# XCVIII explained — Seven Pillars of Wisdom

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

## What happens

Lawrence and Dawnay meet with Allenby and Bartholomew to finalize plans for the September offensive. Allenby's strategy relies on deception to convince the Turks that the main attack will come in the Jordan Valley, while the real assault is prepared in the coastal sector near Ramleh. Bartholomew details elaborate ruses including dummy camps and air superiority. Lawrence secures the loan of the Imperial Camel Corps under Colonel Buxton to further confuse Turkish intelligence. Meanwhile, preparations for the Deraa raid intensify, with Nuri Said chosen to lead, and logistical disputes arise with Young over supplies. Despite internal tensions, the Arab force is readied for the final campaign.

## Themes in this chapter

### War and Guerrilla Tactics

The chapter details Allenby's deceptive strategy and the Arab irregular warfare against the Hejaz Railway, emphasizing mobility, surprise, and psychological operations.

### Honor and Deception

Deception is central to the plan, with dummy camps and feints used to mislead the Turks, while Lawrence and his team navigate internal disagreements with a sense of duty.

### Futility and Meaning

Lawrence reflects on the precariousness of the plan and his own confidence in 'botching' things rather than letting them fail, highlighting the existential stakes of the campaign.

## Character check-ins

### T.E. Lawrence

Participates in strategic planning with Allenby and Bartholomew; secures the Imperial Camel Corps; disputes logistics with Young; drives preparations for the Deraa raid.

### Guy Dawnay

Accompanies Lawrence to meetings with Allenby; proposes using the Imperial Camel Corps; collaborates on planning the Deraa raid.

### General Allenby

Outlines the offensive plan centered on deception; expresses confidence in capturing thirty thousand prisoners; approves the loan of the Camel Corps.

### Bartholomew

Deputy chief of staff; details the logistical and deceptive measures for the coastal attack; warns of risks and backs the request for the Camel Corps.

### Joyce

Initially skeptical but supports the Camel Corps plan after reasoning; helps organize the Deraa expedition despite doubts.

### Young

Logistics officer; clashes with Lawrence over supplies and feasibility of the Deraa raid; ultimately carries out the necessary arrangements.

### Nuri Said

Offers to command the Deraa expedition; begins selecting the best men for the force.

### Captain Pisani

French commandant; takes charge of the four Schneider guns; struggles with logistics for the Deraa raid.

## Key lines

> Allenby’s confidence was like a wall. Before the attack he went to see his troops massed in secrecy, waiting the signal, and told them he was sure, with their good help, of thirty thousand prisoners; this, when the whole game turned on a chance!

Allenby's unwavering assurance inspired his troops, as he predicted capturing thirty thousand prisoners despite the operation's high risk.

_Highlights Allenby's leadership and the gamble of the offensive._

> I prosed forth on my hoary theorem that we lived by our raggedness and beat the Turk by our uncertainty.

Lawrence argued that their success depended on unpredictability and lack of rigid organization, contrasting with Young's precise planning.

_Captures Lawrence's guerrilla philosophy and the tension with conventional military logistics._

## Links

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