John Henry StokesMBEBEM (28 August 1945 – 10 January 2016), known as 'Brummie' Stokes, was a British Army soldier and mountaineer, known for his successful summit of Everest in 1976.
Stokes was born in 1945 in Hamstead, then a mining village straddling the border of South Staffordshire and Birmingham, England, hence his nickname of 'Brummie'.[1]
His autobiography, Soldiers & Sherpas, A Taste For Adventure, was published in 1988.
He died in January 2016, and was survived by his wife, Lynn, and their two sons.[1][2]
With the SAS he saw action in the Falklands War.[1] He left the army in 1985.[1] He was awarded a British Empire Medal for his nineteen years' work in the Special Air Service.[citation needed] He was well liked by all his fellow Soldiers.[1]
Stokes took part in an expedition to Nuptse in 1975, in which four members of the team died.[1] The next year, during a British Army expedition to Everest in 1976, he reached the summit along with fellow SAS colleague Michael Lane.[1] Stokes lost all his toes and part of each foot to frostbite.[3][page needed] Nonetheless, Stokes became only the third Briton to conquer Everest.[2] In 1984, while climbing on the north face of Everest (having proved himself by climbing Mount McKinley in Alaska), an avalanche wiped out advanced base camp, killing one of the members and injuring several others, and Stokes' neck was broken.[1]
After leaving the army, he was part of an attempt to conquer Everest's last unclimbed route, its northeast ridge, accessed through China.[1] Although he succeeded in climbing the ridge, the summit could not be reached due to weather conditions, and Stokes was partially paralysed by cerebral oedema.[1]
Charity workedit
In 1991, with his wife, Stokes established and ran the 'Taste for Adventure Centre', a registered charity and outdoor activity centre for less privileged children, at Credenhill.[1] He was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for this work in 2004.[1][4]
^ abcdefghijklm"Updated: Tributes paid after SAS legend dies". Hereford Times. 12 January 2016. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
^ abTyler, Jane (11 January 2016). "Intrepid Everest climber John "Brummie" Stokes has died aged 70". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
^Where the Mountain Casts Its Shadow by Maria Coffey
^Henry Stokes&exact=John Henry Stokes&atleast=&similar=[dead link]
External linksedit
Taste for Adventure Website
– 1976 Mount Everest Expedition details
May 03, 2024
john, stokes, mountaineer, john, henry, stokes, august, 1945, january, 2016, known, brummie, stokes, british, army, soldier, mountaineer, known, successful, summit, everest, 1976, contents, personal, life, military, service, mountaineering, charity, work, bibl. John Henry Stokes MBE BEM 28 August 1945 10 January 2016 known as Brummie Stokes was a British Army soldier and mountaineer known for his successful summit of Everest in 1976 Contents 1 Personal life 2 Military service 3 Mountaineering 4 Charity work 5 Bibliography 6 See also 7 References 8 External linksPersonal life editStokes was born in 1945 in Hamstead then a mining village straddling the border of South Staffordshire and Birmingham England hence his nickname of Brummie 1 His autobiography Soldiers amp Sherpas A Taste For Adventure was published in 1988 He died in January 2016 and was survived by his wife Lynn and their two sons 1 2 Military service editAt the age of seventeen Stokes joined the Royal Green Jackets an infantry regiment of the British Army Three years later he joined the SAS Regiment 1 With the SAS he saw action in the Falklands War 1 He left the army in 1985 1 He was awarded a British Empire Medal for his nineteen years work in the Special Air Service citation needed He was well liked by all his fellow Soldiers 1 Mountaineering editFurther information 1976 British and Nepalese Army Expedition to Everest Stokes took part in an expedition to Nuptse in 1975 in which four members of the team died 1 The next year during a British Army expedition to Everest in 1976 he reached the summit along with fellow SAS colleague Michael Lane 1 Stokes lost all his toes and part of each foot to frostbite 3 page needed Nonetheless Stokes became only the third Briton to conquer Everest 2 In 1984 while climbing on the north face of Everest having proved himself by climbing Mount McKinley in Alaska an avalanche wiped out advanced base camp killing one of the members and injuring several others and Stokes neck was broken 1 After leaving the army he was part of an attempt to conquer Everest s last unclimbed route its northeast ridge accessed through China 1 Although he succeeded in climbing the ridge the summit could not be reached due to weather conditions and Stokes was partially paralysed by cerebral oedema 1 Charity work editIn 1991 with his wife Stokes established and ran the Taste for Adventure Centre a registered charity and outdoor activity centre for less privileged children at Credenhill 1 He was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire MBE for this work in 2004 1 4 Bibliography editSoldiers amp Sherpas A Taste For Adventure Michael Joseph Ltd 1988 ISBN 978 0718131197 See also editList of 20th century summiters of Mount EverestReferences edit a b c d e f g h i j k l m Updated Tributes paid after SAS legend dies Hereford Times 12 January 2016 Retrieved 12 January 2016 a b Tyler Jane 11 January 2016 Intrepid Everest climber John Brummie Stokes has died aged 70 Birmingham Mail Retrieved 12 January 2016 Where the Mountain Casts Its Shadow by Maria Coffey Henry Stokes amp exact John Henry Stokes amp atleast amp similar dead link External links editTaste for Adventure Website Mount Everest The British Story 1976 Mount Everest Expedition details Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title John Stokes mountaineer amp oldid 1190459779, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
