Talk:Ranulph Fiennes

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Contents 1 Some suggestions 2 Knighthood 3 Charles Burton 4 The Victoria Falls Expedition 5 First person to both poles???

[edit] Some suggestions

Some suggesions (which I'd make myself, were I surer of the facts):

• I didn't know that Dr Dolittle thing. Some more info, or ideally an exlink, would be welcome
• Didn't he recently blow up (or was it threaten to) the bells of a neighbouring church, citing campanological-noise nuisance?
• If memory serves, wasn't the antarctic run supposed to really be on the contenent proper (one assumes on the antarctic penninsula) but they had to fall back to the Falklands due to bad weather?

THanks, -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 23:42, 15 Apr 2004 (UTC)

Thanks for taking a look at our work.

Dolittle: Not much detail around - see this google search [1] - the South African Sunday Times link indicates that Fiennes himself has spoken about this so the facts are likely to be right.. although I wouldn't be surprised if things have got exaggerated over the years

Church bells: Hadn't heard about this, quick search didn't reveal anything, but I am sure you wouldn't make it up!

Yes I think that's right - will update.

Pete/Pcb21 (talk) 14:02, 16 Apr 2004 (UTC)

Thanks. No, I can't find anything about the Church Bell thing either. I'm sure it's not my imagination, but perhaps it was some _other_ ex-SAS demolitions dude with a short fuse (sic). -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 23:02, 16 Apr 2004 (UTC)

Ah hah. He appeared on BBC's Top Gear this week, and discussed the dam incident at length. I've added all I can remember. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 00:44, 3 Aug 2004 (UTC)

In the same appearance, he also talked about losing his heart rate monitor, chopping his fingers off, and being rejected as James Bond - I've added a teeny bit on each of these. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 01:27, 3 Aug 2004 (UTC)

Excellent work. He's quite a character! Pcb21| Pete 11:57, 3 Aug 2004 (UTC)

[edit] Knighthood

The article said Fiennes was knighted in 1993, but every cite I've found says he was awarded an OBE then (which despite what [2] says ain't the same thing at all) (so I've been bold and changed it). I can't find any mention of his receiving a knighthood, and this one page [3] (note: that page seems to have white text on a white background - select the invisible text to read it) says it's hereditary. I've never heard of an hereditary knighthood, so I've asked Lord Emsworth if he knows whazzup. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 03:16, 3 Aug 2004 (UTC)

There are almost 1000 individuals made OBEs each year; unfortunately, I know of no source that lists all living ones. But searching the internet indicates that numerous sources give 1993 as the date. I would not worry about corroborating this assertion. The letters "Bt" indicate that he is a Baronet. Baronetcies are hereditary titles. Though they carry with them the title "Sir," they are not strictly speaking knighthoods. Sir Ranulph Fiennes, 3rd Baronet was born in 1944, shortly after his father Lieutenant Sir Ranulph Twisleton-Wykham-Fiennes, 2nd Baronet was killed in World War II. Thus, Sir Ranulph Fiennes became a baronet at the moment of his birth. -- Emsworth 03:25, 3 Aug 2004 (UTC)

The London Gazette [4] is usually the best place to find honours. He was appointed an OBE in The Queen's Birthday Honours List of 1993 "For Human Endeavour and for charitable services". Proteus (Talk) 09:32, 3 Aug 2004 (UTC)

Excellent, thanks both. I've integrated this into the article, and it makes the article a great deal better. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 11:06, 3 Aug 2004 (UTC)

Thanks to you all. I dimly remember being confused about this when bashing out the original article. Thanks to McW for making this article much better. Pcb21| Pete 11:57, 3 Aug 2004 (UTC)

[edit] Charles Burton

The Charles Burton link is to Charles E. Burton, the Irish astronomer (d. 1882). Should there be a disambiguation page and a link to a stub article on the correct Charles Burton? -- MarkBrooks 16:44, 23 September 2005 (UTC)

Yes indeed, if this Charles Burton is really interesting enough to warrant an acticle. If he isn't, maybe we should just unlink the name. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 17:41, 23 September 2005 (UTC)

Britannica has an article about him [5], so we clearly should have one too (only bigger, better, and with topless photos too). -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 17:43, 23 September 2005 (UTC)

NPOV topless photos only, please. Pcb21| Pete 08:57, 24 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] The Victoria Falls Expedition

Its started!!!

It currently (when this was written) on it's third day. This is the site.[[6]] and the photo gallery is at this page[[7]] and to contact them clicky here[[8]]

[edit] First person to both poles???

The assertion that Sir Ranulph was the first person to visit both poles is not technically correct. That honor belongs to Roald Amundsen (South Pole - 14 December, 1911; North Pole - May, 1926). Fiennes was the first person to visit both poles by land transportation. This claim should be modified in the article. Also, Fiennes trek of 97 days in the Antarctic is not the longest journey in south Polar history, Amundsen's journey was 99 days in duration (19 October, 1911 - 25 January, 1912) and there may well have been others that were longer.