Early life Thomas Charles Lethbridge

lethbridge part of first expedition climb beerenberg, pictured.

during studies lethbridge decided join expedition visit jan mayen island in arctic circle, alongside fellow cambridge students james chaworth-musters , william syer bristowe , don st. john s college, cambridge, geologist james wordie. although planning travel independently, decided join norwegian expedition led hagbord ekerold , accompanied swiss mountaineer , glaciologist paul louis mercanton. expedition set sail bratvaag aboard 2 ships in august 1921, , upon arriving @ jan mayen became first team climb beerenberg. during expedition, lethbridge able explore growing interest in archaeology excavating @ abandoned eskimo settlement. times recognised expedition mountaineering event of year.

at cambridge, lethbridge had entered romantic relationship sylvia robertson, clergyman s daughter, , engaged married in march 1922. in mid-1922 went on sailing voyage around hebrides in scotland fellow trinity student geoffrey walford.

in summer 1923 lethbridge part of second expedition led wordie, designed explore eastern coast of greenland conduct geological , archaeological investigations , repeat edward sabine s pendulum gravity experiments. sailing newcastle, stopped first @ bergen , jan meyen before getting stuck in pack ice. food reserves running low, crew resorted killing , eating grey seals , polar bears, before aborted mission , returned home.