[Mike Gilbert]

Callout to our older members who knew Mac (Malcolm) Riding and/or may have carefully curated copies of old journals!

I’ve come across a chap called Phil Hynes who is looking for any information we have on Mac Riding’s tragic death in Vietnam while working for the Red Cross.

He says, “I first came across Mac when he was in our hut at putara, a group of tongue and meats were doing an SK then later on an outward bound course he was my instructor. That was his last course then he went to Vietnam. I saw a tribute to mac from wtmc but I have lost my copy. If anyone has a copy could they send it to me? I would also love to know where mac is resting so I can visit him and pay my respects.”

For us young’uns, Mac Riding was a stalwart member of the Wellington Tramping & Mountaineering Club back in the 1960s, when he was part of a frankly unbelievable Andes trip in 1968 when a few Wellington lads took a ship across the pacific and knocked off some first ascents of some 5800+m peaks. Tragically he was killed in Vietnam on 12 March 1975, while working for the Red Cross. Here are some links, well worth a read – I think I’m not able to link directly but if you search for

The climb of torayoc 1968 wtmc andean expedition
and
Mac Riding new zealand red cross worker killed in vietnam

then you’ll find some fascinating reading about one of the great past club members.

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