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TE Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) while serving in the RAF in 1935

Lawrence of Arabia (TE Lawrence) went to great lengths to conceal his identity after his heroic actions during the First World War.

After his death following a motorcycle accident, it was revealed that the former City of Oxford High School boy had changed his name at least twice.

A £10,000 bounty had been put on the British soldier's head after he had led the Arabs against the Turks.

Lawrence, or TE Shaw as he was then known, suffered severe head injuries and concussion when he was thrown 100ft from his powerful motorcycle after a collision with a 14-year-old cyclist on a country road in Dorset in 1935.

Lawrence had just left Bovington Army camp and was travelling to his home at Clouds Hill, about a mile away, at between 50 and 60mph when the accident happened.

He was taken to the military hospital at the camp where, despite the efforts of some of the country's top surgeons, he died six days later. He was 46.

The Oxford Mail reported: "Masses of beautiful flowers had been sent to the hospital while Lawrence lay ill, from all parts of the country, most of them from people who had never met him.

"There are many bunches from very poor people.

Lawrence's former home in Polstead Road, Oxford

"Others are rich clusters and bouquets from wealthy acquaintances."

Lawrence, who lived at 2 Polstead Road during his time in Oxford, won the title of Uncrowned King of Arabia' after his achievement in uniting the Arab tribes against the Turks during the war.

He persuaded the British Army in Egypt to supply guns, armoured cars and aircraft, then led the Arabs in attacks on strategic Turkish targets.

The Arabs later supported British advances through Palestine, a decisive move in the Eastern war.

Afterwards, however, with a price on his head, Lawrence had to keep a low profile.

The Mail reported: "Since the war, his movements have always had an air of mystery.

"He joined the Royal Tank Corps as a private and later transferred to the RAF as a mechanic in the name of A C Ross, but his identity was soon discovered.

"He changed his name to Shaw in 1927."

After the crash, tight security was imposed at the scene, and hospital visitors were closely vetted.

After Lawrence's death, the Mail described him as "the greatest mystery figure of modern times" and "perhaps the greatest Oxford man of his time".

An inquest jury returned a verdict of accidental death on the crash.

4:23pm Tuesday 15th July 2008

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