lawrence , who has single-handedly undermined turkish possession of the middle east by uniting warring bedouin tribes and led them on a seemingly impossible journey across the nefud desert to capture aqaba , who has crossed sinai on a camel to bring the good news to hq in cairo , who has been thrashed within an inch of his life by the turks , who has led the arab revolt as far as the taking of damascus , and who has been made a colonel by general allenby in recognition of his service to the british army , is inconsolable .