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after an ascent by Clive Jones and Peter Noel Dilly, to only transport one person at a time because of concerns about the pressure on the winch. The partially preassembled boom was eventually constructed on a ledge 200 feet down where a landing stage was established and another member of the team John
Osborne descended 560 feet before encountering an overhang which risked preventing his return.
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for the first time as a prospective member of the club, when his guide, David
Jenkins had fallen near Idol Junction and was rendered unconscious. Bill successfully made his own way out and reported the accident and a relief party successfully rescued David Jenkins. He was an active member of the club
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in early 1966 with other members of the SWCC. He developed an interest in using radio transmissions for cave surveys and developed the SWCC's first radio device, known as an
Ogofone, for locating caves which was first used in Cwm Dwr in 1960. He also developed experience in the use of explosives for
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The first descent was by Gwyn Thomas, a deflection boom was lowered, and other members of the team assembled on a ledge 60 feet down for the next phase of the descent. These descents were in a small cage and whilst initially two members of the team were transported at one time, later it was decided
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Bill
Birchenough made the last and deepest descent of the expedition, reaching a ledge nearly 700 feet down. A tape recording and transcription were made of the conversation with him during his descent which involved some improvisation and the drilling of a bolt into the ledge which was used for a
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In August 1964 The South Wales Caving Club at the invitation of the
Speleological Society for Croatia organised a joint expedition to the Balinka Pit in the Lika region of Croatia. The Expedition was led by Zlatko Pepionik and Clive Jones and involved 22 Yugoslav and British personnel. The
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expedition to
Yugoslavia. He was the only person on the first expedition to reach the -650 feet level and in December 1966 was awarded the Yugoslav Order of the Flag with Gold Star by the Yugoslav Government together with three other members of the Balinka expeditions.
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Bill
Birchenough did not take part in the second Balinka expedition which took place in 1966 and reached the bottom of the pit, gathering scientific information and recovering the remains of the four partisans executed in the Second World War.
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In
December 1966, Clive Jones, Bill Birchenough, Rod Stewart, Bernard Woods and the SWCC were awarded the Yugoslav Order of the Flag with Gold Star for their roles in the expeditions by Ivo SarajÄiÄ, the Yugoslav Ambassador in London.
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in
Farnborough, then latterly Aberporth in West Wales. It was in Wales that he developed his interest in speleology and joined the South Wales Caving Club. (SWCC)
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In 1958 he joined the South Wales Caving Club. On
Saturday April 12 of that year he had visited the Waterfall series in
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The Yugoslavs also explained that Balinka had been the location of the execution of four Partisans on April 2, 1942,
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1. The exploration and collation of scientific information about the Balinka pit which was known to be very deep
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second expedition a year later. The first expedition was concluded after his descent and successful return.
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4. To provide younger members of the South Wales Caving Club with experience to build upon for the future.
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https://www.swcc.org.uk/joomla-swcc/images/Documents/Docs_Arch/Newsletter/21stanniversarypublication.pdf
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https://www.swcc.org.uk/joomla-swcc/images/Documents/Docs_Arch/Newsletter/21stanniversarypublication.pdf
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https://www.swcc.org.uk/joomla-swcc/images/Documents/Docs_Arch/Newsletter/21stanniversarypublication.pdf
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Cave Research Group Transactions, Vol 12, 1970, Electromagnetic Induction as an aid to Cave Surveying
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22:(16 December 1925 - 15 October 2012) was a British cave explorer and a member of the 1964
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SWCC website, article on the death of Bill Birchenough by SWCC President Jem Rowland,
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in the nineteen sixties, taking part in the third phase of the explorations of
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before serving in the RAF in India. He was a nephew of the aviation pioneer
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3. To publish a report to enable lessons to be learned from the expedition
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cave exploration and was instrumental in the locating the top entrance of
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https://www.swcc.org.uk/aboutswcc/history/members/piwh_1/intoofdll.php
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2. To add to existing knowledge of caving equipment and techniques
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SWCC Newsletter No.34 Dec 1960, An Electronic Aid to Mapping Caves
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http://www.townsley.info/Strangeway/GedSite/g3/p2991.htm#i149502
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British Cave Research Association Transactions, Vol 4, 1977
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47:. After his return from India he took part in the
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35:Birchenough was born in Sevenoaks and attended
330:Orders, decorations, and medals of Yugoslavia
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101:objectives of the 1964 expedition included:
193:https://www.rafaberporth.org.uk/page6.html
335:Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
140:The Second Balinka Pit Expedition (1966)
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20:William Anthony "Bill" Birchenough
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203:SWCC Newsletter, No 24, July 1958
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85:The 1964 Balinka Pit expedition
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298:The Times 13th December 1966
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126:People's Hero of Yugoslavia
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252:accessed 12th October 2012
160:Yugoslav Government Awards
45:William Taylor Birchenough
53:Flight Refuelling Limited
55:, before joining the
16:British cave explorer
122:Drago Å tajnberger
41:Dauntsey's School
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320:2012 deaths
315:1925 births
74:Dan yr Ogof
69:Dan yr Ogof
24:Balinka pit
309:Categories
289:P160- P255
265:P103- P159
169:References
63:Speleology
31:Background
277:P147-P159
325:Caving
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