ARTICLES
EXERCISE MOUNTAIN DRAGON ANNAPURNA SOUTH PEAK
A
1976
Sanctuary, to be our Sirdar and recruit our porters. fter being posted back to 6 GR in It was agreed that they would be local villagers Hong Kong in 1975 and commanding rather than professional porters and that we would A Company, I met up with Captain try hard to look after them. Finance was another Peter Cooper, Gurkha Engineers, and key issue and we were most fortunate to get the established a rock-climbing partnership. We both support of Ronnie Ross, Frankie Gouldsbury’s father however, had ambitions to climb a “small” peak in the Himalaya and were encouraged by the success of and a prominent businessman in Hong Kong who provided a vital interface the Hong Kong Expedition with local companies who to Lamjung Himal in 1974 might support us. As well which had included Frank as financial support we Fonfe from 6 GR. After received help in kind with considerable research and on such things as clothes and the advice of Jimmy Roberts blankets which we were in Pokhara, we opted for later able to pass on to our Annapurna South Peak (ASP) porters. I also contracted at 23,683 feet (7,219 metres) to do some articles for the by the East Face from the Sunday South China Morning Annapurna Sanctuary and Post (SCMP). in the post monsoon period, i.e. September to November. With the very positive The mountain had only been support of Mike Wardroper, climbed twice before and then Commanding Officer only once via the East Face 6 GR, Corporal Rinchen and, at that height, would Wangdi Lepcha, Rifleman mean that we would not Dhanbahadur Pun and our need oxygen. Peter carrying a load using fixed ropes on attached PTI, Staff Sergeant Serac Ridge Rick Broad and myself were Permissions were sought all released for the expedition. WO2 Li Nai Chung and eventually received, the mountain booked, but from the School of Physical and Recreational Training then the Nepalese authorities changed the rules in Hong Kong made the lead climbers up to 6. Support and only through the splendid efforts of the Defence climbers were Lance Corporal Martin Callaghan Attaché were we able to continue. There was much from the Light Infantry and Rifleman Sukrabahadur to do; finance, equipment, rations, flights, personnel Rai from 1/2GR with Sergeant Bill Noble from 18 etc, etc: 1976 became an extremely busy year for Field Ambulance in Sek Kong as our medic. Rifleman Peter and myself. One of the key issues was porters, Rasbahadur Gurung, 6 GR, and Sapper Belbahadur as the Lamjung expedition’s porters had walked Gurung, Gurkha Engineers, who were both to be on out and nearly scuppered the whole thing. In the leave agreed to act as our mail runners. With four of spring of 1976, Ria my wife, and I did a recce to the the six lead climbers, the mountain and also persuaded Honorary Lieutenant Sanbahadur Gurung, a former 6 GR RSM and resident Sirdar and one mail runner, this had become very much a 6 GR expedition! of the village of Chhomro, the last village before the
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