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Why is the Memorial doing an exhibition on Lawrence of Arabia?

20 September 2006 by Mal Booth. 1 Comment
Exhibitions,Lawrence of Arabia and the Light Horse, Our exhibition

More than 70 years after his death, T E Lawrence remains one of the most compelling and intriguing figures of the Twentieth Century. His enigmatic personality, his intimate involvement in the emergence of the modern Middle East and the achievements of his extraordinary life, ranging from the guidance of the Arab revolt through the meticulous writing of Seven pillars of wisdom to the development of high speed air-sea rescue boats for the Royal Air Force, have secured him a place as one of the world’s most famous men. Yet so much of what we know about him is uncertain. Many facets of what he did remain overshadowed by nagging doubts of misrepresentation and obfuscation. He, himself, deliberately laid trails to confuse and confound people whom he knew one day would be re-examining his life. As an intensively private individual, he struggled daily with the overwhelming power of his celebrity. Yet, he did much to enhance this and regularly used it to advance his own agenda.

But, apart from the universal appeal of his unique personality, what has Lawrence got to do with Australia? Why should the Memorial consider him sufficiently important to focus a major, special exhibition on his wartime achievements?

The answers, as befits Lawrence, are complex but persuasive. For many Australians the war against the Ottoman Turks

after Gallipoli revolves around the actions and adventures of the Australian Light Horse (ALH). The self-sufficient, bush-hardened Light Horseman sitting astride his waler, seeking battle and relentlessly pursuing the Turks through the unforgiving landscape of Palestine and Syria is one of the central images of the Australian history of the First World War. It is an integral part of the national character that Australia took away from the events of 1914-18 and absorbed into its emerging national self-consciousness. In stark contrast to the stasis and agony of the Western Front, the war of the ALH appeared to be fast-paced, action-packed and demanded personal initiative and self-reliance as the new Crusaders finally liberated the Holy Land. The Light Horsemen were distinctively Australian and, after their story was laid down in a remarkably evocative official history published by Sir Henry Gullet in 1923, they developed a legendary reputation.

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Seven pillars of wisdom

14 September 2006 by Mal Booth. 1 Comment
Exhibitions,Lawrence of Arabia and the Light Horse, Lawrence of Arabia and the Light Horse, Our exhibition

One strong connection between Lawrence and the Light Horse is evident in our books collection. We have a very rare edition of TE Lawrence’s memoir of the Arab Revolt, Seven pillars of wisdom. Only a very limited, but lavish edition was produced while Lawrence was still alive (in 1926). An abridged version The Revolt in the Desert was produced in 1927, but the full trade edition was not published until after his death in 1935.

The 1926 subscriber’s edition was purchased by the Memorial using funds donated to the Memorial by the Australian Light Horse Association (raised through the sale of the book Australia in Palestine) to acquire records relating to military operations in Palestine. At the time this edition was the only version of Lawrence’s fuller account that was available. After much consultation, the Memorial’s Board of Trustees offered to purchase the book soon after Lawrence’s death in 1935 as it was seen as an important addition to the Australian Light Horse records held in the collection. It is one of only 170 full copies ever produced.

The production of the 1926 subscriber’s edition reflects Lawrence’s love of exquisitely produced books. Each copy had its own individual binding. The Memorial’s copy has a gold-tooled, Oxford blue morocco leather binding with raised cords. The index page to the illustrations is hand-annotated by Lawrence ‘Complete Copy’ and initialled ‘T.E.S.’ (He had adopted the pseudonym ‘T.E. Shaw’ in February 1923 when he joined the Tank Corps as a private.) Each new chapter within the book begins with an illuminated first letter. The text was printed on high quality paper and laid out with much consideration given to balance on the page. Respected contemporary artists were commissioned, and their works, which include landscapes and portraits of the main Arab and British participants, give the book a modernist feel.

You can hear a recent Memorial podcast by subscribing to the Exhibitions feed on our Podcasts page.

Mal Booth