▁was ▁a ▁British ▁desert ▁expl orer , ▁botan ist , ▁arch ae ologist ▁and ▁soldier . ▁During ▁the ▁Second ▁World ▁War ▁he ▁served ▁with ▁the ▁British ▁Army ' s ▁Long ▁Range ▁Des ert ▁Group , ▁and ▁the ▁Special ▁Air ▁Service ▁Regiment . ▁He ▁was ▁known , ▁various ly ▁as ▁Bill ▁Shaw ▁or ▁Bill ▁Kennedy - Sh aw , ▁but ▁preferred ▁the ▁latter ▁form ▁of ▁his ▁name , ▁which ▁he ▁always ▁used ▁in ▁his ▁writ ings . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁Kennedy - Sh aw ▁was ▁born ▁on ▁ 2 6 ▁October ▁ 1 9 0 1 , ▁the ▁son ▁of ▁Colonel ▁F . ▁S . ▁Kennedy - Sh aw , ▁of ▁King ' s ▁Or ch ard , ▁Te ff ont ▁Mag na , ▁W ilt shire . ▁He ▁received ▁his ▁formal ▁education ▁at ▁Rad ley ▁College . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 2 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 9 3 0 s ▁Kennedy - Sh aw ▁contributed ▁to ▁the ▁expl oration ▁of ▁the ▁Western ▁Des ert ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁around ▁the ▁south - western ▁corner ▁of ▁modern ▁Egypt ▁with ▁his ▁particular ▁interest ▁and ▁skills ▁as ▁a ▁botan ist , ▁arch ae ologist ▁and ▁navig ator . ▁He ▁made ▁three ▁major ▁tri ps : ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁winter ▁of ▁ 1 9 2 7 / 1 9 2 8 ▁Kennedy - Sh aw ▁and ▁Douglas ▁New bold , ▁on ▁leave ▁from ▁the ▁Sud an ▁Government ▁service , ▁travel led ▁the ▁Ar ba ’ in ▁slave ▁road ▁from ▁Sel ima ▁and ▁Bir ▁Nat run