| John Hunt, Baron Hunt |
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As a child, Hunt spent much holiday time in the Alps , learning some of the Mountaineering skills he would later hone while taking part in several expeditions in the Himalaya while serving in India. In 1931, Hunt returned to India as an officer in the King's Royal Rifle Corps . Upon returning to England in 1940 , Hunt became chief instructor at the Commando Mountain and Snow Warfare School. In 1944 , Hunt received the Distinguished Service Order after he rejoined the King's Royal Rifle Corps. Sir John Hunt was one of the few Westerners who probably had an encounter with the alleged Abominable Snowman or ''' Yeti ''' of the Himalayas. One night, while camping in the Himalayas, he sensed the presence of a large animal near his tent. When he went out to investigate, he vaguely saw a large creature scurrying away. When later asked why he had not shot at it, he replied,"that would have been murder." On another occasion, in 1951, Hunt's team actually found and photographed mysterious footprints in the mountain snow allegedly made by the Yeti . In 1953, Hunt was chosen as the leader of the ninth British expedition to , 1953 by the New Zealand er Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay from Nepal climbing the South Col Route. News of the expedition's success reached London on the morning of Queen Elizabeth II 's Coronation . Returning to Kathmandu a few days later, they discovered that Hillary was made a KBE , and Hunt a Knight Bachelor for their efforts. Following his retirement from the army. Sir John Hunt became the first Director of the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme. In 1966 he was made a Life Peer as Baron Hunt, of Llanvair Waterdine in the County of Salop. He also became the first Chairman of the Parole Board . He was created a Knight Of The Garter in 1979 along with Paul Hasluck and Margrethe II Of Denmark . Lord Hunt died in Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire aged 88 of natural causes. BOOKS
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