James Owen Merion Roberts (1916-1997) was one of the greatest Himalayan mountaineer-explorers of the twentieth century, a highly decorated Army officer who achieved his greatest renown as "the father of trekking" in Nepal. The twentieth century of the Common Era began on His exploratory activities are comparable to those of Eric Shipton and Bill Tilman. Eric Earle Shipton ( 1 August 1907 - 28 March 1977) was a distinguished British Himalayan Mountaineer. Major Harold William "Bill" Tilman, CBE, DSO, MC and Bar (14 February 1898&ndash1977 was an English mountaineer
Born in England, Roberts spent his early life in India, where his father was a headmaster. He joined the British Indian Army in 1936 as a 19 year old subaltern to satisfy his ardent craving for mountaineering, and was posted to the 1st (King George V's Own) Gurkha Rifles.
His first major expedition was in 1938 to Masherbrum, 7890 metres, in the Karakorams: the weather was bad, the attempt was unsuccessful and J. Masherbrum (also known as K1) located in the Northern Areas of Pakistan is the 22nd highest mountain in the world and the 11th highest B. Harrison and R. A. Hodgkin got severely frostbitten. Roberts himself suffered at high altitude and had mild frostbite.
He tried to join the post-monsoon 1939 Everest expedition led by Bill Tilman, but was informed the attempt had been called off. Mount Everest, also called Sagarmatha (सगरमाथा meaning Head of the Sky) or Chomolungma, Qomolangma or Zhumulangma (in Major Harold William "Bill" Tilman, CBE, DSO, MC and Bar (14 February 1898&ndash1977 was an English mountaineer That year he recorded the first of his many first ascents, that of Guan Nelda, 6303 metres (now called Chau Chau Kang Nilda) in the Spiti Himalaya. The ascent was remarkable for something which became a Roberts hallmark: he climbed without any other 'sahib' for company, accompanied only by his Gurkhas. In this he was the true successor of the legendary Dr. A. M. Kellas who had climbed in the same fashion in Sikkim before 1914.
He was selected for the abortive 1940 Everest expedition.
The second major first ascent by Roberts was the 1941 climb of the c. 21148 foot peak he named White Sail( also known as Dharmsura) in the Tos Glacier of Kullu Himalaya.
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Military career
Serving with the 1st Gurkhas, Captain J. O. M. Roberts won the Military Cross in North Africa. Then he returned to India, and as Major commanding 'A' Company of the 153 Gurkha Para Battalion, took part in the 50th Para Brigade defense of Sangshak in 1944 against the Japanese thrust towards Kohima. Kohima ( Hindi: कोहिमा is the hilly capital of India 's north eastern border state of Nagaland which shares its borders with Burma The defense of Sangshak was portrayed by some in the Army High Command as not having been exemplary and Brigadier Hope-Thompson, in local command, took the punishment for that. However Slim, the 14th Army Commander personally sent a dispatch praising the bravery of those involved in the six days and nights of hand-to-hand fighting by a force outnumbered by 18 to 1. In fact the action is noted for the highest number of awards for gallantry issued by the Indian Army for a single action. Roberts fought well. The book about the battle by Harry Seaman has a photograph of him.
He led the first combat paratrooper jump in Southeast Asia on 1st May 1945, dropping with a battalion-sized force at Elephant Point, South of Rangoon as part of the operation to capture that city, and was mentioned in Despatches. Paratroopers are Soldiers trained in Parachuting and generally operate as part of an airborne force. Yangon (also known as Rangoon) is the largest city and a former capital of Burma.
After the war he was posted in Malaya until 1954. The Federation of Malaya (Persekutuan Tanah Melayu was a federation of 11 states formed on January 31 1948 from the nine Malay states and the British He went to Kathmandu in 1958 as military attaché. Kathmandu (काठमांडौ येँ is the Capital and the largest city of Nepal. He left the Army in 1962 as a Lieutenant-Colonel.
