Never-before-seen photos of the Arab Revolt have come to light to reveal Lawrence of Arabia had help from a plucky band of British troops as well as the native tribesmen.
War hero T.E Lawrence famously led local guerrilla forces across the desert in World War One by dressing as an Arab to build a rapport with them.
The photos feature in a new book which sheds new light on Lawrence’s achievements in the Middle East.
Never-before-seen photos of the Arab Revolt have come to light to reveal Lawrence of Arabia had help from a plucky band of British troops as well as the native tribesmen. The photos feature in a new book which sheds new light on Lawrence’s achievements in the Middle East called: Masters of Mayhem, Lawrence of Arabia and the British Military Mission to the Hejaz
War hero T.E Lawrence famously led local guerrilla forces across the desert in World War One by dressing as an Arab to build a rapport with them.The photos had been tucked away in the private photo albums of the descendants of soldiers who fought alongside Lawrence during the campaign (pictured: 1) Bond, 2) James Brown, 3) Tommy Lowe, 4) Gilman, 5) Jackson))
Bedouin sheik on horse in the desert clutches his rifle as fascinating never before seen photos of the Arab Revolt reveal Lawrence of Arabia actually had help from a plucky band of British troops as well as the Arab tribesmen
As well as fighting alongside Arabs, Lawrence was also supported by his own countrymen who followed his lead in adopting traditional native headdress.
The photos had been tucked away in the private photo albums of the descendants of soldiers who fought alongside Lawrence during the campaign.
One historic photo shows Lawrence and his driver sitting in a Rolls Royce in Marjeh Square in Damascus after it was captured in October 1918.
One historic photo shows Lawrence and his driver sitting in a Rolls Royce in Marjeh Square in Damascus after it was captured in October 1918
As well as fighting alongside Arabs, Lawrence was also supported by his own countrymen who followed his lead in adopting traditional native headdress. The officers of Operation Hedgehog – the British attack on the Hejaz railway – seated from left: Ramsey, Gilman, Joyce, Lony and the back from left: Greenhill, Young, Flannel Feet and Bamford with Grisenthwaite sat front
Another documents the dramatic moment a water tower and windmill pump are blown up in the desert.
The troops can be seen training with huge mountain guns and changing the tyres of their Rolls Royce armoured cars.
There are snaps of the top secret ‘X Flight’, a small group of planes used by Lawrence and his company to carry out missions including bombing Turkish railway lines, cutting off supply routes and telegraph wires.
And photos of the future King of Iraq Emir Faisal’s army who fought alongside Lawrence during the campaign.
In it he describes Lawrence as the ‘pioneer of unconventional tactics’ who was not daunted by the superior numbers of the enemy, instead using his strengths to out-manoeuvre his targets
And photos of the future King of Iraq Emir Faisal’s army who fought alongside Lawrence during the campaign. Lawrence was a British intelligence officer in Cairo at the time of the Arab Revolt against German-supporting Turkey in June 1916
One historic photo shows Lawrence and his driver sitting in a Rolls Royce in Marjeh Square in Damascus after it was captured in October 1918
Lawrence was a British intelligence officer in Cairo at the time of the Arab Revolt against German-supporting Turkey in June 1916.
He led the revolt to victory and a sweep across the desert to Damascus that re-wrote the map of the Middle East.
Military historian James Stejskal has published the images in his new book ‘Masters of Mayhem’.
In it he describes Lawrence as the ‘pioneer of unconventional tactics’ who was not daunted by the superior numbers of the enemy, instead using his strengths to out-manoeuvre his targets.
He led the revolt to victory and a sweep across the desert to Damascus that re-wrote the map of the Middle East. Military historian James Stejskal has published the images in his new book ‘Masters of Mayhem’
Another black and white image documents the dramatic moment a water tower and windmill pump are blown up in the desert
The photos had been tucked away in the private photo albums of the descendants of soldiers who fought alongside Lawrence during the campaign
From expertly crafted custom armoured cars to the formation of elite, close knit fighting forces, his strategies were adopted by future special forces including the SAS.
Mr Stejskal, 64, said: ‘The unseen photos have come from the descendants whose fathers or grandfathers fought alongside Lawrence.
‘They had been tucked away in personal photo albums and not seen before.
‘Lawrence was an anomaly – an amateur officer who eschewed British military traditions and discipline and who loathed its seemingly mindless adherence to rules, regulations and conventions.
From expertly crafted custom armoured cars to the formation of elite, close knit fighting forces, his strategies were adopted by future special forces including the SAS
There are snaps of the top secret ‘X Flight’, a small group of planes used by Lawrence and his company to carry out missions including bombing Turkish railway lines, cutting off supply routes and telegraph wires
The troops can be seen training with huge mountain guns and changing the tyres of their Rolls Royce armoured cars
‘He was instrumental in the evolution of how the Allies fought the Turks where there was a distinct change from foolishly attacking large formations with minimal numbers to implementing modern dynamic warfare with modern planes, trains and automobiles.
‘The origins of British special forces operations are often traced back to World War Two but in reality we should trace them back much further than that.
‘Both special forces operations and what Lord Mountbatten called combined operations had their origins in the British operations of the Arab Revolt.’
- Masters of Mayhem, Lawrence of Arabia and the British Military Mission to the Hejaz, is published by Casemate and costs £19.99.