Major Harold William Tilman,
CBE,
DSO,
MC and Bar, (14 February 1898 – November 1977) was an
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ...
mountaineer
Mountaineering or alpinism, is a set of outdoor activities that involves ascending tall mountains. Mountaineering-related activities include traditional outdoor climbing, skiing, and traversing via ferratas. Indoor climbing, sport climbing, a ...
and
explorer, renowned for his
Himalaya
The Himalayas, or Himalaya (; ; ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the planet's highest peaks, including the very highest, Mount Everest. Over 10 ...
n climbs and
sailing
Sailing employs the wind—acting on sails, wingsails or kites—to propel a craft on the surface of the ''water'' (sailing ship, sailboat, raft, windsurfer, or kitesurfer), on ''ice'' (iceboat) or on ''land'' ( land yacht) over a chose ...
voyages.
Early years and Africa
Bill Tilman was born on 14 February 1898 in
Wallasey,
Cheshire
Cheshire ( ) is a ceremonial and historic county in North West England, bordered by Wales to the west, Merseyside and Greater Manchester to the north, Derbyshire to the east, and Staffordshire and Shropshire to the south. Cheshire's county tow ...
, the son of a well-to-do
sugar
Sugar is the generic name for sweet-tasting, soluble carbohydrates, many of which are used in food. Simple sugars, also called monosaccharides, include glucose, fructose, and galactose. Compound sugars, also called disaccharides or do ...
merchant John Hinkes Tilman and his wife Adeline Schwabe (née Rees). He was educated at
Berkhamsted Boys school. During the
First World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
he entered the
Royal Military Academy, Woolwich and, on 28 July 1915, he graduated from Woolwich where he was
commissioned as a
second lieutenant into the
Royal Field Artillery of the
British Army
The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurkha ...
. Tilman fought at the
Battle of the Somme
The Battle of the Somme (French: Bataille de la Somme), also known as the Somme offensive, was a battle of the First World War fought by the armies of the British Empire and French Third Republic against the German Empire. It took place be ...
, and was twice awarded the
Military Cross
The Military Cross (MC) is the third-level (second-level pre-1993) military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993) other ranks of the British Armed Forces, and formerly awarded to officers of other Commonwealth countries.
The MC ...
for bravery. His climbing career, however, began with his acquaintance with
Eric Shipton in
Kenya
)
, national_anthem = " Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"()
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, image_map2 =
, capital = Nairobi
, coordinates =
, largest_city = Nairobi
, ...
,
East Africa
East Africa, Eastern Africa, or East of Africa, is the eastern subregion of the African continent. In the United Nations Statistics Division scheme of geographic regions, 10-11-(16*) territories make up Eastern Africa:
Due to the historica ...
, where they were both
coffee
Coffee is a drink prepared from roasted coffee beans. Darkly colored, bitter, and slightly acidic, coffee has a stimulating effect on humans, primarily due to its caffeine content. It is the most popular hot drink in the world.
Seeds of ...
growers. Beginning with their joint traverse of
Mount Kenya in 1929 and their ascents of
Kilimanjaro and the fabled "Mountains of the Moon"
Ruwenzori, Shipton and Tilman formed one of the most famed partnerships in mountaineering history. When it came time to leave Africa, Tilman was not content with merely flying home but rode a bicycle across the continent to the West Coast where he embarked for England.
World War II
He volunteered for service in the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
; he first saw action during the
Battle of France
The Battle of France (french: bataille de France) (10 May – 25 June 1940), also known as the Western Campaign ('), the French Campaign (german: Frankreichfeldzug, ) and the Fall of France, was the German invasion of France during the Second Wor ...
helping to cover the retreat in
Flanders
Flanders (, ; Dutch: ''Vlaanderen'' ) is the Flemish-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to cultu ...
before getting to the beaches at
Dunkirk. Tilman then served in
North Africa
North Africa, or Northern Africa is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region, and it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of Mauritania in ...
,
Iraq
Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...
and
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
before being called on for special duty in 1943. He then was dropped by
parachute into
Albania
Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and share ...
behind enemy lines to fight with Albanian and
Italian partisans. For his actions there he was awarded the
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, as well as formerly of other parts of the Commonwealth, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, ty ...
for his efforts, and was given the keys to the city of
Belluno which he helped save from occupation and destruction.
