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Updated June 2012
T. E. Lawrence to D. G. Hogarth
Wed. 27.VI.23
I was rather expecting such an issue: so am not worrying. A commission is out of the question. My prejudice against exercising authority would prevent my becoming even an N.C.O.!
(By the way it was Hoare who first moved to get me out of the R.A.F.: Trenchard felt it not a big enough point to fight) As for the Navy, I asked Amery for it since I felt he might agree, and that the W.O. would not entertain the idea of admitting me. The contrary proved the case. I doubt whether there is a pin to choose between Navy and Tanks, and prefer the devil I know.
As for getting reconciled to Tanks... Well, I expected much of what I have received - and so discounted it in advance: and the reality of it is probably not worse than the reality of any other unit. It's only that the R.A.F. is so much better. However please leave things. Trenchard is not good to force - and has major worries. [5 lines omitted]
T.E.
I feel I've explained myself so badly to you. Would Faust's phrase 'von allem Wissensqualm entladen' be any good? It's a like case.
| Source: | DG 426 |
| Checked: | mv/ |
| Last revised: | 20 February 2006 |
T. E. Lawrence chronology
1888 16 August: born at Tremadoc, Wales
1896-1907: City of Oxford High School for Boys
1907-9: Jesus College, Oxford, B.A., 1st Class Hons, 1909
1910-14: Magdalen College, Oxford (Senior Demy), while working at the British Museum's excavations at Carchemish
1915-16: Military Intelligence Dept, Cairo
1916-18: Liaison Officer with the Arab Revolt
1919: Attended the Paris Peace Conference
1919-22: wrote Seven Pillars of Wisdom
1921-2: Adviser on Arab Affairs to Winston Churchill at the Colonial Office
1922 August: Enlisted in the Ranks of the RAF
1923 January: discharged from the RAF
1923 March: enlisted in the Tank Corps
1923: translated a French novel, The Forest Giant
1924-6: prepared the subscribers' abridgement of Seven Pillars of Wisdom
1927-8: stationed at Karachi, then Miranshah
1927 March: Revolt in the Desert, an abridgement of Seven Pillars, published
1928: completed The Mint, began translating Homer's Odyssey
1929-33: stationed at Plymouth
1931: started working on RAF boats
1932: his translation of the Odyssey published
1933-5: attached to MAEE, Felixstowe
1935 February: retired from the RAF
1935 19 May: died from injuries received in a motor-cycle crash on 13 May
1935 21 May: buried at Moreton, Dorset