LAWRENCE (T.E.) Two autograph letters to John Henderson, secretary of the National Liberal Club ('Dear Sir'), the first signed ('T.E. Lawrence'), asking him to thank the committee for the invitation but, as he has '...agreed to join up temporarily with Mr Winston Churchill, in his new Middle-East Department in the Colonial office...' and Churchill is '...engaged at this moment in discussing his policy...', it would be '...impossible...' for him to make a statement on the subject, one page on a bifolium, dust-staining, marks, 8vo (175 x 111mm.), Westminster, 23 February [19]21; the second signed ('T.E. Shaw/ (used to be Lawrence)'), declining an invitation to the NLC, explaining that as he enlisted in the RAF four years ago and is presently stationed in Lincolnshire he now rarely comes to London, one page, light dust-staining, creased at folds, 4to (228 x 178mm.), RAF Cadet College, Cranwell, 20 April [19]26 (2) Footnotes: 'AGREED TO JOIN UP TEMPORARILY WITH MR WINSTON CHURCHILL': T. E. LAWRENCE JOINS THE NEW MIDDLE-EAST DEPARTMENT PRIOR TO THE CAIRO CONFERENCE. Lawrence's expertise, local knowledge and contacts in Arabian politics made him perfectly placed to assist Churchill in his new department, laying the groundwork for the Middle East (or Cairo) Conference held from 12 to 30 March 1921, just weeks after our letter. He travelled with Churchill to the Conference, which resulted with placing Feisal on the throne of Iraq and Abdullah in Transjordan, with long term repercussions for the region. He travelled to the Middle East several times after that but soon became bored and disillusioned with the bureaucratic work and, in an attempt to escape from his own legend, enlisted in the RAF under the assumed name of John Hume Ross in August 1922. Months later his identity was uncovered by the press and he re-enlisted in the tank corps in March 1923 as T.E. Shaw, transferring back to the RAF two years later. Provenance: Christie's, 28 November 2011, lots 237 and 238. This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: * * VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing