“LAWRENCE OF ARABIA”

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17439, 10 April 1931, Page 11

“LAWRENCE OF ARABIA”

COLONEL’S ROMANCE

LIFE IN THE AIR FORCE PLYMOUTH, March 1. “Lawrence of Arabia” is dead. The hero of a hundred thrilling exploits in the, desert exists no longer; in Ins place there is a self-effacing, hardworking, speed-loving fellow who is known to his companions at Cattewuter Air Station, near here, as Aircraftsman I. li. Shaw.

The recent inquiry into 1 lie Plymouth (lying-boat disaster once more directed the limelight! on him, but it was as Aircraftsman Shaw and not as Colonel Lawrence that he, gave his evidence. Numbers of people asked, “Wnv did he do it?” but not one of them found the real reason for bis decision to hide himself away in the Royal Air Force and to take ail obscure position. It was said that ho was tired of public life. It was said that be wanted peace and quiet for the great task of translating tlie Odyssey.

The real secret was revealed to-day by a friend of the aircraftsman. Oolonet Lawrence joined the Royal Air Force for tlie sake of his life.

I fis life was despaired of just before lie joined up in 1922. During his campaigns and travels in the desert and in the forgotten coiners of the globe he had been wounded numbers of times. His body was almost riddled with bullets. His doctor warned him that he had only 18 months to live —and then only if lie lived in perfect- peace and quiet- somewhere in the South of France.

That was not Lawrence's idea of life. Peace and quiet, yes; but idleness, never! So he enlisted as a mechanic m the R.A.F. There he could have perfect seclusion, hut there would be hard work and an opportunity of indulging m his favorite craving, speed. From time to time Hie name of Aircraftsman Shaw was heard—in various towns in India and other parts of tho East, and .then he came to Plymouth. “All signs of his failing health have disappeared.” said Aircraftsman Shaw’s friend to-day. ‘‘Tlie life of discipine and tlie open air has given him a reprieve from his sentence of death, and he is now as strong as any one.

ALWAYS IN UNIFORM “He is never seen in anything but his aircraftsman's uniform, with his hands grimy from working on oily engines, and often with his face, besmeared with grease. “He is often invited to dinner at the homes of local celebrities, and sometimes lie accepts, Imt- he. always wears his uniform, ft. is strange to see him sitting at a- gaily decornted table looking like any one taken from ail R.A.F. camp, and then to hear him. talking m such a, way that no one ran refrain from listening to him. “When you first, meet him and talk to him you are inclined to think that he is rather mad, hut before lie has

been talking to you for more than five minutes you begin to think that it is you who is mad. An extraordinary

“Two or three times a week he dines with the commanding officer. The rest of the week he takes his meals in the mess with the men of his rank. He is universally popular with them, because he puts on no ‘side.’ “I lis great joy is speed. He has bought a fast motor-boat which formerly belonged to Sir Henry Segrave, and lie delights in racing through the Sound, lie also rims a fast motor-cycle.”