Thomas Edward Lawrence of Arabia Biography

Birth of Thomas Edward Lawrence.

Travels on foot through Syria and neighbouring areas to study Crusader castles for his Oxford thesis.

Joins British Museum excavations at Carchemish, gaining field knowledge of Ottoman Syria.

Continues archaeological work at Carchemish before the First World War.

Works with archaeological and survey teams in Sinai and the Negev, experience later useful for military intelligence.

Joins British military intelligence work after the outbreak of the First World War.

Serves in Cairo intelligence circles as British officers assess Ottoman Arabia and Arab nationalist politics.

Becomes an important British liaison with Faisal's Arab forces.

Is sent to the Hejaz to assess the Arab Revolt against Ottoman rule.

Meets Emir Faisal and identifies him as an effective Arab Revolt commander.

Helps coordinate British and Arab support as Ottoman forces threaten Yanbu.

Works with Auda Abu Tayi and Howeitat fighters during the Aqaba campaign.

Supports raids that disrupt Ottoman communications along the Hejaz Railway.

Helps support the Arab capture of Wejh on the Red Sea coast.

Joins a party recovering a crashed British aircraft near Wadi Hamdh.

Leaves Wejh with Arab forces for the inland expedition against Aqaba.

Crosses difficult desert country with Arab forces during the approach to Aqaba.

Conducts reconnaissance and sabotage work on the Damascus-Aleppo railway near Baalbek.

Uses Aqaba as a supply and operating base for further Arab Revolt operations.

Takes part in the action at Aba el Lissan before the advance on Aqaba.

Helps Arab forces capture Aqaba after an overland desert approach.

Travels to Cairo after Aqaba and reports the success to British command.

Continues demolition raids against Ottoman railway lines after Aqaba.

Attacks Ottoman railway traffic as part of the Arab guerrilla campaign.

Conducts reconnaissance around Deraa during northern operations of the Arab Revolt.

Works with British and Arab forces during the wider Palestine campaign as Jerusalem falls.

Enters Jerusalem during General Allenby's formal entry after the Ottoman withdrawal.

Helps Arab forces hold Tafileh against Ottoman counterattack.

Takes part in the Arab victory at Tafileh and is later awarded the Distinguished Service Order.

Takes part in operations against the Ottoman rail station at Mudawwara.

Supports the Arab northern advance during Allenby's Megiddo offensive.

Assists Arab forces operating around Deraa during the Ottoman retreat.

Moves with Arab forces during the final advance toward Damascus.

Returns to Britain after the Arab campaign and the capture of Damascus.

Enters Damascus after Arab and Allied forces take the city from the Ottoman Empire.

Helps Faisal's supporters organise provisional Arab administration after Damascus falls.

Declines a proposed knighthood after the war.

Supports Emir Faisal's delegation during negotiations over the postwar Middle East.

Attends the Paris Peace Conference as an advocate for Faisal and Arab claims.

Works for Winston Churchill in the Colonial Office on Middle Eastern settlement questions.

Participates in the Cairo Conference on Britain's Middle Eastern policy.

Advises on arrangements that help place Faisal on the throne of Iraq.

Contributes to British discussions that recognise Abdullah's position in Transjordan.

Enlists in the Royal Air Force under the name John Hume Ross.

Leaves the Royal Air Force after his assumed identity becomes public.

Joins the Royal Tank Corps under the name T. E. Shaw.

Rejoins the Royal Air Force after service in the Royal Tank Corps.

Publishes the subscribers' edition of Seven Pillars of Wisdom.

Publishes Revolt in the Desert, an abridged public version of his wartime narrative.

Serves with the Royal Air Force in India, where public attention follows him.

Publishes his English translation of Homer's Odyssey under the name T. E. Shaw.

Leaves RAF service shortly before his final accident.

Crashes his Brough Superior motorcycle near Clouds Hill and is fatally injured.

Dies from injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident near Clouds Hill.