John Hunt, Baron Hunt
Mountaineer |
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Henry Cecil John Hunt, Baron Hunt,
Early life and military career
Hunt was born in
After Sandhurst, Hunt was
Throughout this period Hunt continued to climb in the
He married Joy Mowbray-Green on 3 September 1936,
Second World War
Upon returning to the United Kingdom in 1940, Hunt became chief instructor at the Commando Mountain and Snow Warfare School,
In Greece, Hunt was appointed temporary
Mount Everest
Hunt was employed on the staff at Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF) when he received the surprise invitation to lead the 1953 British Mount Everest expedition. It had been expected that Eric Shipton would lead the expedition, as he had led the (unsuccessful) British attempt on Cho Oyu the previous year from which the majority of the climbers were drawn. However, the Joint Himalayan Committee of the Alpine Club and Royal Geographical Society that oversaw British attempts on Everest decided that Hunt's military leadership experience and undoubted climbing credentials would provide the best hope for success. It was felt to be critical that this expedition should be successful as the French had permission to mount an expedition in 1954 and the Swiss in 1955, meaning that the British would not have another opportunity until 1956 at the earliest.[1]
Many members of the expedition felt a strong loyalty to Shipton, and were unhappy with his replacement. Edmund Hillary was one of those most opposed to the change, but was soon won round by Hunt's personality and frank admission that the change had been badly handled.[19] Hunt planned for three assaults of two climbers each including "a third and last attempt" if necessary, although after two consecutive assaults a wait would be necessary to "recover our strength" and to replenish the camps. [20]
News of the expedition's success reached London on the morning of
Later life
Hunt returned to active duty in the Army, being posted as assistant
Hunt was Committee Chairman of
He was the first Chairman of the
Lord Hunt died on 7 November 1998 aged 88 in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, having had four daughters.[34][35][36]
Coat of Arms
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See also
Bibliography
- Hunt, John (1953). The Ascent of Everest. Seattle, Wash: The Mountaineers. OCLC 482190654.
- Hunt, John (1978). Life is Meeting. OCLC 163325156. (autobiography)
Notes
- ^ A heart murmur. He was advised not to climb stairs!
References
- ^ doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/71265. (Subscription or UK public library membershiprequired.)
- ^ Burke's Landed Gentry of Ireland (1912 edn): BURTON of Carrigaholt Castle
- ^ "Casualty details—Hunt, Cecil Edwin". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 1 September 2009.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-19-954089-1. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
- ^ "No. 33575". The London Gazette. 31 January 1930. pp. 651–652.
- ^ "No. 33907". The London Gazette. 31 January 1933. p. 673.
- ^ "No. 34031". The London Gazette. 9 March 1934. p. 1607.
- ^ "No. 34159". The London Gazette. 10 May 1935. p. 3053.
- ^ "No. 34168". The London Gazette. 10 May 1935. p. 3712.
- ^ "No. 34497". The London Gazette. 29 March 1938. p. 2087.
- ^ "No. 34502". The London Gazette. 15 April 1938. p. 2528.
- ^ "No. 34538". The London Gazette (Supplement). 5 August 1938. pp. 5028–5032.
- ^ "No. 36637". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 August 1944. p. 3603.
- ^ Piece details WO 373/7, The National Archives contains the recommendation for the DSO, which can be downloaded (fee payable) from Documents Online, Image details—Hunt, Henry Cecil John. Retrieved 8 April 2008.
- ^ "No. 37138". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 January 1930. p. 3223.
- ^ Piece details WO 373/75, the National Archives contains the citation for the CBE, which can be downloaded (fee payable) from Documents Online, Image details—Hunt, Henry Cecil John. Retrieved 8 April 2008.
- ^ "No. 37635". The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 June 1946. pp. 3370–3374.
- ^ "No. 39447". The London Gazette (Supplement). 22 January 1952. p. 503.
- ^ Perrin, Jim (11 January 2008). "Obituary – Sir Edmund Hillary". The Guardian.
- ^ Hunt 1953, pp. 33, 135.
- ISBN 978-1-78074-230-4.
- ^ "Mount Everest Expedition 1953". Imaging Everest. Royal Geographical Society. 2001–2003. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 18 January 2008.
- ^ "No. 39886". The London Gazette. 12 June 1953. p. 3273.
- ^ "No. 39915". The London Gazette. 17 July 1953. p. 3928.
- ^ Jenkins, Mark C (25 April 2003). "Archive: Eisenhower Meets with Hillary". Radio Expeditions—Everest: To the Top of the World—A Look Back on 50 Years of Triumph and Tragedy. NPR, reproducing archive material from the National Geographic Society.
- ^ "No. 40811". The London Gazette (Supplement). 19 June 1956. p. 3649.
- ^ "No. 44619". The London Gazette (Supplement). 21 June 1968. p. 7075.
- ^ Sir John Hunt and Christopher Brasher The red snows : an account of the British Caucasus Expedition 1958. London : Hutchinson, 1960; ASIN B0026YOT2I
- ^ "No. 44004". The London Gazette (Supplement). 3 June 1966. p. 6529.
- ^ "No. 44045". The London Gazette. 5 July 1966. p. 7567.
- CAIN, by permission. October 1969. Retrieved 11 November 2008.
- ^ "No. 46376". The London Gazette. 17 October 1974. pp. 9192–9193.
- ^ "No. 47826". The London Gazette. 24 April 1979. p. 5401.
- ^ White, Stephen (9 November 1998). "Everest hero dies aged 88". The Mirror. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
- ^ Venables, Stephen; Bonington, Sir Chris (10 November 2018). "Obituary: Lord Hunt". The Independent.
- ^ "Obituary: Lord Hunt". The Telegraph. 9 November 1998. Archived from the original on 12 November 2010. Retrieved 19 October 2018.
- ^ Chessyre, Hubert (1994–1995). "The Heraldry of the Garter Banners" (PDF). Report of the Society of the Friends of St George's and the Descendants of the Knights of the Garter. VII (6): 253. Retrieved 19 January 2022.