Laurence and Lawrence
This week Eric Forster paid his fifth visit with his talk Laurence and Lawrence, connecting his friend Laurie from Leeds with the Imperial Camel Corps and the exploits of Lawrence of Arabia. A good story, thoroughly enjoyed by members.
Eric skilfully wove his tale together, first the background of the boy Laurie from Holbeck and his early life in the coal industry and then the story of T.E.Lawrence, born in Wales to an Anglo-Irish aristocrat and his mistress.
We also learned the story of British involvement in the Middle East in World War One, where 250,000 troops guarded the Suez Canal.
Laurie and Lawrence, together with 703 camels and over 300 handlers, took Damascus in 1917! Eric now owns two rare books which tell the history of the Imperial Camel Corps.
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