LAWRENCE OF ARABIA

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 224, 21 August 1935, Page 10

LAWRENCE OF ARABIA

OLD STORY DISPROVED. HOW HE JOINED AIR FORCE. Til story of how Lawrence of Arabia joined the Royal Air Force is told for the first time by Mr W. E. Johns in an article in the latest issue of Popular Flying. • “As I write, two events are filling the newspaper headlines,” stated Mr Johns. “The first is the recruiting programme for the Royal Air Force, and the second is the doath of Lawrence of Arabia. They are intermingled in a curious way for, as you probably know, Lawrence served in the ranks of the ltoyal Air Force, and more rubbish has been written about that than anything else 1 know. The old story of how Lawrence was recognised bv a particularly observant officer some time after he had joined the service has been told so many times that it has become legendary. Don’t believe a word of it. What happened was this:— “Colonel Lawrence, having decided to join the Royal Air Force, did what one would expect him to do. Never mind what lus biographers say. He went to the Air Ministry, told them who lie was and what he wanted to do. But to get him into the Royal Air Force was not easy, as the Air Ministers quickly perceived, for he was effectually barred by their own regulations. However, they sent him along to the London recruiting depot to try his luck. EFFORTS TO ENLIST FAIL. “He didn’t get far. The interviewing officer turned him down, as be was bound to, for two reasons. In the first place ho refused to produce his birth certificate, or supply information that would enable the interviewing officer to get it from Somerset House. Naturally, this would have given the whole show away. Secondly, he pooh-poohed the idea of getting references. His name, lie said, was Ross, but his evasive replies to the usual questions made it quite clear that there was a doubt about this—to put it mildly. Quite a lot of people try to enlist under assumed names. So Colonel Lawrence, alias Recruit Ross, departed with a flea in his ear, as the saying is “However, in due course be returned, bringing with him three references, all of which the interviewing officer quickly discovered to be fakes. Out went Mr Ross. “But the man who had beaten the Arabs at their own game was not so easily discouraged, particularly when lie had a trump card up his sleeve. Within an hour he was back, this time with an Air Ministry messenger armed with a minute to the effect that Recruit Ross was to bo enlisted forthwith. The signature at the foot of the minute sheet was quite enough for the interviewing officer. Upstairs to the medical officer’s room went Ross, with his form marked ‘special case.’ IDENTITY REVEALED. “Presently the interviewing officer’s inter-communication telephone rang. ‘Come up,’ said the medical officer. Up went the interviewing officer, and there stood Ross in his birthday suit. One glance at his scarred back and the interviewing officer departed hurriedly. Ross was turned down on medical grounds. “The Air Ministry got really nasty, but doctors, when they stick their toes in, take some shifting. Not one doctor at the London recruiting depot would pass Ross fit, for the simple reason that lie was not fit according to the medical standard laid down. Finally, the Air Ministry had to send over a special doctor to sign the medical form. “By this time Ross was throwing his weight about a bit-—not unnaturally, considering everything—and the interviewing officer was peeved. He went to his commanding officer and told him so. Tile commanding officer looked him in the eye and said, ‘Get out! He’s Lawrence of Arabia, and if you speak out of your turn to him you might as well start packing your kit.’ OFFICERS WARNED. ' “The same day, A.C. 11. Ross proceeded to Uxbridge with the draft of recruits under a draft-conducting noncommissioned officer. Later in the afternoon the reception officer at Uxbridge was on the telephone to the interviewing officer at the London depot, ‘What have you sent me,’ he moaned. ‘There’s a blankety-blank her© who’s not only teaching me my job, but is telling me where I’ll step off if I’m not careful.’ “ ‘And so he will,! replied the interviewing officer. ‘Watch your step, laddie; it s Lawrence of Arabia.’ “And so Lawrence went on, and wherever lie went word of who he was preceded him; for officers are officers, and, I hope, gentlemen, and no one was going to let down a comrade by failing to put him wise as to the real identity of the aircraftsman 2nd class who spent week-ends with Cabinet Ministers. That’s the true story, told for the first time. How do 1 know ? Well, I happened to be the interviewing officer at the London depot.”