The film Lawrence of
Arabia starring Peter O'Toole was based on a real action hero - army
officer and adventurer Thomas Lawrence. Oddly after a life of dare and danger
he came of his motorbike in Dorset while trying to avoid two boys on bicycles.
He was considered such an important part of the war effort that Winston
Churchill attended his funeral. Here I am at his grave in a pretty cemetery in
Moreton, Dorset.
Reading
about him I doubt he was ever going to lead a long life. Aged 17 he ran away
from home to join the Army. His dad eventually caught up with him and forced
him to return home. Thomas attended Oxford university and sailed to Beirut to
follow his ambition of becoming an archeologist. Not only did he learn Arabic
(and worked at the British Museum's excavations in northern Syria and Iraq) he
lived as one, wearing their clothing, speaking their language and learning
their culture. This came in handy when World War I broke out and he was posted
to the Military Intelligence Department in Cairo. He was sent to Mecca and his
knowledge of Arabic language and culture enabled him to work directly with the
Arab leaders. He convinced them to work together in their revolt to aid British
interests, helping them capture the city of Aqaba. The Arabs population loved
him for his willingness to adapt to their customs and his efforts to help the
British cause meant he was made a Commander in the Order of the Bath and got a
cabinet worth of medals and honours.
The
actions of this real-life Action Man may have gone unnoticed but when he was 33
the press discovered his daring exploits and they ran blaze a publicity around
him. When British tried to govern Iraq the Arab mounted a revolt and Winston
Churchill and Lawrence achieved a settlement. Lawrence returned home to great
acclaim in the press and was thought to have saved the lives of thousands of
soldiers.
Loathing
attention he joined the RAF under an assumed name but the media found him and
he was forced to leave. He joined the Royal Tank Corps under another false name
but he wasn’t a good fit and transfer back to the RAF. Eventually the media was
too much and he transferred to a remote base in British India where he remained
until he was 40 years old.
Aged
46 he finally left military service and settled down to a quiet life in Dorset.
This lasted about eight weeks. He was riding his motorcycle when he came across
a dip in the road. It obstructed his view of two
boys on their bicycles and just as he was upon them he swerved to avoid them,
lost control and was thrown over the handlebars. He never regained
consciousness and died six days later. He was buried when I’m stood after a
well-attended funeral which Winston Churchill attended. His role in the Oscar
winning movie Lawrence of Arabia was played by actor Peter O'Toole.
I'd
been on a coach holiday to Weymouth when - on the way home - we had a
thirty-minute stop in Moreton. The still-life could go for an ice-cream but the
knowledgeable driver pointed up a lane and said "if anyone wants to visit
Lawrence Of Arabia he's buried at the back of the churchyard." Out of
about fifty people there were only about six of us went to find the grave. The
others went for ice cream cornets. I prefer the grave of a famous person over
an ice cream any day (you can have them at home any time.)
The church nearby where the funeral service was
held...
The coffin being carried into the church...
The coffin being taken to the grave nearby...
The motorbike on which he died...