Lawrence of Arabia & Middle East Air Power

A hundred years after the start of the Arab Revolt, this ground breaking book offers new insights on the contribution of aircraft to the campaign and a fresh perspective on Lawrence of Arabia’s reputation as an air power theorist. Modern commentators refer to an ‘all arms’ approach to warfare.

Lawrence was perhaps the first proponent of the concept, using land, sea and air forces to achieve victory in the desert. As Lawrence wrote:

“All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act on their dreams with open eyes, to make them possible.”

This collection of articles explores the use of air power in the Middle East during the First World War. It draws upon research done by Cross & Cockade International members over a number of years, updated with the latest research and new photographs, as well as specially commissioned articles marking the centenary of the Arab Revolt. The narrative describes the introduction of aviation in the Middle East, the wartime operations of the Royal Flying Corps in support of the Arab Revolt, and Lawrence’s contribution, in the years immediately following the First World War, to the development of the air route from Cairo to Baghdad that helped secure the independence of the Royal Air Force and formed the basis for the Empire Air Route to India and beyond.

The book is 80 pages divided into 11 chapters. It contains 17 maps, over 120 photographs and a number of colour illustrations.