Brummie Stokes

John Henry "Brummie" Stokes MBE BEM (born 1945) is a former British Army soldier and mountaineer known for his successful summit of Everest in 1976.

Stokes was born in 1945 in Hamstead, Birmingham. At the age of seventeen he joined the British Army and after three years service with the Royal Green Jackets he enlisted into the SAS regiment. During the next 23 years, he was to take part in active duty all over the world including the Falkland Islands. He was awarded a British Empire Medal for his nineteen years work in the Special Air Service.

Climbing Mount Everest

During a British Army expedition to Everest in 1976 he achieved the summit along with fellow SAS colleague Bronco Lane. Stokes lost all his toes and part of each foot to frostbite. [ [http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=ZOomkQfnWsAC&pg=PA142&lpg=PA142&dq=%22Bronco+Lane%22+everest&source=web&ots=LeTuzmgRJi&sig=C8-S_rB_2CGqbQk1Ir37-zD8iVE&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=5&ct=result#PPA142,M1 Where the Mountain Casts Its Shadow By Maria Coffey] ] 1984 found him climbing on the north face of Everest (having proved himself by climbing Mount McKinley in Alaska) tragically, an avalanche was to wipe out advanced base camp, killing one of the members and injuring several others. Brummie himself suffered a broken neck.

Charity work

In 1991 he founded the "Taste for Adventure Centre", a registered Charity and an outdoor activity centre for less privileged children. Brummie was awarded an MBE in recognition of his work in 2004. [ [http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/ViewPDF.aspx?pdf=57315&geotype=London&gpn=21&type=Supplement&all=John Henry Stokes&exact=John Henry Stokes&atleast=&similar=] ]

References

* Soldiers & Sherpas' A Taste For Adventure by J H "Brummie Stokes

External links

* [http://www.tasteforadventure.co.uk/ Taste for Adventure Website] .