Cornish Charles Christopher

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Biografie:
Charles Christopher Cornish (1939-1965)
Christopher Cornish was an officer in the 14/20th King's Hussars. His regiment was stationed at Benghazi, and early in 1965 he took three of his men to Kenya on an adventure training course, the object being to climb Mount Kenya. They first climbed Point Pigott, Midget Peak and Point John. They then set out at 3 a.m. on February 14 to climb Batian, using a route only once tried before. They left one man suffering from mountain sickness at the Two Tarn hut and, when the party had not returned by 10 a.m. the next day, he went back to arrange for a rescue party. They discovered that the three climbers had been hit by a severe fall of rock at the head of the lower Diamond glacier, as they were taking off their crampons to begin the rock climb. They were either knocked unconscious or killed instantly, and rolled some 200 ft. down the glacier. Mr. and Mrs. Cornish asked that the bodies should not be brought off the mountain if this involved any danger to the rescue party, so the three men were buried where they were found. A cairn has been erected, a funeral service was conducted in an aeroplane over the place and the regiment is arranging for a plaque to be fixed to the cairn. These three young men were very unfortunate to have met their deaths in this way, for it is most unusual for a fall of rock to occur so early in the morning when the temperature is still below freezing point. I knew Christopher Cornish well all his life. He went to Charter house and then to Sandhurst, from which he passed out very high. He enjoyed his work in the Army and was already regarded as a promising young officer. He and his younger brother had been encouraged by their mother to walk in the mountains in the Lake District and Wales, and they first came out to the Alps with my wife and myself to join the Jubilee Meet of the A.B.M.S.A.C. at Saas Fee in 1959. They spent a month with us and did six good climbs led by guides, including the traverse of the Lenzspitze and Nadelhorn, the Matterhorn by the Hörnli ridge, and the Dom.
Christopher and his brother came out with us to the Alps in 1960 and 1961, doing more difficult climbs, with guides, including the Weissmies by the North ridge, the Jägigrat, the Zinal Rothorn by the Rothorngrat, and the traverse of the Rimpfischhorn. Christopher was much admired by all the guides with whom he climbed for his skill, calmness and prudence.
In 1962 he did some climbing in Norway with F. L. Jenkins, who also had a high opinion of him, and he started doing guideless climbs in the Alps. For his first climbs, with his brother and a cousin, he repeated climbs he had previously done with a guide. Both in 1962 and 1963 he led parties in the Army Mountaineering Association meets in the Alps and he had been selected for an A.M.A. expedition to the Himalaya in 1965 or 1966:
Christopher was a mountaineer in the best sense of the term, not only enjoying the effort, the skill and the sense of achievement of a good climb, but loving the mountains and the beautiful views to be obtained. He was a fine young man, keen on his job and good at it, dependable, cheerful, unselfish and full of fun.
He died a mountaineer's death and it is fitting that he should be buried among the mountains. The Army has lost a promising officer; the Alpine Club a mountaineer of fine quality; and his family and friends an unselfish and lovable companion.
A. W. Barton.
Quelle: Alpine Journal Volume 70, 1965, Seite 365-366


Geboren am:
1939
Gestorben am:
1965