CAUGHT BY AVALANCHE

Evening Star, Issue 21742, 9 June 1934, Page 19

CAUGHT BY AVALANCHE

CLIMBER SWEPT AWAY TRAGEDY OH BEN NEVIS In a gallant but vain attempt to rescue a companion swept away by an avalanche a mountaineer nearly shared the same fate on Ben Nevis, Scotland, at Easter. He was Colin Kirkus, of Liverpool, who was found unconscious and taken to hospital suffering from injuries and exposure. The dead body of his friend, Maurice fiinnell. of Kendal, was recovered later from a ledge of ice. Mr Kirkus was seen lying helpless by Mr Borthwick, of Glasgow, while climbing a dangerous slope known as “The Castles.” and the alarm was raised.

“ When we reached Kirkus,” said one of the rescuers. “Mr Kirkus’ eyes were almost closed and his lips were swollen. He was almost blinded, and suffering from a sprained ankle. Ho regained consciousness, and told us he and his companion were hanging by a rope about 200 ft from the top of tho climb when an avalanche snapped tho rope. “With difficulty,” Mr Kirkus said, “he reached his friend’s body, but found himself unable to move it. Then, equipped only with the head of his ice-axe, the shaft having been broken, he climbed a rocky face at an angle of 70deg in parts and cut his way through to safety. “To get to the body of Mr Linnell,” added the r escuer. “ we had to lower four of our party down an incline, using GOO ft of rope.” GIRL LOWERED TWO THOUSAND FEET. On the precipitous slope of one of the most dangerous peaks in the Lake District, in England, intrepid climbers also at Easter accomplished a rescue feat of amazing daring. Working in relays, and with the guidance of lantern-light, they brought down’ to safety two injured people, lowering one of them, a woman, on a stretcher, more than 2,000 ft. The scene of the hazardous adventure was Pavey Ark, a mountain 2,286 ft high, in the Langdale Pikes. The two people whose rescue was involved were Miss Millicent-Hill, aged twenty-four, and Mr M. R. Barratt. They were members of a party of six, roped in groups of three, who were' ascending the peak. It was Miss Hill’s first climbing holiday, and she and Mr Barratt were hurt while climbing a steep and difficult gully partly covered with snow. Mr Ling, of London, tho leader of tho first party, had got over the most difficult patch, when the second man, Mr Barratt, dislodged a two-ton boulder, which had apparently become loose through the melting snow. Mr Barratt lost his foothold, hut gripped tho rope and swung outward. The boulder crashed on to Miss Hill, knocking her off a rock ledge, and she fell about 18ft, landing at tho feet of her brother, Mr R. Hill, who was on the second rope below. Mr Hill and his colleagues did what they could for the injured girl, whose fortitude while suffering from a severe compound fracture of the leg and other injuries was beyond praise. One of the party put tho broken limb in temporary splints, binding it with a handkerchief and an oilskin hat. PAINTING CONDITION. Mr Barratt was in a fainting condition, and an artery of his wrist was severed. The bleeding was stopped by a rope tourniquet. Help was immediately sought in the . valley, Mr Hill making a two-mile descent to the Dungeon Ghyll Hotel and telephoning for medical aid. A mountaineer’s stretcher was taken up, and Dr Quarmby, with Dr Cloke, a friend, and others set out to ascend the mountain. Dr Quarmby, climbing across scree beds and up gullies in snow thigh-deep, got to within 600 ft of the woman, and was hauled up the remaining distance with ropes. Arrived there he could do little except relieve the pain of the sufferers slightly. Darkness was falling by the time the task of bringing the injured climbers down began. Willing hands lent assistance, but the work took altogether three and a-half hours. Miss Hill showed great pluck in bearing severe pain while she was lowered on a stretcher, sometimes almost upside down, while the gallant bearers struggled and stumbled over rocks and through snow, sliding and slipping across gullies. REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENT. The descent of Pavey Ark in daylight and with proper equipment is regarded as a feat, but to make it by the light of lanterns and inadequately shod is a remarkable achievement. Miss Hill was finally removed to a nursing home, where an operation was performed. Dr Quarmby stated that in his climb up the mountain, he encountered snow a yard and a-half deep on the boulderstrewn slopes. “It was a nightmare journey back,” he said. “The inclination of the ground in places was about 60deg, It was strewn with boulders and rocks, and everywhere there was snow. “ The stretcher bearers had to stop every few yards, as it was such arduous going, but they stuck to their task like heroes, for they knew full well what a slip might mean. Miss Hill was no less plucky. She never once complained, although in great pain and discomfort, and she was conscious the whole time.” By a coincidence Mr Kirkus, who was injured on Ben Nevis, works in an insurance office in Liverpool wlvcre Miss Hill is also employed.