MOUNT EVEREST

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22350, 22 February 1936, Page 13

MOUNT EVEREST

LEADER IN BOMBAY ASSAULTS ON SUMMIT CLIMBERS TO BE IN PAIRS By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received February 21, 5.5 p.m.) Times Cable LONDON, Feb. 20 The Bombay correspondent of the Times reports that Mr. Hugh Ruttledge on his arrival there today said that the assaults on the final few thousand feet of Mount Everest will be made by eight members of his party in pairs. On this occasion they will start earlier, given the arrival of the monsoon at the normal date, and it is hoped there will be time for four assaults, if four are necessary.

The party will return to Darjeeling immediately one pair is successful. It is hoped to reach Darjeeling on March 12, the base camp on April 21 and the North Col on May 22. , The final assaults will be dependent upon the weather after that date.

Mr. Hugh Ruttledge's party is the strongest that could be got together for the attempt to reach the summit of Mount Everest. Of the twelve members nine have already been to the mountain, 10 are known to be capable of climbing to at least 23,000 ft. and eight are expected to be capable of going very high. The party has been limited to 12 to reduce the difficulties of porterage on the glaciers and to simplify the problems of control. The members are:—

Mr. Hugh Ruttledge, leader (as in 1933).

Mr. F. S. Smythe, who will be'making his fourth expedition to the Himalaya.

Mr. E. E. Shipton, a member of the 1933 expedition and famous for his successful exploration in 1934, -when he and Mr. Tilman were the first to penetrate the great glacier basin of Nanda Devi. Like Mr. Smythe, he will be on his fourth Himalayan expedition, and probably is the best acclimatised man in the party. Mr. P. Wyn Harris, Kenya Civil Service. He has a great climbing record and went to about 28,000 feet in 1933. Mr. E. G. H. Kempson, a'master at Marlborough College. He has had long experience of both summer and winter mountaineering in the Alps and was with Mr. Shipton last year iu the Everest region. Dr. C. B. Warren, formerly of St. Bartholomew's Hospital. Another mountaineer of great experience, who was with Mr. Shipton last year. •Mr. F. H. L. Wigram, medical student, St. Thomas' Hospital. A member of Mr. Shipton's party last year, and has a long record in the Alps. Lieutenant J. M. L. Gavin, Royal Engineers. Has never been to the Himalaya, but did extremely well in Mr. Smythe's party in the Alps last year. His medical report was so good that there is every hope that be will do well on the mountain. Lieutenant P. It. Oliver, South Waziristan Scouts. First made a name by taking a small expedition of his own to the Himalaya in 1933, when he made the second ascent of Trisul, 23,406 ft. Has also had considerable experience in the Alps and was with Mr. Smythe last year. Major C. J. Morris, late 2/3 rd Gurkha Rifles. Assistant transport officer on the Mount Everest Expedition of 1522, and will be chief transport officer this year. He knows the ropes, speaks Nepali perfectly and Tibetan well, and will devote himself exclusively to transport work. Dr. Noel Humphreys, who has climbed in Switzerland and East Africa f and recently returned after leading the expedition to Ellesmere Land. A man of proved endurance, with exceptional experience of medical work in out-of-the-way parts of the world. Lieutenant W. It. Smijth-Windham, Royal Corps of Signals. One of the two wireless officers who accompanied- the 1933 expedition. Though not normally a mountaineer, he reached Camp IV. on that occasion. He will be in sole charge of wireless communications.