1976 British and Nepalese Army Expedition to Everest

With the success of that expedition a mountaineering club was thus proposed and fronted by Colonel Gerry Finch, Major Hugh Robertson and Second Lieutenant Chris Bonington.

[3][4] Another army officer, Tony Streather ascended the third highest mountain in the world Kangchenjunga in 1955, then Tirich Mir five years later.

During the 200 mile walk from Kathmandu to Everest base camp with the Army Mountaineering Association two men emerged as clear summiters – Stokes and Lane.

[7] On May 14, Stokes and Lane were established at Camp 6, at 27,000 feet, ahead of the planned ascent of Everest's south-west face the following morning.

As they struggled from their bivouac site, they were met by the second pair to try for the summit, John Scott and Pat Gunson both from the Parachute Regiment – who had expected to find them dead.

[8] Having dosed the severely weakened pair with oxygen – and hot soup – Scott and Gunson scrapped their own ascent and began to descend with them.

Back home in England both were awarded the British Empire Medal; doctors attempted to save the men's toes but the condition of their feet deteriorated in the summer heat.

Despite losing all his toes to frostbite, Stokes returned to tackle Everest a further three times, while Lane continued mountaineering in the Canadian Rockies in 1978-9 and Mount Kenya in 1983.