T. E. Lawrence Correspondence – Page 53

To T.W. Beaumont, "Helm" 63 Broad Street, Scout Hill, Dewsbury. 336171. A/c Shaw, Royal Air Force Mount Batten, Plymouth. 10. VI. 31. Dear Beaumont, Truth, You must have called me a ... but in truth I've been away on detachment for months, testing & tuning the new R.A.F. motor boats for the Schneider Cup patrol this year. We did it at Hythe, their builders yard, and it was a day & night job, during which I would not have letters sent on. This is now a lucid interval, for ... days or so, & ... then at it again for a month only. So we are nearly through. What's happened to you? I enlisted in 1922 & have been quite happy since, except when badgered by press enquiries into my present or past. It's not comfortable, nor well paid; but I like muchrought, & the other fellows are decent. Peace-time ... isn't like the army in war, you know. By the way, if you answer this, forget the "col" & the rest of it. I'm a very plain sort of creature now. I heard lately f... Rolls, whom you may remember as one of the driving party. He's done well for himself, & has a good garage in Northampton. Another fellow who writes to me is Bailey now in Bristol. The others must be scattered all over the earth. What a long time ago it was! Joyce has retired & lives in Ireland married, Goslett is a large merchant of hard-ware in Charing Cross Rd. The others - God knows! Yo..rs, T.A... Shaw.