Daughter of the Desert

[Len Trim]

Hi all,

book perhaps out of the usual run of WW1 subjects but very relevant and interesting. The book is a biography of Gertrude Bell. What a life she had! One of the first women to go to Oxford. The first woman to get a First Class Honours in History there. In love with Dick Doughty Wylie VC who died leading his men at Gallipoli. There is even a strong rumour that she used her high level contacts on both sides to visit his battle field grave while the fighting was still on! She basically took over and reorganised the Wounded and Missing Enquiry Department in France in 1915. Before the war broke out she had made her name exploring the Arabian deserts and during the war was on the Middle East staff basically as a spy master. After the war played a very influential part in the Versailles Peace Conference.

I'll not say any more, but well worth a read.

Len