February 1925

Lawrence reapplies to return to the RAF.

March 1925

The new Conservative Air Minister appears willing to transfer Lawrence back to the RAF, and Lawrence's hopes are raised. By this time, slow progress and increasing costs have put the subscribers' Seven Pillars far over budget. However, Jonathan Cape is interested in publishing an abridgement. 

May 1925

Lowell Thomas' With Lawrence in Arabia is published, much to its hero's dismay. Worse still, the RAF once again refuse Lawrence. On 17 May Lawrence meets John Buchan in London and persuades him to bring his influence to bear.

June 1925

In a letter of 13 June sent to Edward Garnett with the revised draft of Seven Pillars Book VI, Lawrence makes a thinly veiled threat of suicide. Garnett enlists Bernard Shaw's help and Shaw intervenes with the Prime Minister.

July 1925

On July 1 Trenchard agrees to meet Lawrence, who is later told that he can return to the ranks of the RAF. Lawrence redoubles his efforts on Seven Pillars. By the end of July fourteen chapters have been printed, and eighty-three more are ready to be typeset.

August 1925

On August 18 'Shaw' reports to RAF Uxbridge. Three days later he is posted to RAF Cadet College at Cranwell, joining B-Flight. He makes no secret of his identity and quickly settles in. He spends his free time during the remainder of the year working on Seven Pillars.