Mount Everest & Nanda Devi
Tilman was involved in two of the 1930s
Mount Everest
Mount Everest (; Tibetan: ''Chomolungma'' ; ) is Earth's highest mountain above sea level, located in the Mahalangur Himal sub-range of the Himalayas. The China–Nepal border runs across its summit point. Its elevation (snow hei ...
expeditions - participating in the
1935 Reconnaissance Expedition, and reaching 27,200 feet without oxygen as the expedition leader in 1938. He
penetrated the Nanda Devi sanctuary with
Eric Shipton in 1934, and in 1936 he went on to lead an
Anglo-American expedition to Nanda Devi. With the support of a team which included
Peter Lloyd and
H. Adams Carter, Tilman and
Noel Odell
Noel Ewart Odell FRSE FGS (25 December 1890 – 21 February 1987) was an English geologist and mountaineer. In 1924 he was an oxygen officer on the Everest expedition in which George Mallory and Andrew Irvine famously perished during their summit ...
succeeded in making the first ascent of the mountain, which remained the
highest summit climbed by man until 1950. Tilman later described their arrival on the summit:
::Odell had brought a thermometer, and no doubt sighed for the
hypsometer. From it we found that the air temperature was but in the absence of the wind we could bask gratefully in the friendly rays of our late enemy the sun. It was difficult to realise that we were actually standing on top of the same peak which we had viewed two months ago from
Ranikhet, and which had then appeared incredibly remote and inaccessible, and it gave us a curious feeling of exaltation to know that we were above every peak within a hundred miles on either hand.
Dhaulagiri, 1,000ft higher, and 200 miles away in Nepal, was our nearest rival. I believe we so far forgot ourselves as to shake hands on it.
In 1939, Tilman was the first man to attempt climbing in the remote and unexplored
Assam Himalaya
Assam Himalaya is a traditional designation for the portion of the Himalaya range between the eastern border of Bhutan, on the west, and the Great Bend of the Tsangpo River, on the east. The highest peak of this range is Namcha Barwa. Other hi ...
, exploring the Southern approaches of Gori Chen, 6538 metres, before his team succumbed to malaria. In 1947 he attempted
Rakaposhi, then made his way to Kashgar to join up with
Eric Shipton in a lightweight attempt on
Muztagh Ata
Muztagh Ata or Muztagata (, Музтағ Ата, literally "ice-mountain-father"; ; formerly known as Mount Tagharma or Taghalma and Wi-tagh) is the second highest (7546 metres) of the mountains which form the northern edge of the Tibetan Plate ...
, 7546 metres, which nearly succeeded. On his way back to India, he detoured through
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is borde ...
's
Wakhan Corridor to see the source of the river
Oxus
The Amu Darya, tk, Amyderýa/ uz, Amudaryo// tg, Амударё, Amudaryo ps, , tr, Ceyhun / Amu Derya grc, Ὦξος, Ôxos (also called the Amu, Amo River and historically known by its Latin name or Greek ) is a major river in Central Asi ...
. During his extensive exploration of the areas of
Langtang
Langtang valley is a Himalayan valley in the mountains of north-central Nepal, known for its trekking routes and natural environment.
Administrative
The Langtang valley lies in the Rasuwa district of the Bagmati Province in Nepal. Situ ...
,
Ganesh
Ganesha ( sa, गणेश, ), also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka, and Pillaiyar, is one of the best-known and most worshipped deities in the Hindu pantheon and is the Supreme God in Ganapatya sect. His image is found throughout India. Hindu ...
and Manang in
Nepal
Nepal (; ne, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne,
सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is ma ...
in 1949, Tilman was the first to ascend Paldor, 5896 metres, and found the pass named after him beyond Gangchempo.
He was awarded in 1952 the
Royal Geographical Society's
Founder's Medal for his achievements.
Sailing / mountain exploration
Following his military career behind enemy lines in the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
, Tilman took up deep sea sailing. Sailing in deep seas on the
Bristol Channel Pilot Cutter ''Mischief'', which he purchased in 1954, and subsequently on his other pilot cutters ''Sea Breeze'' and ''Baroque'', Tilman voyaged to
Arctic
The Arctic ( or ) is a polar regions of Earth, polar region located at the northernmost part of Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean, adjacent seas, and parts of Canada (Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut), Danish Realm (Greenla ...
and
Antarctic waters in search of new and uncharted mountains to climb. On his last voyage in 1977, in his eightieth year, Tilman was invited to ship as crew in ''En Avant'' with mountaineers sailing to the South Atlantic to climb
Smith Island. The expedition was led, and the boat skippered, by the youthful
Simon Richardson. He and his crew aboard the old, converted steel
tug
A tugboat or tug is a marine vessel that manoeuvres other vessels by pushing or pulling them, with direct contact or a tow line. These boats typically tug ships in circumstances where they cannot or should not move under their own power, suc ...
made it successfully and without incident to
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro ( , , ; literally 'River of January'), or simply Rio, is the capital of the state of the same name, Brazil's third-most populous state, and the second-most populous city in Brazil, after São Paulo. Listed by the GaWC as a b ...
