Beschreibung:

MOUNT EVEREST EXPEDITIONS OF 1936 AND 1938 THE PAPERS OF LIEUTENANT-COLONEL PETER RODERICK OLIVER (1909-1945), including his diaries of the two Everest expeditions of 1936 and 1938, his essay on the Mount-Everest expedition of 1936 entitled 'The North Col,' written at Camp IV, the dairy of his expedition with Frank Smythe in 1937 in the Garhwal Himalaya (the 'Valley of the Flowers' expedition), extensive correspondence (principally letters to his mother and brother, Marcus) from the North West Frontier Province of India describing his military life, mountaineering and service in World War II, photographs (including photographs taken by Oliver on 'Valley of the Flowers' expedition), copies of Oliver's photographs of Mount Everest expeditions, letters to Oliver by Frank Smythe and others, books, family papers and a commemorative statue presented to participants in the 1938 Mount Everest expedition. The correspondence and diaries are arranged in six albums: 1. Early letters and documents including papers relating to his parents, his schooldays, his service in the North West Frontier Province and during World War II, letters written by him to his parents and to his brother and letters written to him by Frank Smythe (including one long autograph letter signed relating to Mount Everest, 'It is impossible not to feel cynical & hopeless over Everest, one knows how it ought to be done,' 1939); Hugh [Ruttledge] on the prospects for the Everest expedition, 1937, and others; letters relating to Oliver's death, certificate of Mention in Despatches, later correspondence concerning his films and decorations, 1917-1977, approximately 110 items 2. Oliver's letters to his father (died 1929), and his mother and brother, written in the North West Frontier Province and the Garhwal Himalaya during his climbing expeditions (including his ascent of Trisul), many dating from his secondment to the South Waziristan Scouts (Toi Khula, Wana, Jandola and elsewhere), some illustrated with diagrams, 1927-1935, approximately 80 items 3. Oliver's letters to his mother and brother including the following series: Everest Expeditions of 1936 (nineteen, including a frank discussion of their failure: 'Without incurring ridiculous dangers and getting Porters of climbers killed, we could do no more [...] Reconnaissance on the N. Col was pushed as far as was safe, or a little futher perhaps'), Garhwal Himalaya expedition of 1937 (eleven) and Everest Expedition of 1938 (seven), some illustrated with diagrams, 1936-38, approximately 130 letters (some extensive) 4. Oliver's letters to his mother and brother, HQ 5 Indian Division, Middle East Forces (North Africa), Staff College, Quetta, Secunderabad and elsewhere, some War Office photographic airgraphs, 1939-41, approximately 120 items, some damaged by burning 5. Oliver's later war letters to his mother and brother, South East Asia Command (India and Burma), some War Office photogarphic airgraphs, 1942-45, approximately 130 items, some damaged by burning 6. MOUNT EVEREST AND GARHWAL HIMALAYA EXPEDITIONS (a) AUTOGRAPH DIARY OF THE 1936 MOUNT EVEREST EXPEDITION, 'My high Camp Diary' written in pen, pencil or crayon in a duplicate book, the narrative beginning at Camp II (nearly 20,000 ft), the pages (215 x 123mm) numbered 1-61, dated 7 May - 16 June 1936, with a letter to his mother indicating that the diary was transmitted to her in portions, giving candid portraits of his companions ('Frank Smythe doesn't change much with knowledge [...] much of an idealist and very gullible. Eric [Shipton] looks more of a strong, silent man than he is in reality' and a detailed account of their failure to reach the summit, 'the conditions being as bad as in 1935 when Eric & Edmund [Wigram] were forced to give up' with eight sketches or diagrams: the view from Camp II, Camp II, track from Camp III to IV, position of Camp III and IV, the course of the avalanche which nearly killed Eric Shipton and Wyn Harris, diagram of position o