T.E. Lawrence: “Big things have small beginnings”

The real Indiana Jones: Blew up 80 bridges, took on the Ottoman Empire singlehanded

Colonel Thomas Edwards Lawrence was a British officer, archeologist, writer, diplomat and special forces expert of the early 1900s. Before his army years, T.E. Lawrence worked as an archeologist for the British Museum and for one of his studies he went on a trek throughout Arabia to catalog Medieval Castles built during the Crusades. On this 1000 mile trek he was attacked and nearly beaten to death. He learned Arabic and began to respect the Arab culture as a whole. When WW1 broke out, he was called to do special operations against the Ottoman Empire which had sided with the Germans. Blowing up 80 bridges, rallying the Arabs to attack the Turks and personally involved in many battles, he created a relationship with them that lasted to the end of the war. All the promises of Arab independence made by the British government were broken at the end of the war and when entering King George V court for Knighthood he refused on behalf of his Arab friends.

Lawrence was voted one of Great Britain's top 100 greatest men in 2002. He was killed at age 46 racing his motorcycle, but the legacy of a man from nowhere shows how even the unknown can achieve greatness and keep their honor. He is best known by his moniker: Lawrence of Arabia after the 1962 film and the popular science fiction film Prometheus makes references to T.E. Lawrence. Lawrence fought with Valor and never lost his Honor.

Valor is in you. Set it free.