▁and ▁Doug al ▁H ast on ▁made ▁the ▁first ▁as cent ▁by ▁British ▁citizens . ▁A ▁band ▁of ▁cl iffs ▁on ▁the ▁south west ▁face , ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁Rock ▁Band , ▁had ▁defeated ▁five ▁previous ▁exped itions ▁between ▁ 1 9 6 9 ▁and ▁ 1 9 7 3 . ▁On ▁September ▁ 2 0 , ▁Nick ▁Est court ▁and ▁Paul ▁Bra ith wa ite ▁achieved ▁the ▁first ▁as cent ▁of ▁the ▁Rock ▁Band . ▁The ▁sum mit ▁was ▁reached ▁by ▁two ▁teams : ▁first ▁on ▁September ▁ 2 4 ▁by ▁Scott ▁and ▁H ast on , ▁who ▁surv ived ▁the ▁highest ▁ever ▁b iv ou ac ▁when ▁they ▁were ▁ben ight ed ▁on ▁the ▁South ▁Sum mit ▁during ▁their ▁descent . ▁On ▁September ▁ 2 6 ▁four ▁more ▁clim bers ▁attempted ▁a ▁second ▁as cent . ▁Peter ▁Board man ▁and ▁S ird ar ▁P ert emb a ▁Sher pa ▁were ▁successful , ▁but ▁BBC ▁cam er aman ▁M ick ▁Bur ke , ▁clim bing ▁alone ▁after ▁Martin ▁Boys en ▁turned ▁back , ▁failed ▁to ▁return ▁from ▁the ▁sum mit . ▁▁ 1 9 7 6 ▁▁▁ ▁British ▁and ▁Nep al ese ▁Army ▁Ex ped ition ▁to ▁Ever est ▁- ▁ 1 6 ▁May ▁an ▁expedition ▁by ▁the ▁British ▁Army ▁and ▁Royal ▁Nep al ese ▁Army ▁which ▁was ▁under ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁Tony ▁Stre ather ▁- ▁the ▁summ ite ers ▁were ▁Special ▁Air ▁Service ▁soldiers ▁Bron co ▁Lane ▁and ▁Br umm ie ▁Sto kes ▁who ▁asc ended ▁up ▁ ▁the ▁South ▁West