Odell's letter

22nd June 1924

While we are today used to thinking of Irvine in combination with Mallory, his closest friend during the expedition was arguably Noel Odell. This was known to the other participants as well, as they were seen as a ‘well-known firm’ by some of their companions, such as Norton.

Sandy and Odell had first met in North Wales, and then they had become close during the Spitsbergen expedition. After Sandy's death Odell would remain close to the Irvine family, as well as being the only expedition member who had faith in Mallory and Irvine's summit success.

Before Mallory, Odell was Sandy's first mentor and role model. When, in 1933, an ice axe of the 1924 expedition was found on Everest, the Irvine family contacted Odell to ask if it could indeed have been Sandy's. What no one could agree upon, however, was the significance of the axe in the position it was found. Odell told Willie, Sandy's father, ‘I am prepared to believe that they may have overcome the 2" step, and actually reached the summit, as previously argued, and that the axe was dropped accidentally, at the spot where found, during their descent in the dark'. Odell then visited Willie to discuss the find in more detail but there was very little Odell or anyone else could say to shed light on the final outcome of events ten years previously.

This is Odell's letter of condolence to the Irvine family: 'Rongshar Valley, Thibet. (sic) 22-6-24.

'Dear Mr. & Mrs. Irvine,

It is my most grievous obligation to write and sympathize (sic) with you in the loss of your son and my dear friend Sandy. It is quite impossible for me to say all I should like to regarding him, and how sorry I am that he cannot return to you successful and full of all the delightful experiences that otherwise this expedition has brought to us. It is all so unexpected and one cannot realise it as yet.

You will no doubt have read the various “Times” communiques long before this reaches you, as the communiques have exclusive runners across Thibet (sic) to India and thence are cabled home. I endeavoured to describe in one of them, as you may have seen, the last events connected with Sandy and Mallory’s last climb, and how, during that last glimpse through the mist, they seemed to be going so well. It will of course ever remain doubtful whether they reached the top of Everest, but I think the odds are in favour of their having done so. It was a fine achievement getting as far as we know they got and establishing a world’s record. From a mountaineering point of view they died a really glorious death, however it was brought about.

Sandy had made himself such an extremely useful member of the expedition, and was invaluable in doing for me nearly all the work that I should otherwise have had to do on the oxygen apparatus: his far greater skill as a mechanic left me standing so to speak! And in all sorts of practical jobs he was ever ready to give a hand. It seems also such a pity that his promising mountaineering abilities should have been so early nipped in the bud. He made such strides from the start in Spitsbergen that I had hopes he would speedily forge his way into the front rank of mountaineers: and I’m sure he would have done so.

We are resting for a few days in this quite unknown district to the west of Everest, near the great peak of Gaurisankar, and are right glad for the change to lower altitudes and the fresh vegetation of this glorious valley, though the memory of our lost friends is ever with us.

I hope to be back home in early September and shall probably come straight to North Wales where my wife now is. Perhaps I shall have the pleasure of seeing you and giving you other details you may wish to hear of Sandy.

We are packing what remains of his kit and despatching it to you, and I am bringing home his camera to you: also his iceaxe. (sic)

Again, with my deepest expressions of sympathy to you and all the family,

Yours sincerely

Noel E. Odell.'

(Letter reproduced by permission of Peter Odell)