Michael Westmacott, mountaineer, died on 20 June 2012.
Westmacott was part of the 1953 Everest expedition and his main job was in the Khumbu Icefall: pioneering the route, keeping it open and, finally, descending it to send news home of the successful ascent.
Westmacott was educated at Radley School and the University of Oxford. He climbed extensively in the UK and the Alps before 1953, and continued to do so afterwards, making first ascents in Peru, the Hindu Kush and northern Alaska.
He was President of the Alpine Club and of the Climbers Club.
Trained as a statistician, he worked in agricultural research and then in Shell International until retirement.