Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Lawrence, T. E., Autographed letter signed ‘TE Shaw’, to Martin Allerdale Grainger, a British subject who had settled in British Columbia, Canada, dated at Cattewater, Plymouth, 10 July 1929, the full text stating: ‘Dear Sir, Very kind of you, but prefer England to anything I’ve ever seen elsewhere. I hope the rubbish in the papers did not take you in: they love so to make a mystery about nothing. The R.A.F. is the pleasantest thing I’ve ever found to do: which is why I do it, only regretting that my age leaves me not much longer to do it. And I have no grudge against the British Government, which offered me many other jobs less to my liking. Yours sincerely, TE Shaw’; to which by way of footnote, he adds: ‘I’ve been in the R.A.F. for nearly eight years now - which looks like happiness, I hope. All the same many thanks for your kind offer, which wouldn’t suit me as well, I’m afraid’, with recipient’s added comment, ‘From “Lawrence of Arabia”, alias “Shaw” ’, minor glue stains to reverse, otherwise in good condition £600-800

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Ron Penhall Collection: Important Awards and Memorabilia of Lawrence of Arabia Interest.

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Grainger wrote to Lawrence suggesting the wilds of British Columbia as a place where he could still find peace and quiet; sold with a copy of An Invitation to British Columbia (Heavenly Monkey, Vancouver, 2005), in which appears an account of Grainger’s life and a discussion regarding the above described letter, with preface by Jeremy Wilson, and foreword by Don Stewart.