Postwar climbing career
1946
Eastern Karakorams, reconnaissance (recce) of the Saser Kangri massif. Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Reconnaissance (also scouting) is a military and medical term denoting exploration conducted to gain information Saser Kangri (or Sasir Kangri) is the highest peak in the Saser Muztagh, the easternmost subrange of the Karakoram range in India First ascent of Lookout Peak, c. 20150 feet, and Stundok Peak, c. 20012 feet. His recce report was the basis on which the successful 1973 Indian expedition to Saser Kangri I, 7672 metres / 25170 feet, opted for a change of approach route from West to East that turned out to be the key to success. Saser Kangri (or Sasir Kangri) is the highest peak in the Saser Muztagh, the easternmost subrange of the Karakoram range in India
1950
The most glorious chapter in Roberts' mountaineering career began with the opening up of Nepal in the 1950s. Year 1950 ( MCML) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Roberts was asked to join a team led by Bill Tilman to the Annapurna massif in 1950. Major Harold William "Bill" Tilman, CBE, DSO, MC and Bar (14 February 1898&ndash1977 was an English mountaineer Annapurna ( Sanskrit, Nepali, Nepal Bhasa: अन्नपूर्णा is a series of peaks in the Himalaya, a -long Massif The expedition was 'ill-organised and badly led' and failed to climb even Annapurna IV, but Roberts saw a lot of the Nepalese mountainscape, seen earlier by only very few people like Toni Hagen and Oleg Polunin. Annapurna ( Sanskrit, Nepali, Nepal Bhasa: अन्नपूर्णा is a series of peaks in the Himalaya, a -long Massif Dr Toni Hagen (born August 17, 1917 in Luzern, died April 18, 2003 in Lenzerheide) was a Swiss Geologist The vale of Pokhara came as an Elysian discovery to Roberts. Pokhara (पोखरा is a city of close to 200000 inhabitants in central Nepal located at 28 The same year saw the opening of the successful campaign against the 8000 metre peaks with the French achieving the ascent of Annapurna I. Annapurna ( Sanskrit, Nepali, Nepal Bhasa: अन्नपूर्णा is a series of peaks in the Himalaya, a -long Massif
1953
Roberts hoped to be invited to join the 1953 Everest team, but found his hopes fulfilled in a disappointing fashion, being asked to organise the transport of oxygen cylinders to Base Camp. Year 1953 ( MCMLIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Mount Everest, also called Sagarmatha (सगरमाथा meaning Head of the Sky) or Chomolungma, Qomolangma or Zhumulangma (in Allowed to depart thereafter, Roberts put the time to good use, exploring three valleys lying South and South-west of Everest, and making the first ascent of Mera, 6654(6456?) metres on 20 May 1953 with Sen Tensing.
1954
First ascent of Putha Hiunchuli, 7246 metres in the Annapurna group with Ang Nyima on Nov. Year 1954 ( MCMLIV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1954 Gregorian calendar) 11 during recce of the Dhaulagiri massif with G. Dhaulagiri (धौलागिरी is the seventh highest Mountain in the world Lorimer.
1956
Recce of Machapuchare
1957
Leader of expedition to Machapuchare (The Fishes' Tail), 6993 metres, the only officially recorded attempt. Year 1956 ( MCMLVI) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Machapuchare or Machhaphuchhare is a Mountain in the Annapurna Himal of north central Nepal. Year 1957 ( MCMLVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar) Machapuchare or Machhaphuchhare is a Mountain in the Annapurna Himal of north central Nepal. The summit team stopped some 150 feet below the top due to lack of time, so the peak is generally regarded as unclimbed. No further expeditions are allowed as this superbly beautiful peak is considered holy. Fluted Peak (21800 feet) was first climbed by this expedition.
1960
Leader, Annapurna II, 7937 metres, expedition: first ascent achieved. Year 1960 ( MCMLX) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Annapurna ( Sanskrit, Nepali, Nepal Bhasa: अन्नपूर्णा is a series of peaks in the Himalaya, a -long Massif This was Chris Bonington's first major Himalayan summit. Sir Christian John Storey Bonington, CBE (born 6 August 1934 in Hampstead, London) is an British Mountaineer
1962
Leader, Dhaulagiri IV, 7660 metres, expedition: reached 6400 metres on masking peak Dhaulagiri VI. Year 1962 ( MCMLXII) was a Common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Dhaulagiri (धौलागिरी is the seventh highest Mountain in the world Dhaulagiri (धौलागिरी is the seventh highest Mountain in the world
1965
Joint Leader, Dhaulagiri IV expedition
1971
Joint leader with N. Year 1965 ( MCMLXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. Dhaulagiri (धौलागिरी is the seventh highest Mountain in the world Year 1971 ( MCMLXXI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1971 Gregorian calendar. G. Dyhrenfurth of the International Everest Expedition that ended in disaster and the death of Indian member H. V. Bahuguna on the West Ridge.
In 1995 he was given the Back Award (instituted 1888) by the Royal Geographic Society. History Founding members of the Society include Sir John Barrow, Sir John Franklin and Francis Beaufort.
Roberts founded the first trekking and mountaineering outfit Mountain Travel Nepal in 1964 to offer the opportunity for well-heeled travellers to enjoy the experience of trekking or climbing in Nepal without problems. His trained Gurkha/Sherpa teams took care of transportation, camping and local liaison, leaving trekkers free to enjoy the thrills. The first trek he handled was one by three elderly ladies to Everest Base Camp in 1965. He is known and revered as "the father of trekking in Nepal".
He acted as bird-collector for the British Museum during the 1950 expedition, and maintained an aviary in Pokhara where he bred pheasants. The British Museum is a Museum of human history and culture in London. He died at Pokhara on November 1, 1997.
References
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