You can find T.E. Lawrence’s grave in the small village of Moreton in Dorset, not too far from Clouds Hill, the country retreat he was living in when he died. His death was tragic. An avid fan of motorcycles, T.E. Lawrence crashed when swerving to avoid two young boys on bicycles, and died six days later on 19 May 1935. He was only 46 years old.
T.E. Lawrence is known to most as Lawrence of Arabia. That’s thanks in no small part to the autobiographical stories he wrote and the incredibly successful film made of them starring Peter O’Toole. Lawrence was a writer but had many strings to his bow.
Becoming Lawrence of Arabia
Lawrence was born out of wedlock on 16 August 1888. His father, Sir Thomas Chapman, left his wife and family for Lawrence’s mother, Sarah Junner, a governess. Lawrence went to Oxford and then became an archeologist.
It was during the First World War that T.E. Lawrence embarked on the adventures he subsequently became so well known for. He was stationed at the Arab Bureau intelligence unit in Egypt, getting involved with the Arab Revolt as a liaison to the Arab forces. He worked closely with Emir Faisal, a leader of the revolt, and participated in military actions against the Ottoman army.
His major written work was “The Seven Pillars of Wisdom” about his time during the war. The book has been been accused of embellishment. Some accusations were disproved but not all. Interestingly, T.E. Lawrence was determined not to be seen to profit from the book or the actions depicted within it. He wrote about how he was ashamed of the lies and deceit he peddled to those he worked with.
A lot has been speculated about when it comes to Lawrence, especially around his relationships, as he never married. He certainly had an interesting life, packed with more experiences than most in his short time. It seems odd he now lies in a quiet corner of Dorset.
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