Lawrence of Arabia

T.E. Lawrence, generally known as Lawrence of Arabia, lived in this part of the world between the wars.  His home was in a fairly isolated cottage at Clouds Hill.

"Lawrence became renowned for his role in the Arab Revolt (1916–1918) and the Sinai and Palestine Campaign (1915–1918) against the Ottoman Empire during the First World War. The breadth and variety of his activities and associations, and his ability to describe them vividly in writing, earned him international fame as Lawrence of Arabia, a title used for the 1962 film based on his wartime activities." - Wikipedia

He died in his early 40s on the road between the Tank Museum and his cottage. He came off his motorbike and was in hospital for 6 days until he succumbed to his injuries.  There are various theories as to why he crashed.  Were some young boys riding erratically on their bikes as he came upon them, was he stung by one or more bees or was this 'accident' staged by the British security services because, in their eyes, he was becoming something of a nuisance to the country.  We will never know the full facts, it seems.

There is a stone on the side of the road where the crash happened and Lawrence is buried in the local cemetery at Morton. Winston Churchill and other notables were at his funeral.