. Thereafter, en route to the
Falkland Islands
The Falkland Islands (; es, Islas Malvinas, link=no ) is an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean on the Patagonian Shelf. The principal islands are about east of South America's southern Patagonian coast and about from Cape Dubouze ...
, they disappeared without trace - it was presumed the ship had foundered with all hands.
Chronological summary of expeditions
* 1929: Tilman is introduced to rock climbing in the
Lake District of
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...
.
* 1930: He ascends Mawenzi and almost ascends Kibo on
Kilimanjaro, with Eric Shipton.
* 1930: He makes first ascent of West Ridge of Batian, and traverses to Nelion, with Shipton.
* 1932: Tilman ascends Mounts Speke, Baker, and Stanley in the
Ruwenzori Range
The Ruwenzori, also spelled Rwenzori and Rwenjura, are a range of mountains in eastern equatorial Africa, located on the border between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The highest peak of the Ruwenzori reaches , and the range' ...
, with Shipton.
* 1932: In April, he is involved in an accident in the Lake District which leads to the death of J. S. Brogdon.
* 1932: Later that year, he makes various climbs in the Alps.
* 1933: Tilman ascends Kilimanjaro (to summit) alone.
* 1934: Tilman and Shipton, with three others, make the first recorded entrance into the
Nanda Devi Sanctuary
The Nanda Devi National Park or Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, established in 1982 is a national park situated around the peak of Nanda Devi (7816 m) in Chamoli Garhwal district of Uttarakhand, in northern India. The entire park lies at an elev ...
. They also explore the nearby
Badrinath Range.
* 1935: Tilman unable to acclimatise on the
Mount Everest reconnaissance expedition led by Eric Shipton, but climbs various 20,000 ft. peaks in the Everest region.
* 1936: Tilman attempts various peaks and passes, including the
Zemu Gap, in
Sikkim
Sikkim (; ) is a state in Northeastern India. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China in the north and northeast, Bhutan in the east, Province No. 1 of Nepal in the west and West Bengal in the south. Sikkim is also close to the Sil ...
, near
Kangchenjunga. Later, he leads the first ascent of
Nanda Devi.
* 1937: Shipton and Tilman make a major reconnaissance and surveying expedition in the
Karakoram
The Karakoram is a mountain range in Kashmir region spanning the borders of Pakistan, China, and India, with the northwest extremity of the range extending to Afghanistan and Tajikistan. Most of the Karakoram mountain range falls under the ...
.
* 1938: Tilman leads another
Mount Everest expedition; he and three others reach above
27,300 ft (8,320 m) but fail to reach the summit.
* 1938: He traverses the
Zemu Gap.
* 1939: He leads an expedition in the remote
Assam Himalaya
Assam Himalaya is a traditional designation for the portion of the Himalaya range between the eastern border of Bhutan, on the west, and the Great Bend of the Tsangpo River, on the east. The highest peak of this range is Namcha Barwa. Other hi ...
, which ends in disaster. They attempt
Gori Chen, but reach only the lower slopes. The party was ravaged by
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects humans and other animals. Malaria causes symptoms that typically include fever, tiredness, vomiting, and headaches. In severe cases, it can cause jaundice, seizures, coma, or death. ...
, causing the death of one member.
* 1941: Tilman climbs various peaks in
Kurdistan
Kurdistan ( ku, کوردستان ,Kurdistan ; lit. "land of the Kurds") or Greater Kurdistan is a roughly defined geo-cultural territory in Western Asia wherein the Kurds form a prominent majority population and the Kurdish culture, languag ...
.
* 1942: He makes a night ascent of Zaghouan, in
Tunisia
)
, image_map = Tunisia location (orthographic projection).svg
, map_caption = Location of Tunisia in northern Africa
, image_map2 =
, capital = Tunis
, largest_city = capital
, ...
.
* 1947: Tilman leads an attempt on
Rakaposhi which explores five different routes, none of which get near the summit. The expedition then explored the Kukuay Glacier on the southwest side of the
Batura Muztagh.
* 1947: He attempts
Muztagh Ata
Muztagh Ata or Muztagata (, Музтағ Ата, literally "ice-mountain-father"; ; formerly known as Mount Tagharma or Taghalma and Wi-tagh) is the second highest (7546 metres) of the mountains which form the northern edge of the Tibetan Plate ...
