section14 history Wilfred Noyce (1917–1962) takes a significant Lake District fall by David Allan & Judy Whiteside When 28-year-old climbers. A cousin of Colin Kirkus, Wilfred Noyce set off to reputed to be ‘one of the most influential climbers Britain has ever climb the Shark’s Fin, produced’, Noyce was introduced Tophet Bastion, on Great by Kirkus to British rock climbing, Gable, in April 1946, as a boy. little could he have In their tribute to Noyce in the known that his fortunes Alpine Journal, entitled Wilfred that day would figure Noyce I9I7-I962: Some Personal so prominently in the Memories, John Hunt and David Cox wrote: ‘At King’s he was mountain rescue exceptionally fortunate in that the history books. Indeed, generosity of one of its Fellows, A they were key to the C Pigou, who was a great lover of very future of mountain mountains, made it possible for rescue in the Lake him to climb for two meteoric District. seasons with two great guides, It was Noyce’s fall, and his Armand Charlet in 1937 and Hans protracted rescue – in which a few Brantschen in 1938, each of whom brave men worked without food must have been delighted to have and light, through foul weather – such a client. At home he was coupled with the recent formation already climbing intensively with of a rescue team in Coniston, Menlove Edwards, the leading which inspired Rusty Westmorland British rock climber of the later to push for a similar group in 1930S. It might be thought that he Keswick. Noyce may have been was extremely lucky to find himself catalytic in the development of a climbing in this sort of company, more ‘joined up’ rescue service but the fact was that his talents but he was, in fact, an were altogether exceptional and accomplished and well-respected that other people spotted this very climber, later to become a key quickly.’ member of the 1953 Everest Noyce’s climbing partnership expedition. with Menlove Edwards proved to Cuthbert Wilfred Noyce was born be a formidable one, pioneering a in India on 31 December 1917. the number of new routes, but not son of Sir Frank Noyce, of the without incident. Indian Civil Service. He attended Hunt and Cox noted with some The Daily Express item shows where Noyce fell Charterhouse School and went on dismay that although ‘Wilf moved and was rescued to read modern languages at easily, and seemingly without King's College, Cambridge. effort, when climbing on all but the most difficult rock,’ he would Following graduation, he first They speculate that a failure to fix frequently ‘stand with his hands in taught modern languages at a belay after a long run-out on the his pockets on narrow, sloping Malvern College before returning East Buttress of Scafell in 1938 ledges where other people would to his old school, Charterhouse. may well have been responsible have been eagerly looking for a Before the outbreak of World for the seriousness of the accident handhold, or wanting to drive in a War Two, he was already gaining in which Menlove Edwards saved a reputation as one of our finest peg for a bit of security.’ SIGNIFICANT EVENTS IN MOUNTAIN AND CAVE RESCUE HISTORY: WILFRED NOYCE TAKES A FALL IN THE LAKES PAGE 1 OF 6 section14 history Wilfred Noyce (1917–1962) takes a significant Lake District fall his life. On that occasion, on a very under him. The story was front rescue squad at Birthwaite Farm. wet day, Noyce had fallen from page news on 26 April 1946: The jeep took Captain Noyce Mickledore Grooves on Scafell. In ‘Fifteen hundred feet up on Great another mile to the ambulance. hospital in Whitehaven with severe Gable, the 2900ft Lakeland peak, ‘Captain Noyce left Buttermere facial and other injuries, he six climbers struggled all night in a yesterday with his sister Rosemary, underwent plastic surgery later to blizzard, with a almost spent torch Mr Philip Noel-Baker, the Minister deal with the facial problem. In as their only guide, to lower an of State, and Mr Elliott. 1939, he fell climbing on Ben injured mountaineer to safety in a ‘Mr Noel-Baker said today: “Mr Nevis in winter but escaped with stretcher. Elliott and Captain Noyce decided minor injuries. ‘Tonight, the mountaineer, to climb the Tophet Bastion and A letter sent to his rescuers, Captain Wilfred Noyce, 28-year- Shark’s Fin Ridge. I have not done some time after his fall from old son of Sir Frank Noyce, former so much climbing for some time, Tophet Bastion, by Noyce’s father, Indian civil servant, was reported so I decided to follow the path over indicates that he and his mother ‘comfortable’ in Whitehaven Great Gable with Miss Noyce. had been worried on more than Infirmary. “When we reached the top there one occasion by their son’s ‘He had lain for 14 hours with a was no sign of the others, so we climbing misadventures, thinking broken leg in a gully of Great Hell left a prearranged signal and ‘Wilfred had done it this time for Gate on Great Gable. walked down to Buttermere. It was good and all.’ ‘Colonel H Westmorland, some hours later before we heard During the war, he was 60-year-old member of the Alpine of the accident.” commissioned as 2nd Lt. in King’s Club, and Mr C Elliott, 58-year-old ‘Meanwhile, in bitter cold and a Royal Rifle Corps. He taught headmaster of Eton, with three blustery wind, Mr Elliott and mountain survival in Wales and other schoolmasters and an Army Captain Noyce climbed Tophet worked for some time at an captain were the men who got the Bastion and began the ascent of aircrew training centre in Kashmir stretcher to the valley. the ridge. alongside John Hunt (who later led ‘For the 15,00ft descent, they ‘They were roped together, the 1953 Everest expedition), had ropes only 120ft long. They Captain Noyce leading, when at climbing Pauhunri in the Sikkim worked in 75-foot drops. Two about 3.00pm, a gust of wind blew Himalaya. He eventually became a climbers with the torch guided the him from the ridge and he fell 50 captain in the Intelligence Corps stretcher down the boulder-strewn feet until he was stopped, his leg and, after teaching himself mountainside. Two paid out the broken, on a grassy saddle. Japanese, was responsible for rope and two remained above as ‘Mr Elliott lowered him 15 feet, to significant breaking of Japanese anchors. a sheltered ledge, made him as codes. ‘At every step there was danger comfortable as possible and of sending an avalanche of secured him with the rope, before Front page news boulders racing down the mountain beginning a seven-mile journey, on the injured man. It was just much of it running, to get help. The war over, Noyce returned to before dawn, after eight hours of ‘On the way down, he told two England and continued his darkness, that they reached the boys of the accident. The boys climbing career. It was on 24 April path, desperately tired, and began later met Colonel Westmorland, 1946 that he fell from the Shark’s to carry the stretcher towards returning from a day’s climb. The Fin. A gust of wind had apparently Wasdale Valley. boys had a blanket and Colonel blown him from his stance, ‘There they were met by a police Westmorland climbed down the causing him to fall some distance party who took over until the ridge to wrap this round Captain onto his leg, which he described stretcher could be loaded on a Noyce before he, too, went for help. as having crumpled and broken jeep from the RAF mountain ‘Colonel Westmorland met two SIGNIFICANT EVENTS IN MOUNTAIN AND CAVE RESCUE HISTORY: WILFRED NOYCE TAKES A FALL IN THE LAKES PAGE 2 OF 6 section14 history Wilfred Noyce (1917–1962) takes a significant Lake District fall other climbers who agreed to go Mountain Rescue Committee, and splint and bandaged his hand and to the ledge and wait with Captain dated 30 May 1946. It contains a we roped Noyce securely to the Noyce. detailed description of the rescue stretcher. We arranged two ‘On the way down to Borrowdale, and his observations and hauling ropes, each handled by Colonel Westmorland met Mr suggestions. two men, one of each pair taking a Elliott returning from the Scafell ‘Dear Mr Pigott. You may care to rock belay. The remaining two Hotel with Mr Robert Files, a have further details of the rescue men climbed with the stretcher. Lancaster schoolmaster, and after the accident on Shark’s Fin. I We found it extraordinarily difficult Captain James Yule. was not present at the accident to haul the stretcher to the top of ‘When they reached the injured and first heard of it on arrival at the ridge. (Lowering the stretcher man, a blizzard was blowing. Mr Seathwaite from Glaramara at down Tophet Bastion was not Files splinted the broken leg and around 5.00pm. I could not obtain considered as we did not consider strapped Captain Noyce to the definite information of the exact the stances and belays on the stretcher. location of the accident which was climb suitable for lowering the ‘Then began a 200ft haul up the said to have occurred on the stretcher in the very grim rock face to reach the head of the Napes Needle and also on the conditions – our hands were steep gully. Shark’s Fin. There were many almost completely numbed and ‘The six climbers heard hails, but walkers at Seathwaite who said Capt Yule had to have medical their answering cries were unheard.