First World War hero Lawrence of Arabia had a secret love for the woman who taught him Arabic and was not gay as has been speculated, a new book has claimed.

In the book The Boy in the Mask - The Hidden World of Lawrence of Arabia, author Dick Benson-Gyles claims Lawrence loved Farida al Akle, who taught him Arabic in the Lebanon.

Some accounts have speculated that Thomas Edward 'TE' Lawrence was homosexual, but Mr Benson-Gyles, of Plymouth, Devon, said that belief was false.

Lawrence of Arabia (left) 'loved' Farida al Akle (right), 'and she loved him' according to author Dick Benson-Gyles

He said: 'Some have suggested that Lawrence was gay or repressed gay. But I have shown that he loved an Arab woman and she loved him.'

While studying Lawrence, Mr Benson-Gyles travelled to Lebanon to meet Farida prior to her death in 1975.

He explained that Lawrence had a dislike of being touched, so their relationship could have been 'spiritual'.

After meeting Farida in Lebanon to speak about her relationship with Lawrence, Mr Benson-Gyles received a 'confessional' letter from her where she revealed more.

Previous accounts had suggested Lawrence of Arabia was gay, but Mr Benson-Gyles said that is false

He said: 'She said in the letter: 'I have not told you the truth.'

'She said the relationship between the two was a 'union of a soul with a soul.'

'He was alone with her for two months learning Arabic.

'He didn't like being touched but she said he had - at one time - his arm around her.'

'People were so keen to say he [Lawrence] was a homosexual.'

The private life of Lawrence, who led Arab rebels as Britain's ally during the First World War, has remained largely secret.

Mr Benson-Gyles said he was shy with women - with his reticence was a combination of guilt that was pushed on to him by his mother, and due to a male rape and brutal beating he suffered as a prisoner of war.

Mr Benson-Gyles has penned The Boy in the Mask - The Hidden World of Lawrence of Arabia

Evidence for that attack - which other accounts have suggested was exaggerated by Lawrence - has also been unearthed by the author.

Mr Benson-Gyles believes Lawrence suffered psychological damage and that he asked his fellow soldiers to beat him in 'a tragic attempt to exorcise the memory of his rape'.

All those incidents point to Lawrence being a 'repressed heterosexual,' the author believes.

Farida wrote to Mr Benson-Gyles to speak about her 'spiritual' relationship with Lawrence

He explained that his interest in Lawrence began while he was studying at university in Ireland.

He said: 'I thought if he was anything like he is in the film, he must have been a pretty interesting bloke.

'I first read the 1955 biography and I thought he was another hero whose feet were made of clay.

'But the interest I had made me look further and my faith in him was restored.'

The writer also relates the full story of Lawrence's background as the illegitimate son of an Anglo-Irish aristocrat.

He added: 'As I was in Ireland [at university] I started to do some research into his father's family.

'In previous biographies there have never been more than two pages about his Irish ancestry, this book goes into more detail.'

Lawrence is best known as the British soldier who led Arab rebels in the First World War, fighting against Turkey, Germany's ally.

He became a celebrated hero with a flamboyant, romantic image thanks to press coverage and his own account of his adventures.

But the 1962 Oscar-winning film Lawrence of Arabia helped preserve his status as a hero and started Mr Benson-Gyles' lifelong fascination with the adventurer.

Peter O'Toole (right) starred as Lawrence of Arabia in the 1962 film as the officer who disrupted supply routes

The location of TE Lawrence's camp, which researchers found with Google Earth and an old map in 2014

His research has also found evidence that the British hero sympathised with Irish nationalists and was offered a post in the Free State Army.

The approach was made by Michael Collins, the Irish rebel leader, when they met during negotiations in London that led to an independent Ireland in 1922.

Lawrence was flattered but turned down the offer and instead joined the RAF.

The Boy in the Mask - The Hidden World of Lawrence of Arabia is published by Lilliput on Tuesday March 1.