, with Shipton and Gyalgen Sherpa.
* 1948: Tilman attempts
Bogda Feng, in northern
Xinjiang
Xinjiang, SASM/GNC: ''Xinjang''; zh, c=, p=Xīnjiāng; formerly romanized as Sinkiang (, ), officially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR), is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China (PRC), located in the northwes ...
, with Shipton and two others, but they only reach outlying summits.
* 1948: He attempts
Chakragil, in western
Xinjiang
Xinjiang, SASM/GNC: ''Xinjang''; zh, c=, p=Xīnjiāng; formerly romanized as Sinkiang (, ), officially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR), is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China (PRC), located in the northwes ...
.
* 1948: He travels in the
Chitral
Chitral ( khw, , lit=field, translit=ćhitrār; ur, , translit=ćitrāl) is situated on the Chitral River in northern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. It serves as the capital of the Chitral District and before that as the capital of Chitral ...
area of the
Hindu Kush.
* 1949: Tilman leads a four-month exploratory and scientific expedition to the
Langtang
Langtang valley is a Himalayan valley in the mountains of north-central Nepal, known for its trekking routes and natural environment.
Administrative
The Langtang valley lies in the Rasuwa district of the Bagmati Province in Nepal. Situ ...
,
Ganesh
Ganesha ( sa, गणेश, ), also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka, and Pillaiyar, is one of the best-known and most worshipped deities in the Hindu pantheon and is the Supreme God in Ganapatya sect. His image is found throughout India. Hindu ...
, and Jugal Himals in
Nepal
Nepal (; ne, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne,
सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is ma ...
, in the early stages of that country's re-opening to outsiders. He climbs Paldor in the Ganesh Himal.
* 1950: He leads the British
Annapurna Expedition, which gets close to the summit of Annapurna IV, and attempts other nearby peaks.
* 1950: Tilman and
Charles Houston view Mount Everest from the lower slopes of
Pumori, on the recently opened Nepalese side of the peak.
* 1955 – 12 months, 20,000 miles: First voyage in ''Mischief''. Together with
Jorge Quinteros
Jorge ''Polo'' Quinteros (born 27 July 1974 in San Fernando, Buenos Aires Province) is an Argentine retired professional footballer who played as a striker.
He has played for Argentinos Juniors in four different spells, his other clubs includ ...
he performs the first longitudinal crossing of the
Southern Patagonian Ice Field.
* 1957 – 12 months, 21,000 miles, circumnavigation of the African continent
* 1959 – 12 months, 20,000 miles, South Atlantic, Iles Crozet
* 1961 – 4 months, 7,500 miles, West Greenland - Upernavik region
* 1962 – 4 months, 6,500 miles, West Greenland and Baffin Island
* 1963 – 4 months, 7,000 miles,
Bylot Island
Bylot Island lies off the northern end of Baffin Island in Nunavut Territory, Canada. Eclipse Sound to the southeast and Navy Board Inlet to the southwest separate it from Baffin Island. Parry Channel lies to its northwest. At it is ranked 71st ...
,
Baffin Bay
* 1964 – 4 months, 3,700 miles, East Greenland
* 1964 – 5 months, 10,000 miles, skippering the schooner ''Patanela'' to Heard Island in the Southern Ocean
* 1965 – 4 months, 4,000 miles, East Greenland - Return visit
* 1966 – 12 months, 20,400 miles, Islands of the Southern Ocean
* 1968 – 3 months, 2,500 miles, East Greenland,
Jan Mayen
Jan Mayen () is a Norwegian volcanic island in the Arctic Ocean with no permanent population. It is long (southwest-northeast) and in area, partly covered by glaciers (an area of around the Beerenberg volcano). It has two parts: larger ...
, Loss of ''Mischief''
* 1969 – 4 months, 3,400 miles, first voyage in ''Sea Breeze'' - East Greenland
* 1970 – 4 months, 5,000 miles, South West Greenland - Faeringehavn, Julianhaab, Nanortalik, Torsukatak
* 1971 – 4 months, 5,000 miles, Faroe Islands, Iceland, East Greenland - Angmassalik
* 1972 – 3 months, 3,000 miles, East Greenland, Loss of ''Sea Breeze''
* 1973 – 4 months, 5,000 miles, First voyage in ''Baroque'', to West Greenland.
