拍品专文
Somervell gained his early experience of rock climbing with the Keswick based Fell and Rock Climbing Club. He took part in the 1922 expedition which followed the route surveyed by Lt.-Col. Howard-Bury's expedition of the previous year. In company with George Leigh Mallory and Maj. E.F. Norton he reached 26,985ft. Two years later, again with Norton, he improved on this by reaching 28,985ft. on 4 June 1924: 'we agreed reluctantly the game was up ... So with heavy hearts, beating over 180 to the minute, we retraced our steps' (Somervell). The expedition however ended in tragedy when Mallory and A.C. Irvine disappeared whilst making a second attempt on the summit: 'We now await news of Mallory and Irvine, who today are making another attempt with oxygen ... nobody deserves the summit more than Mallory' (Somervell).