Fraser George James

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Biografie:
George James Fraser (1931-1959)
George Fraser, who was lost with Michael Harris close to the summit of Ama Dablam, was prominent among that very happy group of Cambridge climbers whose influence is continually spreading beyond the boundaries of the University. From Winchester, he gained a major scholarship to King's College where he read engineering, took an honours degree and did some fast cross-country running. Later he was employed by Binnie, Deacon and Gourley as a civil engineer specializing in dam construction.
He had climbed extensively in Britain, especially in his native Scottish mountains and recorded some very fine first ascents in the Carnmore area. While still an undergraduate he celebrated one Christmas vacation in the Hoggar mountains of the Sahara where, in less than a - fortnight, the party of three consumed a gazelle, a goat and a mouflon and were still able to make several new and notable ascents.
Then immediately after our final examinations the two of us flew out to join the Cambridge Rakaposhi expedition of 1954. This was where I first had the pleasure of climbing with him, although bad weather hampered the expedition's progress and our success was limited. Subsequently, although he had only just passed his driving test and I had yet to fail mine, we succeeded in bringing back the expedition's battered car from Teheran to England without mishap except for a minor ricochet from a water buffalo. So I came to appreciate some of his sterling qualities on the mountain his strength and stamina and judgement and in the deserts and garages of the Middle East his patience and practical ability.
Thereafter his Alpine seasons were often dogged by bad weather but he steadily recorded good climbs such as the Flatiron ridge of the Piz Gemelli in the Bregaglia which he wrote about in Cambridge Mountaineering and, in 1958, the East face of the Grand Capucin. He was also the first British climber on four ascents in the Pyrenees.
Although his job tied him to London he seemed to manage plenty of weekend climbing, so that at a time when many of us start complaining of old age, his technical ability was continually improving. He joined the elite who have led Cenotaph Corner and with Michael Harris must have been a very strong combination on Ama Dablam. Nobody knows how misfortune overtook them but, as we have seen too often in the last few years, even the very best are not immune. At their deaths one can only feel a very deep and sincere sorrow which one shares with their relations and many friends.
In London, George would often be the host at a leisurely evening devoted to showing holiday slides. I can see now the glint and gladness in his eyes when he told us about Scotland and Easter at Carnmore. In particular I remember the infectious excitement with which he recounted a superb first ascent with Michael O'Hara which they have described in the Climbers' Club Journal. 'We named the climb Dragon,' wrote O'Hara, ' partly because it was fierce, and partly because it was George who won the victory.'
G. C. Band
Quelle: Alpine Journal Vol. 64. Nr. 298, 1959, Seite 282-283


Geboren am:
1931
Gestorben am:
1959