Manila, Philippines – In 1999 the Mallory and Irvine Research Expedition arrived at Everest to search for the lost pair. Within hours of beginning the search on May 1, a frozen body was discovered at 8,160m.
As the body was below where Irvine’s ice axe was found in 1933, the team expected the body to be Irvine’s, and were hoping to recover the Kodak camera that he had reportedly carried with him. Experts from Kodak have said that if a camera is ever found, there is some chance that its film could be developed to produce printable images. The film would presumably contain photos from the summit if Mallory and/or Irvine had reached it.
They were surprised to find that name tag on the body’s clothing bore the name of “G. Mallory”, and a bundle of letters in a shirt pocket from his family wrapped in a silk handkerchief embroidered with the initials GLM. The body was the legendary Mallory himself.
Although Mallory’s body was found finally after 75 years, the mystery might have only deepened. Two items of circumstantial evidence from the body, missing photograph of his wife, and the snow goggles found in his pocket (was he descending after sunset?) suggest that he may have reached the summit.
Sunday Mirror August 8, 1999 carried the story of Clare Mallory, 83 years old. “My father climbed Everest with a photograph of my mother and one of her letters in his jacket pocket. He told her before he set out that if he ever reached the top, he would leave the picture of her there. One of the first things I asked when I was told he had been found was what was in his pockets. The letter from my mother was still there, but her picture was gone. One day maybe they’ll find the picture of her up there, and that would prove it.”
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