Bill Tilman

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saltyrob

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Hi Folks,

Today's the 30th anniversary of the En Avant with Bill Tilman and fellow crew leaving Rio De Janiero on route for Port Stanley,unfortunatley they never arrived. I have enjoyed reading and been inspired by his sailing and mountain exploration books. He was obviously a tough, intelligent and modest man both as a soldier and explorer and I hope he is remembered and would recommend his books to anyone who hasn't read them.

Robert
 
I am currently reading his compendium all eight books in one volume, read it on the train when i have to go in to London, bloody heavy, I find it fascinating, he is very funny in a very dry way, i sometime find myself laughing out loud, get a few startled looks, like i'm an escapee from the local loony bin or something, unbelievable some of the things that he got up to, got the MC twice in the first war, climbed the highest on Everest unaided by oxygen ( 27+k ft) in the thirties, regarded as one of the greatest climbers of his time, served in SOE during the 2nd war, parachuted into yugoslavia fought with Tito etc, then in his middle 50's started started doing hard core sailing on a bristol pilot cutter to the high latitudes, climbing unclimbed peaks etc this he did most years until his seventies, self effacing, tough as old boots, self reliant to a frightening degree, and very unusual for today, prepared to take responsibility for his own actions.
I would have loved to have met him.
 
An amazing man,tougher than old boots. Theres a replica of his pilot cutter"Mischief" being built in Bristol due for launching this month.
 
Agree with you sentiments.I think you can guess what his reaction would have been to present attitudes and conventions

Robert
 
I think he may have found political correctness a bit of a challenge /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Link here to the website of the replica "Mischief" being built at underfalls in Bristol. Mischief
 
his climbing and sailing exploits are legendary but probably too driven and tough for many to cope with - many years ago I once spoke with a climber I knew from sheffield about BT as I knew that he (when a student) had sailed with him. He was a crew member and sailed to greenland but jumped ship on arrival there and came home, his explanation to me was that BT not only frightened him as he was a very demanding skipper but BT's apparent enjoyment of cold, wet, freezing, food shortage, gear breakages and sailing hazards led this lad (although a competent sailor & mountainer) to believe he was well out of his depth accompanying BT and needed to bale out for the sake of his health.
 
I liked this story from David Attenboroughs memoirs

a story about two doughty explorers of the 1930s, Bill Tillman and Eric Shipton, who shared a small tent in the Himalayas living off the local food, roasted barley. After a month or so. Shipton is supposed to have said, rather shyly, 'Now that we know each other pretty well, so you think we might stop calling one another by our surnames.' To which Tilman replied, 'Are you suggesting that I should call you Eric? I'm afraid I couldn't do that. I should feel such a bloody fool.'
 
I must have not got to that book yet, but I must say, he rarely took anyone with him who had much sailing experience, he would have a mate to look after the vessel whilst they were ashore, someone who had possibly been with him before but he generally had the most almighty problems getting a crew, resorting to adverts in the personal column of the Times on the lines of 'no pay, no prospects, no fun etc' attracting the sort of half mad adventurers one would expect with such an advert, Mischief was berthed at the Berthon yard when she was home and he shipped a few yard hands with him over the years apparently much to the annoyance of the management, as even the short trips north were 6 months in duration.
 
Lots of his crew couldn't stick his sailing regime for one reason or another. From what I have read, I understand he was a very hard man to live with unless you agreed with & followed his creed. I'm still a great admirer, just doubtful I would be able to measure up to his standards.
 
On the contrary, he seemed fairly easy going as a bloke, his sense of humour comes through in spades in his writing I dont think he suffered fools gladly, he was no nonsense and committed to what he did, he also didnt speak when he didnt have too. Apparently on one of the Everest expeditions (and this is a story he tells against himself) it was said he came out of his cabin as they made the mouth of the Thames and said 'hum the sea' when they arrived off Bombay he appeared and said 'hum the land' implying that was all he had said all voyage.
 
The advertisement to which I replied for a place on En Avant was in the Torygraph. I was turned down as sufficient crew with Antarctic experience were available. Disappointment at the time. Mixed feelings subsequently!
 
I would think his army service in two world wars, being both in front and behind enemy lines must have shaped his attitude to the world in general.He would probable have considered conditions on his voyages minor discomforts compared to that of war.His description of working with partisans in Italy indicates that he was a man who did what had to be done and understood the consequences of it.

Robert
 
A timely post.

One of my heroes

It's a pity Mirelle no longer posts here - he sailed with Tilman a couple of times..and I'm sure has a few stories...
 
[ QUOTE ]
I asked what he was really like

Oh, came the reply, Tilman was a ba5tard

[/ QUOTE ]
Here's a complete opposing view from Mirelle, who sailed with him, around Spitszbergen if I remember correctly:

YBW thread

Tilman also has nice things to say about Mirelle (aka A. C-B) in his books - I think the account is in the second last one or thereabouts.

Reading Tilman's books, the impression is close to Mirelle's description. Tilman was clearly someone with an excellent, though very dry, sense of humour, and very erudite. It seems he was very demanding of his crews, and didn't often find crew that came up to his standards. Don't think personally that I would have fancied sailing with him, as I'm not sure I'd have been up to it, but I imagine he must have been a great person to be with if you were.
 
The best sailing books there are. Libby Purves said "he writes like and angel" and I tend to agree. A great man, but I must admit I would have not been up to it.
 
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