brown. (1988)
C. Sydney Smith, The Golden Reign (Contains letters from Lawrence to Sydney Smith) (1940).
M. R. Lawrence (ed.), The Home Letters of T.E. Lawrence and his Brothers (1954)
H. Montgomery Hyde, Solitary in the Ranks, Lawrence of Arabia as Airman and Private Soldier (1977)

Edited by Jeremy and Nicole Wilson, Castle Hill Press

Letters from T.E. Lawrence to E.T. Leeds (1988).
T.E. Lawrence. Letters
Correspondence with Bernard and Charlotte Shaw (4 volumes)
Boats for the RAF
Correspondence with E. M. Forster and F.L. Lucas
More Correspondence with Writers
Correspondence with Edward and David Garnett
Correspondence with Henry Williamson
Correspondence with the Political Elite 1922–1935
Translating the Bruce Rogers Odyssey
T.E. Lawrence, Bruce Rogers, and Homer's Odyssey
Printing and Illustrating Seven Pillars of Wisdom

Archaeological Books (co-authored with Leonard Woolley)

The Wilderness of Zin (1914)
Carchemish – Report on the Excavations at Djerabis on Behalf of the British Museum (1914) – 2 volumes

Poetry

Minorities: Good Poems by Small Poets and Small Poems by Good Poets, edited by Jeremy Wilson, 1971.

As Editor

Garroot: Adventures of a Clydeside Apprentice (1933) by Ian McKinnon (Pseudonym: I. Tyre).

English Translations

The Odyssey of Homer – translation from the Ancient Greek, first published in 1932.
A Poem by Faisal I of Iraq – translation from the Arabic
2 Arabic Folktales (1937) – posthumously published translation from the Arabic
The Forest Giant by Adrien Le Corbeau, novel, translation from the French (1924).