Ivor Catt,
121 Westfields,
23aug97
Peter C Metcalfe, T E Lawrence Society,
Ralph Stevens
Dear Peter,
I decided that your level of interest meant that you needed the full Syd autobiography up to the point of Lawrence's death in 1935. The enclosed sections complete it. I apologise for the fact that it is in bits and pieces.
[8oct97. Now complete up to 1963.]Gwen Stevens (née Jones) is my blood relative. My mother's father's surname was Jones. Gwen lives with her husband Ralph Stevens.
I spent some hours with them two days ago. Ralph says Syd, whom he was keen on, told him about his friendship with Lawrence. You will get another check on the Syd story by talking to Ralph, and perhaps to Gwen. It is possible that Ralph has pictures of Syd.As part of his duties, Canon Ralph Stevens often dressed up in purple and went down to preach to the Queen in St. George's Chapel, Windsor. Thus, as a corroboration of authenticity for the Syd material on Lawrence, he has no peer.
Yours sincerely,
Ivor Catt
Theory on TEL's retreat in around 1920.
This theory is merely a synthesis of information/ideas already current. However, it may be useful, and draw together a few more factors in the puzzle.
TEL achieved too much in too many fields, at the early age of 32 (1920). He was welcomed by leaders in diverse fields, who took him as one of them; poet, novelist, literary powerhouse, politician, military strategist, military leader, archaeologist, classics scholar, interpid explorer, leader of men, diplomat, (later mechanical engineer). He believed that he would not be able to meet the expectations of all these diverse groups. He retreated, building layer upon layer of protection.
1
The billet. The other 19 men in the billet were his anonymity, and they were protective and loyal towards him.
2
The R.A.F. officers. We know that the C.O. Sydney Smith was protective. Also, it seems that Syd was protective. It was probably true of all officers in Mount Batten. We never read criticism of his officers when TEL was there. TEL devised the term 'golden reign', and told it to the Smiths.
3
The fence around the station.
4
The 36 hour pass, which meant that he could rush into one of his intellectual subcultures, but escape rapidly after only a few hours. TEL needed to be limited to 36 hrs out of camp. It was part of his protection.
5
Unnecessarily wearing uniform. This, a weaker protection than the others, but still possibly valid. If he kept himself very smart in his uniform, this was the protection of turing into a 'toy soldier'.
6
The wilful discomfort of Clouds Hill, which meant that a visitor would not stay long. This is bizarre, as joining the R.A.F. was bizarre. This synthesis links two apparently bizarre actions.
All points to the concept of being comfortable with high intellectuals for a maximum of (say) 24 hours. TEL was nervous of longer contact. (The nervousness might have been exhaustion, or feeling of inadequacy.) However, this did not apply to contact with his inferiors; actually to a randomly select few of his inferiors.
Yours sincerely,
Ivor Catt.