# CVIII explained — Seven Pillars of Wisdom

> Chapter companion for Seven Pillars of Wisdom by T. E. Lawrence.

## What happens

Lawrence and the Arab force march from Azrak toward Deraa. They plan to destroy a railway bridge with armoured cars while the main body moves to Tell Arar. The bridge is taken quickly and demolished. A tender breaks down but is repaired by Rolls. An air battle is witnessed, and a decision is made to destroy a larger bridge to seal the Amman line.

## Themes in this chapter

### War and Guerrilla Tactics

Detailed planning and execution of a bridge demolition raid using armoured cars and surprise.

### Suffering and Endurance

Breakdown of the Rolls-Royce tender and the resourceful repair under threat of enemy approach.

### Colonialism and Imperialism

Reflections on Roman frontier cities and the transience of imperial power in the desert.

## Character check-ins

### T.E. Lawrence

Leads the raid, plans demolition, rides with armoured cars.

### Joyce

Commands British contingent, brings guncotton, helps with breakdown.

### Lord Winterton

Present in the British camp, part of the planning.

### Young

With Lawrence and Joyce in the British camp.

### Nuri Shaalan

Provides horsemen and camel-riders, discussed in Azrak.

### Emir Feisal

Lawrence meets with him in Azrak regarding Nuri and affairs.

### Peake

Reports failure to reach the Amman railway line.

### Nuri Said

Expected to meet on the Damascus line after the bridge demolition.

## Key lines

> Beside us lay and smoked the British soldiers, quietly risking themselves on this expedition, because we ordered it. It was a thing typical, as instinct with our national character as that babbling laughing turmoil over there was Arab.

The British soldiers calmly accepted the danger, reflecting a national character of quiet discipline, in contrast to the noisy Arab camp.

_Contrast between British and Arab behavior under crisis._

> A Rolls in the desert was above rubies; and though we had been driving in these for eighteen months, not upon the polished roads of their makers’ intention, but across country of the vilest, at speed, day or night, carrying a ton of goods and four or five men up, yet this was our first structural accident in the team of nine.

The Rolls-Royce cars were invaluable and remarkably reliable despite harsh desert conditions, suffering only their first major breakdown after 18 months.

_Lawrence's admiration for the Rolls-Royce's durability._

> Great was Rolls, and great was Royce! They were worth hundreds of men to us in these deserts.

The Rolls-Royce cars and their mechanic Rolls were as valuable as hundreds of soldiers in the desert campaign.

_Emphasis on mechanical reliability in warfare._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/seven_pillars_of_wisdom_se/chapters/cviii
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/seven_pillars_of_wisdom_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/seven_pillars_of_wisdom_se/chapters