ory ▁and ▁Ir v ine ▁ ▁The ▁third ▁British ▁expedition ▁was ▁led ▁by ▁Brig ad ier - General ▁Charles ▁Bruce , ▁although ▁becoming ▁ind is posed ▁as ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁a ▁f lare - up ▁of ▁mal aria , ▁he ▁rel in qu ished ▁leadership ▁of ▁the ▁expedition ▁to ▁L t - Col . ▁Edward ▁N orton , ▁with ▁Mall ory ▁promoted ▁to ▁clim bing ▁leader . ▁Geoff rey ▁Bruce , ▁Howard ▁Som erv ell , ▁and ▁John ▁No el ▁returned ▁from ▁the ▁previous ▁year , ▁along ▁with ▁new com ers ▁No el ▁Od ell ▁and ▁Andrew ▁Ir v ine . ▁ ▁On ▁June ▁ 2 , ▁Mall ory ▁and ▁Bruce ▁set ▁off ▁from ▁the ▁North ▁Col ▁( C - 4 ) ▁to ▁make ▁the ▁first ▁sum mit ▁attempt . ▁But ▁extreme ▁wind ▁and ▁cold , ▁exhaust ion , ▁and ▁the ▁ref us al ▁of ▁the ▁por ters ▁to ▁carry ▁farther ▁led ▁Mall ory ▁to ▁abandon ▁the ▁attempt ▁and ▁the ▁next ▁day ▁the ▁party ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁North ▁Col ▁camp . ▁On ▁June ▁ 4 , ▁N orton ▁and ▁Som erv ell ▁attempted ▁an ▁o xygen less ▁sum mit ▁in ▁perfect ▁weather ; ▁thro at ▁trouble ▁forced ▁Som erv ell ▁to ▁abandon ▁the ▁clim b ▁at ▁about ▁ 2 8 , 0 0 0 ▁feet ▁( 8 5 3 4   m ) ▁while ▁N orton ▁continued ▁on ▁alone , ▁reaching ▁a ▁height ▁of ▁ 8 , 5 7 3   m ▁( 2 8 , 1 2 6   ft ), ▁just