Kennesaw "Hui Shan" Landis, curator of the WCHOF, in making the announcement said that Lawrence, like Moore, compiled tremendous statistics. Said Landis: "In 657 career games, he scored 270 goals and made 645 assists for 915 points-- incredible stats when you take into account that he was a defense man. As well, his role in leading the revolt of the Suzhou Expatdom tribes against the Ottoman Empire was decisive in their liberation. He took a bunch of drunken, disparate, barbaric Suzhou Expat tribes, who knew nothing of toilets and taking showers, and made them in a mighty fighting force."
Wuxi China Expats offered differing views of the man.
General Allenby, from England, talked of "the decisive role the Suzhou Expatdom revolt played in the war against the Ottomans," but said he "didn't know Lawrence well."
Jackson Bentley, an American, said it was his "privilege to know him and to make him known to the world. He was a poet, a scholar, a good defense man,and a mighty warrior." Off the record he said that "Lawrence was also the most shameless exhibitionist since Barnum and Bailey."
Colonel Harry Brighton said "He was the most extraordinary man I ever knew."
One Wuxi China Expat, who wanted his name publicized, attacked Bentley saying " Watch your mouth! It was my privilege to shake that man's hand at Gambay's Pub in the 1912 Bar District where they serve the best burgers in all the Far East."
Hear, hear! A damned-fine chap. Thoroughly
ReplyDeletea gentleman. Brave. Dashing.
And don't forget - he took Aqaba! He did.
"Impossible!", chorused the naysayers in Gambays. "Can't be done, old chap".
But he took Aqaba! Took her out to lunch.
Oh, and forgot to ask what the reaction was to
ReplyDeleteT.E.'s induction down in the Officers' Mess-Bar
in Gambays?
But I'd be fairly sure that, this evening, they are standing around in there, in their shiny boots, smoking their pipes, quaffing their ales,
and loudly voicing their "well-dones!", "jolly good show!". And I'll bet General Allenby is buying lemonades all round too, whilst simultaneously leading a rousing sing-song!
On the very first day that General Allenby
ReplyDeletearrived in Cairo to take-up his new post,
a very strange thing happened.
Stepping into his military staff-car, Allenby barked at the driver, "take me to the Embassy!"
The car duly pulled-up outside the imposing great building.
Peering out the window, Allenby saw that the front steps and foyer were overflowing with drug addicts, prostitutes, drunks, and other unsavoury characters.
Allenby shouted at his driver: "no, no, not here, you blithering idiot! I wanted you to take
me to the Embassy HOTEL!!".
very funny! Old chap! very funny!
ReplyDeleteYet another General Allenby anecdote:-
ReplyDeleteAfter making his triumphant entry into Damascus,
Allenby rewarded his gallant troops with massive pay-increases - but only to Officers.
Naturally there was outrage amongst the lower non-ranked men. They considered that it was a nasty blow to the privates.