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Born in Tuakau (south of Auckland), he started climbing in his teens, making his first significant climb in 1939. Hillary attended the Auckland Grammar SchoolAuckland Grammar School (fully, The Auckland College and Grammar School commonly AGS , is a school in Auckland, New Zealand commonly known as "Grammar" to Aucklanders. It is a mixed day and boarding school for boys aged 13 (Year 9 or Form III) to 18 (Year. During World War IIWorld War II was the most extensive and costly armed conflict in the history of the world, involving the great majority of the world's nations, being fought simultaneously in several major theatres, and costing tens of millions of lives. The war was fough he was a RNZAF navigator. He was part of an unsuccessful New Zealand expedition to Everest in 1951Events January events January 9 United Nations headquarters officially opens ( New York City). January 15 Ilse Koch, The "Witch of Buchenwald," wife of the commandant of the Buchenwald concentration camp, is sentenced to life imprisonment in a court in We before joining the successful BritishThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a state in Western Europe, usually known simply as the United Kingdom the UK Britain or less accurately as Great Britain . The UK was formed by a series of Acts of Union which united the formerly attempt of 1953. He climbed 10 other peaks in the Himalayas on further visits in 1956, 1960-61 and 1963-65. He also reached the South PoleAntarctic Treaty signatories are arrayed around it, and the Pole Station's old dome is in the background. The polar ice cap and the South Pole station on it are constantly moving relative to the actual, Geographic South Pole. The South Pole is the souther, as part of the British Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic ExpeditionThe Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition CTAE was an expedition funded by Great Britain, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, whose primary objective was to complete the first overland crossing of Antarctica as a contribution to the International G, on January 4, 1958.
He was created a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) on July 16, 1953 and was created a member of the Order of New Zealand (ONZ) in 1987. He was created a Knight of the Order of the Garter (KG) on April 23 1995.
Sir Edmund may be the first living New Zealander to appear on a banknote.
He has devoted much of his life to helping the Sherpa people of Nepal through the Himalayan Trust which he founded and to which he has given much of his time and energy. Through his efforts he has succeeded in building many schools and hospitals in this remote region of the Himalayas. He has stated that he regards this as his most important achievement. He is also the Honorary President of the American Himalayan Foundation, a US non-profit body that also helps improve the ecology and living conditions in the Himalayas.
To mark the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the first successful ascent of Everest, the Nepalese Government conferred honorary citizenship upon Sir Edmund at a special golden jubilee celebration in the capital Kathmandu. Sir Edmund is the first foreign national to receive such an honour from the Nepalese.