John Blashford-Snell
Colonel John Nicholas Blashford-Snell OBE (born 22 October 1936) is a former British Army officer, explorer and author.
John Blashford-Snell was educated at Victoria College, Jersey and at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, then commissioned into the Royal Engineers.
Amongst his expeditions have been the first descent of the Blue Nile (in 1968); crossing of the Darién Gap (1971 to 1972) and overseeing the first north–south vehicular journey from Alaska to Cape Horn; and a complete navigation of the Congo River (in 1974 to 1975).
In 1969, he founded the Scientific Exploration Society.
In 1978 he established Operation Drake, which later developed into Operation Raleigh, an educational initiative for young people, of which he was Director General until he retired from this post in 1991.
He was awarded the Segrave Trophy in 1974.
In 1993, he was awarded the Patron's Gold Medal of the Royal Geographical Society.
In 2006 Blashford-Snell helped the London hatmakers James Lock to design a hat especially to meet the needs of explorers. Since 2001 he has been the Hon. Life President of the Centre for Fortean Zoology. He is also a member of the Ghost Club. In 2010 he was made an Honorary Fellow of Liverpool John Moores University
His publications include an autobiography, Something Lost Behind the Ranges (1994).
Read more about John Blashford-Snell: Works
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