▁the ▁Australian ▁National ▁Ski ▁Federation ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 2 , ▁capt ained ▁the ▁Australian ▁ski ing ▁team ▁and ▁won ▁gold ▁med als ▁in ▁compet itions ▁against ▁England ▁and ▁New ▁Zealand . ▁He ▁was ▁an ▁Australian ▁champion ▁in ▁the ▁down hill ▁and ▁long - time ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Australian ▁Ski ▁Club . ▁He ▁and ▁his ▁wife ▁E ly ne ▁Mitchell ▁( d augh ter ▁of ▁General ▁Sir ▁Harry ▁Ch au vel ) ▁were ▁the ▁first ▁people ▁to ▁ski ▁the ▁western ▁s lop es ▁of ▁the ▁Main ▁Range ▁of ▁the ▁Snow y ▁Mountains , ▁including ▁the ▁demand ing ▁runs ▁of ▁" L ittle ▁Austria ". ▁ ▁Mitchell ▁joined ▁the ▁Second ▁Australian ▁Imperial ▁Force ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁and ▁was ▁a ▁captain ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 / 2 2 ▁Battalion ▁and ▁Head quarters ▁ 8 th ▁Division . ▁He ▁was ▁captured ▁by ▁the ▁Japanese ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁and ▁was ▁intern ed ▁in ▁the ▁inf am ous ▁Ch ang i ▁P OW ▁camp ▁until ▁ 1 9 4 5 , ▁being ▁forced ▁to ▁work ▁on ▁the ▁Bur ma ▁Railway ▁by ▁his ▁capt ors . ▁He ▁later ▁built ▁a ▁chap el , ▁in ▁memory ▁of ▁com r ades ▁lost ▁during ▁the ▁war , ▁on ▁his ▁property . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 7 ▁he ▁and ▁E ly ne , ▁together ▁with ▁O ss ie ▁R ixon , ▁set ▁off ▁in ▁two ▁four - w heel - drive ▁vehicles ▁to ▁become ▁the ▁first ▁people ▁to ▁cross ▁the ▁Australian ▁Al ps ▁in