* 1974 – 4 months, 7,000 miles, circumnavigation of Spitzbergen
* 1975 – 4 months, 5,000 miles, West Greenland
* 1976 – 4 months, East Greenland - Angmagssalik - Reykjavik
* 1977 - 1 month, Reykjavik-Lymington
* 1977 – 4 months (?), Carried as crew/navigator on Simon Richardson's ''En Avant'' from Southampton to Las Palmas then Rio de Janeiro. Vessel presumed lost at sea en route to the Falkland Islands with loss of all hands.
Sources:
H.W.Tilman, the seven Mountain Travel Books
H.W.Tilman, the eight Sailing / Mountain exploration Books
Resources
Books
* H. W. Tilman: The Collected Edition (Vertebrate Publishing and Lodestar Books, 2016–17), comprising:
** ''Snow on the Equator'' (1937)
** ''The Ascent of Nanda Devi'' (1937)
** ''When Men and Mountains Meet'' (1946)
** ''Mount Everest 1938'' (1948)
** ''Two Mountains and a River'' (1949)
** ''China to Chitral'' (1951)
** ''Nepal Himalaya'' (1952)
** ''Mischief in Patagonia'' (1957)
** ''Mischief among the Penguins'' (1961)
** ''Mischief in Greenland'' (1964)
** ''Mostly Mischief'' (1966)
** ''Mischief Goes South'' (1968)
** ''In Mischief's Wake'' (1971)
** ''Ice With Everything'' (1974)
** ''Triumph and Tribulation'' (1977)
* Eric Shipton, ''The Six Mountain-Travel Books'' (Mountaineers Books, 1997), .
* H. W. Tilman, ''Mount Everest 1938'' (
Pilgrims Publishing) (contains the Appendix B on the
Yeti)
* H. W. Tilman, ''Nepal Himalaya'' (
Pilgrims Publishing)
* H. W. Tilman, ''The Seven Mountain-Travel Books'' (Mountaineers' Books) , comprising:
** ''Snow on the Equator'' (1937)
** ''The Ascent of Nanda Devi'' (1937)
** ''When Men and Mountains Meet'' (1946)
** ''Everest 1938'' (1948)
** ''Two Mountains and a River'' (1949)
** ''China to Chitral'' (1951)
** ''Nepal Himalaya'' (1952)
* H. W. Tilman, ''Eight Sailing/Mountain-Exploration Books'' (Diadem Books) , comprising:
** ''Mischief in Patagonia'' (1957)
** ''Mischief among the Penguins'' (1961)
** ''Mischief in Greenland'' (1964)
** ''Mostly Mischief'' (1966)
** ''Mischief Goes South'' (1968)
** ''In Mischief's Wake'' (1971)
** ''Ice With Everything'' (1974)
** ''Triumph and Tribulation'' (1977)
See also
*
List of people who disappeared mysteriously at sea
Throughout history, people have mysteriously disappeared at sea, many on voyages aboard floating vessels or traveling via aircraft. The following is a list of known individuals who have mysteriously vanished in open waters, and whose whereabouts r ...
References
Further reading
* Anderson, John Richard Lane, ''High Mountains and Cold Seas: Life of H. W. Tilman'' (Gollancz Books)
* Madge, Tim, ''The Last Hero - Bill Tilman: A Biography of the Explorer'' (The Mountaineers' Books)
* Richardson, Dorothy, ''The Quest of Simon Richardson'' (Gollancz Books, 1986)
* Astill, Tony, ''Mount Everest : The Reconnaissance 1935'' (published by the author, 2006)
* Perrin, Jim, ''Shipton and Tilman : The Great Decade of Himalayan Exploration'' ( Hutchinson, London, 2013)
External links
*Chris Bonington, 'Tilman, Harold William (1898–1977x9)’, rev.
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Oxford University Press, 2004
Travels with Tilman, 1956-1977Aboard Mischief with Tilman 1957-1958Sherborne School Archivesnbsp;– holds the 1938 Everest Expedition diary kept by Lieutenant-Colonel Peter Roderick Oliver, together with the ice axe he used on the expedition
*New Collected Edition of Tilman's 15 mountaineering and travel books and the Anderson biography, jointly published b
Vertebrate Publishingan
Lodestar Books
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tilman, Bill
1898 births
1970s missing person cases
1977 deaths
Military personnel from Cheshire
British Army personnel of World War I
British Army personnel of World War II
Companions of the Distinguished Service Order
Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
English explorers
English mountain climbers
Explorers of Central Asia
Graduates of the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich
People educated at Berkhamsted School
People from Wallasey
People lost at sea
Recipients of the Military Cross
Royal Artillery officers