Colin Kirkus

{{Infobox climber|nationality=British|birth_date=18 September 1910|death_date=14 September 1942 (aged 31)|typeofclimber=Outdoors, post-golden age|name=Colin Kirkus|namedroutes=Clogwyn Du'r Arddu, Snowdonia, Wales (Great Slab 1930, Chimney Route 1931)|knownfor=Book: 'Let's Go Climbing' | relatives = Wilfrid Noyce (cousin) | birth_place = Liverpool}}

Colin Fletcher Kirkus (18 September 1910 – 14 September 1942{{CWGC|name=Kirkus, Colin Fletcher}} was a British rock climber. He climbed extensively in Wales and elsewhere, such as the Alps and the Himalaya. He wrote the instruction book Let's Go Climbing! which inspired Joe Brown to take up the sport.

Early life

Kirkus was born in Liverpool, England on 18 September 1910.

Kirkus was a cousin of Wilfrid Noyce, seven years older than Noyce, Colin developed an active interest in climbing during his early teens and the families of Kirkus and Noyce shared holidays in the Welsh hills.{{cite book | title = Hands of a Climber - A Life of Colin Kirkus | date=1993| first = Steve| last = Dean | isbn= 9780948153211 |publisher =Ernest Press }} It was Kirkus who first introduced Noyce to rock climbing.{{cite journal | title = Wilfred Noyce 1917-1962: Some Personal Memories | journal =Alpine Journal| date= 1993| first1 =John | last1 = Hunt | first2 =David | last2 = Cox |isbn=978-0948153273 | issn= 0065-6569 |volume =#98 | issue = 342 | pages=67-70 | access-date =15 November 2024 |url = https://www.alpinejournal.org.uk/Contents/Contents_1993_files/AJ%201993%2067-70%20Hunt%20Noyce.pdf }}

Climbing

Kirkus made pioneering climbs in Wales and elsewhere and wrote the instruction book Let's Go Climbing!.{{cite book|author=Kirkus, Colin |title=Let's Go Climbing!|date=March 2004|isbn=1-904466-17-6}}

Jack Longland described the greatest rock face in Wales, Clogwyn Du'r Arddu, as "Colin’s Cliff".

Kirkus' series of new routes on "Cloggy" was unparalleled until the emergence of Joe Brown, 20 years later.{{citation needed|date=May 2016}}

In 1933 Kirkus was a member of Marco Pallis's expedition to the Gangotri area of the Himalaya and the team climbed several peaks.{{cite journal | title = Gangotri and Leo Pargial, 1933 | journal =Himalayan Journal| date= 1934| first =Marco | last = Pallis | volume =#6 | pages= 106-126 | access-date = 15 November 2024 |url = https://www.himalayanclub.org/hj/6/10/gangotri-and-leo-pargial-1933/ }} During the expedition Kirkus and Charles Warren made a pioneering alpine-style ascent of the central or 'second Satopanth peak' which is now known as the {{convert|6454|m|ft}} Bhagirathi III;{{cite journal | title = The Gangotri Glacier and Leo Pargial, 1933 | journal =Alpine Journal| date= 1933| first =Charles | last = Warren | issn= 0065-6569 |volume =#45 |issue =247 | pages=306-320 | access-date =15 November 2024 |url = https://www.alpinejournal.org.uk/Contents/Contents_1934_files/AJ46%201934%20306-320%20Warren%20Gangotri%20Glacier.pdf }} Kirkus' account of the climb is included in Pallis's book Peaks and Lamas.{{cite book | title = Peaks and Lamas | date=1939| first = Marco| last = Pallis | publisher =Cassell |pages=40-50 | access-date = 15 November 2024 | url = https://archive.org/details/PeaksAndLamas/page/n59/mode/2up }} That ascent has been described as "amongst the most important ascents by British climbers in that decade".{{cite journal | title = Marco Pallis and the Round of Existence | journal =Alpine Journal| date= 2020| first =Dennis | last = Gray |isbn=978-0956930996 | issn= 0065-6569 |volume =#124 | issue = 368 | pages=141-150 | access-date =15 November 2024 |url = https://www.alpinejournal.org.uk/Contents/Contents_2020_files/AJ%202020%20Vol%20124%20141-150%20Gray%20Pallis.pdf }}

Death

Kirkus was killed in the Second World War, on a sortie to Bremen on the night of 13/14 September 1942. He was a navigator on Vickers Wellington BJ879 of 156 Squadron an RAF Pathfinder squadron. He was one of four brothers, all of whom saw flying service in the RAF, and three of whom were killed in action in the Second World War.{{Cite magazine|url= http://climbers-club.co.uk/journal/original/1943-p168-191.pdf |title= In Memorium – Colin Fletcher Kirkus – Club Member 1928–1942 |magazine= Climbers' Club Journal |date= 1943| volume =#7| issue=69 |pages= 168–181 |first1=A.B. | last1=Hargreaves |first2=J.L. | last2=Longland |access-date= 2018-03-06}}

His name is listed on the Runnymede Memorial for airmen with no known grave.

References

Bibliography

{{cite book|author=Dean, Steve |title=Hands of a Climber|date=September 1993|isbn= 0-948153-21-0}}
{{cite book|author=Thomson, I.D.S. |title=The Black Cloud|year=1993|isbn= 0-948153-20-2}}

Category:British rock climbers

Category:English mountain climbers

Category:1910 births

Category:1942 deaths

Category:People from Liverpool

Category:Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve personnel of World War II

Category:Royal Air Force personnel killed in World War II

Category:Royal Air Force officers

Category:Military personnel from Liverpool