T. E. Lawrence Correspondence – Page 64

Tp Ca pt. R. de la R.A.F. College, Cranwell, Lincs. 13 Birmingham Street Southampton 26. XI. 33 Dear Prof Yours is the unkindest cut of all! What has happened is briefly this:- Twelve years ago I wrote some notes on the R.A.F. Depot ..... and in 1925 I added a word on Cranwell not sent it to "Trenchard a "book" of 30,000 words, only notes: no continuity or development. To Trenchard I faithfully promised that it should not be published. Various people have read it (Sir John Salmond holds it now): one chapter was sent by me to your journal - an innocuous chapter. An Irishman is lent the script, by a friend of his who had a ... of mine, had without telling me lent it ....sub-loan upon sub-loan. "Hot stuff" says the Irishman and copies .... how much of it? God knows... but the Legion Journal is then sent a potted of the lot, three chapters by him, and comes out with a mash of it as an article by me. Thunder from the Commissioner of Police: from the Air Ministry....my head astonished but unbowed. The Legion Journal apologises next month. The Irishman has Legion Journal a no address - and is laughing, probably. I am out poorer by three chapters, a visit to London, seven stamps (no, eight now) and three telegrams. So the R.A.F. College Journal will not reprint it. In its mangled form it does not appeal to its author! Conceit, that is. Probably it is better in petto. Has Dunn told you he has found a publisher? Good for him. Garnett called the stuff pretty good. Didn't see it in his squadron tho' - something like a small amusing oiseau in a large harem of hens - slender, fragile bantam-cook in a large harem of hens - the looked up or down to him with vast fluttering respect: me I gathered that he keeps them in order, From the officers one gathers that he endures a certain amount of criticism, so long as he too: gives D. dual and plenty of it! Yours T.E.S.