T.E. Lawrence, the famed Lawrence of Arabia who helped rout many of the Turkish and the Ottoman Armies from Syria and other places in the Middle East, returned to England as a national hero in 1921. It was there that he met the legendary playwright George Bernard Shaw, who made a lasting impression on the soldier.
Two years later, disgusted with the progress in the Middle East, Lawrence quit his job as advisor to Winston Churchill on Middle Eastern policy. His desire to fight not quelled completely, he re-enlisted in the Royal Tank Corps, and used the name Thomas Edward Shaw.
In 1925, he moved to the RAF, still maintaining his pseudonym. This became his legal name in 1927. He served in Aghanistan, primarily repairing engines and propellers, until he finally retired in 1932.
Of course, now we are well-versed in his original name, with the movie and his life's story part of the popular lexicon, but for a time he was Mr. Shaw, and all because of that Irish wit and a chance meeting.