Wilfred Thesiger
| Sir Wilfred Thesiger | |
|---|---|
.jpg)
1944 portrait by Anthony Devas
|
|
| Born |
Wilfred Patrick Thesiger 3 June 1910 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |
| Died | 24 August 2003 (aged 93) Croydon, London, England |
| Nationality | English |
| Alma mater | Magdalen College, Oxford |
| Known for | Exploration, Writing, Photography |
| Notable work |
Arabian Sands The Marsh Arabs |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |
 United Kingdom
|
| Service/branch | British Army |
| Years of service | 1940–1943 |
| Rank | Major |
| Unit |
Sudan Defence Force Gideon Force Special Air Service |
| Battles/wars | Second World War |
Sir Wilfred Patrick Thesiger KBE, DSO, FRAS, FRSL, FRGS (3 June 1910 – 24 August 2003), also called Mubarak bin London (Arabic for "the blessed one of London") was an English explorer and travel writer.
Thesiger is best known for his travel books Arabian Sands (1959), on his foot and camel crossing of the Empty Quarter of Arabia, and The Marsh Arabs (1964), on his time living in the marshes of Iraq with the Marsh Arabs. He donated his collection of 38,000 travel photographs to the Pitt Rivers Museum, Oxford.
Thesiger was born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the son of Wilfred Gilbert Thesiger - British consul-general and minister to Addis Ababa from 1909 to 1919 - and his wife Kathleen Mary Vigors. Thesiger's grandfather was Frederic Lord Chelmsford. Frederic Viscount Chelmsford, future Viceroy of India, was an uncle, and the actor Ernest Thesiger was a cousin.
Thesiger was educated at St Aubyn's School in Rottingdean, Sussex, followed by Eton College and then Magdalen College, Oxford, where he took a Third in History. Between 1930 and 1933, Thesiger represented Oxford at boxing and later (in 1933) became captain of the Oxford boxing team. He was awarded a boxing Blue for each of the four years that he was at Oxford. Whilst at Oxford, Thesiger was also elected Treasurer of the Oxford University Exploration Club (1931–32).
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