Masters of Mayhem - Lawrence of Arabia and the British Military Mission to the Hejaz

Aug 2, 2026

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Masters of Mayhem examines T. E. Lawrence’s role within the British military mission to the Hejaz, situating key decisions and campaigns in the context of the First World War’s changing geopolitical landscape. The narrative traces origins of revolt, British arrival and planning, advisory structures, logistics, and guerrilla warfare, then follows major operational phases through final actions and subsequent reflection. Appendices provide supporting materials such as orders of battle, memoranda, weapons and specific equipment references.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryStory & Novel

FormatPDF

Pages225

Reading Time5 h 47 min

AccessFree to download

Contents

Author’s Note

Introduction

Prologue

1 Origins of a Revolt

2 The British are Coming

3 A Hopeful but Inauspicious Beginning

4 Advisors, Dromedaries and Guerrilla Warfare

5 Akaba

6 Rearrangement

7 Northern Operations

8 Three Men and a Boy with Pistols

9 Final Act and Curtain

10 A Look Back

Epilogue

Appendix 1 Order of Battle (as of 30 June 1917)

Appendix 2 Twenty-seven Articles: Memorandum by Major Lawrence, August 1917

Appendix 3 Demolitions Under Fire

Appendix 4 The Hejaz Armoured Cars

Appendix 5 ‘Blue Mist’

Appendix 6 The Breech-Loading 10-pounder Mountain Gun

Bibliography and Sources

Index

MASTERS OF MAYHEM MASTERS OF MAYHEM Lawrence of Arabia and the British Military Mission to the Hejaz JAMES STEJSKAL Philadelphia & Oxford Published in Great Britain and the United States of America in 2018 by CASEMATE PUBLISHERS 1950 Lawrence Road, Havertown, PA 19083, US and The Old Music Hall, 106–108 Cowley Road, Oxford OX4 1JE, UK Copyright 2018 © James Stejskal Hardback Edition: ISBN 978-1-61200-574-4 Digital Edition: ISBN 978-1-61200-452-5 A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the publisher in writing. Printed and bound in the United States of America For a complete list of Casemate titles, please contact: CASEMATE PUBLISHERS (US) Telephone (610) 853-9131 Fax (610) 853-9146 Email: [casemate@casematepublishers.com](casemate@casematepublishers.com) [www.casematepublishers.com](www.casematepublishers.com) CASEMATE PUBLISHERS (UK) Telephone (01865) 241249 Email: [casemate-uk@casematepublishers.co.uk](casemate-uk@casematepublishers.co.uk) [www.casematepublishers.co.uk](www.casematepublishers.co.uk) Every effort has been made to trace the copyright holders and obtain permission to reproduce the materials reproduced in this book. In the event of any oversight, please contact the Publishers. Front cover image: The Hejaz Armoured Car Section and RFA 10-Pounder Motor Section in Wadi Rum. Mar–April 1917. (Harry Chase, Photographer, James A. Cannavino Library, Archives & Special Collections, Marist College, USA) Back cover image: Buxton, Brodie, Marshall, Stirling, in mufti, head out to reconnoitre Mudowarra in one of the RFATalbots. (Edward Metcalf Collection, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.) To those who went before us and those yet to begin the journey. “They were not soldiers, but pilgrims, intent always to go the little farther.” t. e. lawrence after james elroy flecker Contents Author’s Note viii Introduction ix Prologue xviii 1 Origins of a Revolt 1 2 The British are Coming 11 3 A Hopeful but Inauspicious Beginning 15 4 Advisors, Dromedaries and Guerrilla Warfare 24 5 Akaba 42 6 Rearrangement 55 7 Northern Operations 61 8 Three Men and a Boy with Pistols 114 9 Final Act and Curtain 132 10 A Look Back 138 Epilogue 144 Appendix 1 Order of Battle (as of 30 June 1917) 151 Appendix 2 Twenty-seven Articles: Memorandum by Major Lawrence, August 1917 155 Appendix 3 Demolitions Under Fire 161 Appendix 4 The Hejaz Armoured Cars 166 Appendix 5 ‘Blue Mist’ 171 Appendix 6 The Breech-Loading 10-pounder Mountain Gun 174 Bibliography and Sources 176 Index 179 Author’s Note It has been one hundred years since the Great War of 1914–18 took place. Although recent events have brought some place names back into focus, many of the locationsand borders mentioned in the book have long ago changed or been forgotten. So too, have the geopolitical players changed. Both the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Ottoman Empire disappeared after the war to be replaced by new states. The Ottoman Empire was founded by the Osmanli Dynasty circa 1299 and was built by the Turkman peoples. But the Ottoman Empire comprised a vast territory and incorporated many of its subject peoples into its government and army, includingthe Kurds and the Arabs. In this work I refer both to the Ottoman Empire, its proper name, as well asthe more commonly used name of Turkey. As Edward Erickson pointed out in his book Ordered to Die, the enemies of the Ottoman Empire usually referred to their opponent as Turks. Accordingly, I also refer to the Ottoman Army as the Turkish Army, whether its units and soldiers were of Turkish, Arab, or Circassian origin. * My thanks go out to Valerie Gilman who was of g

FAQs

What historical time period and geopolitical changes does the Author’s Note reference?

It notes that the Great War of 1914–18 occurred one hundred years earlier and that many locations and borders have changed. It also highlights the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman empires and the emergence of new states.

Who is Thomas Edward Lawrence in the book’s introduction, and what was his assignment in 1914?

Thomas Edward Lawrence is introduced as part of a British government-enlisted team surveying the area. The mission anticipated possible future enemy action against Egypt, and Lawrence spoke Arabic and local dialects.

How is the book structured to cover the revolt and subsequent campaigns?

The contents lay out a progression: origins of revolt, the British arrival, advisory and guerrilla warfare, key operations such as Akaba and northern operations, culminating in final actions, then a look back and epilogue. Appendices add orders of battle, memoranda, demolitions, armoured cars, and specific weapons topics.

Aug 2, 2026

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