Pegasus Caving Club
aka Pegasus Club Nottingham
Trek to India
Himalayan Expedition Challenge
1956
Part 5
© Diane Wilson
Part 5
October 16th to December 10th 1956, Rishikesh (India) to London (United Kingdom)
Unique crossing of flooded river near Dehra Dun
Camping out in the Rajaji Sanctuary near Dehra Dun, East Punjab.
Ernest Smeeton & Ted Winks
Ernest Smeeton & Ted Winks, posing with Mr Universe, champion muscle man of the West Punjab
Drying rice, Dehra Dun
Street scene Bombay
Ted Winks & Ernest Smeeton, a swim in the Indian Ocean, Bombay
The side note above reads
"This ship was to go up in flames and sink 2 years later"
Ernest Smeeton & Ted winks in an old date plantation near Basra, Iraq
Ernest Smeetons air ticket, Bagdad to London 88 Shillings (£4-40p)
Ted Winks & Ernest Smeeton waiting to bord the flight to London
Mac & Ted Winks waiting to bord the flight to London
Epilogue
2026 marks 70 years since Ernest Smeeton and Ted Winks successfully made their epic journey, much on foot and with just a meagre budget, from the very centre of Nottingham to the heights of the Himalayas.
A journey which even by today’s standards is unrepeatable by similar means with numerous eastern borders now closed due to either political or hostile reasons and soaring costs of travel in general.
Ernest’s neatly handwritten diaries record keenly observed daily events in a succinct but very informative way sufficient to grip the readers attention by relating sad, happy, amusing and at times quite shocking accounts of his and Ted’s experiences along the way.
The diary entries also provide an invaluable, now historical, insight into the daily life of the many different people and cultures that they encountered from ‘paupers to princes’, Ernest and Ted ‘rubbed-shoulders’ with them all.
A remarkable journey achieved by two very remarkable working-class Nottingham ‘Pals’ and intrepid world-class explorers, Ernest Smeeton and Ted Winks.
Bari Logan,
Histon, Cambridge.
March 2026
Ted, Ernest & Mac back in Nottingham
Biographies
ERNY SMEETON BIOGRAPHY
(Wilfred Ernest Smeeton)
Wilfred Ernest Smeeton was born on 14th March 1927 in Nottingham, the middle of 3 children born to Ernest William Smeeton and Ellen Smeeton (nee Kirk). He grew up in Sneinton on 28 Thurgarton Street and lived through the 2nd World War, over 7 years of travel and adventure, 2 children and 2 grandchildren and a lengthy retirement.
In difficult times the family struggled financially as the children grew up. Erny was free to roam the streets, becoming independent and resilient. On leaving school at 14 he started work away from home, his wages sent back to his mum to help the family finances. Erny was keen to sign up for the war effort and joined the Fleet Air Arm to train as a 1st Class Air Mechanic in 1944, until 1947. His desire for adventure and to see the world was thwarted and the furthest he travelled from his base in Lee-on-Solent, Portsmouth was Glasgow, Scotland.
Erny aged 18 1945 in The Royal Navy
After the war Erny later worked as a tailor’s cutter in Nottingham. He was a founder and secretary of the Pegasus Ramblers Club. However, Erny’s urge for adventure led to his first trek to the Middle East, leaving England on 29th May 1955, a 7336 km overland trek, via Europe, Turkey, Syria and Lebanon. In Damascus he was offered a job by a travel agency to set up a branch of the agency in England and he arrived back in England on 27th November 1955 to do this.
Erny set off again on 19th May 1956 to the Himalayas with Ted Winks, the journey which the diary relates to. On this journey Erny met a young Dutch woman, Greet Schuuring, who was hitchhiking from The Netherlands to a UNESCO work camp in Israel. After their travels they corresponded and 2 years later they set off again together.
On 16th April 1958 they left for a cycle tour of Europe and spent from August 1958 to June 1959 living and working in Oslo, Norway. In June 1959 they returned to England and spent the summer hop, apple and nut picking in Kent.
Summit of Simplon Pass, Switzerland.
European Cycling Tour: 11 countries, 4375 miles cycled
In October 1959 they were off again, having purchased a 49cc moped and travelled through Europe crossing to Morocco and the Atlas Mountains. On their return to Europe they left the moped in Geneva and arrived in England on 17th February 1960 where they spent 4 months working.
Moped tour through Europe to Morocco, 1959
In June 1960 they picked the moped back up in Geneva and travelled around Europe. In August 1960 they found work at a logging mill in Behren, Germany and lived nearby in a wooden caravan until May 1961. They then travelled back across Europe arriving in England in August 1961.
The wooden caravan
In December 1962 they settled down to family life in a caravan in Ilkeston following the birth of their son John Smeeton. A daughter Diane was born in 1964 when the family lived at 161 Ladywood Road, Ilkeston, where they remained.
Erny found work at the Post Office, an outdoor job, walking and cycling which suited him and he remained there for 24 years until his retirement. Erny and Greets’ love of travel, mountains and nature remained with family holidays in the mountains of Scotland, The Lakes and Snowdonia.
Greet, Erny, Son-in-law Keith & Grandchildren Anna & Jan
Family holiday in the lake district, May 2003
Erny retired at 62 and now they could indulge their love of holidays further, seeking the sun in Mallorca, Menorca and many holidays at Taly-y-Bont, Wales surrounded by the nature they loved. They also had time to spend and enjoy with their grandchildren, Anna and Jan Wilson.
Erny's 80th Birthday with Son John & Daughter Diane.
Taken during a weekend at Shining Cliff youth hostel, Belper, Derbyshire
Erny wrote to Greet in 1957 when she was unsure about setting off on travels with him
“That if we go through life striving to be sure of everything before we venture, then we would lead an empty life and even in death we would still not be sure that we even lived. It is by the spirit of adventure and our ability to take a chance in life that brings one the fulfilment of success and happiness.”
So together this is how they lived their lives.
Greet passed away on 25th March 2017, aged 89 and Erny on 13th August 2024, aged 97.
Diane Wilson (Daughter) Derby, March 2026