Over 150 members of the Army Alpine Association (AAA) gave a tumultuous celebration at the Canberra Federal Golf Club for the national book launch of Peter Maiden’s 'Anzac Day on Mount Everest'.

A brief sumptuous screen was shown as professional entertainment of the film 'Everest 2001 Expedition'. The film celebrated the esprit de corps of the team of the magnificent sherpas of Nepal.

Publisher of CQU Press, Professor David Myers acted as MC for the formalities and CQU Vice-Chancellor Professor John Rickard then congratulated the working together of the mountaineering AAA and the book work of CQU Press.

The celebrity guests included Air Chief Marshall Angus Houston AO AFC, chief of the Australia Defence Forces, and General Peter Gration (ret), AC OBE, head for many years of the Australian Defence Forces, 1987-1993.

Other distinguished guests included the CEO of Tenix Defence who acted as the main sponsors for the Everest Expedition of the AAA. The most celebrated guests included the summiteers of Mount Everest from the 2001 expedition, Brian Henri Laursen and Australia’s most famous mountaineer who climbed 12 out of the 14 8000m peaks, including Mount Everest, Andrew Lock.

A very emotional book launch for the new title 'Anzac Day on Mount Everest' was delivered by General Peter Gration who actually founded the famous AAA back in 1975.

General Gration celebrated the outstanding achievement of Major Zac Zaharias and his DIC Peter Lambert MR. If it weren’t for bad luck in the weather at 8200m, Zac would have been at the very summit of Mount Everest. As it was, Major Zac sent a member of his team to the top of Mount Everest, crowning the success of the AAA.

General Gration gave a warm-hearted vindication of Major Zac to the BOI in Canberra and the team remembered the tragic loss of life in the 500-tonne ice avalanche in the Himalayas of 3 dearly loved members of their Australian team and also the death on Everest of Mr Auricht.

Zac handed out commemorative copies of the book 'Anzac Day on Mount Everest' to all mountaineering climbers of the brave AAA.

Professor Myers presented General Gration with a thank you complimentary copy of author Peter Maiden’s recent title: 'Cannibals, Missionaries and Civil Servants in PNG'.

Photo above: Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston AO AFC, Head of the Defence Forces, Major Zac Zaharias (ret), Professor David Myers AM, General Peter Gration AC OBE.

Photo left: Major Zac Zaharias (ret) and Professor David Myers, CQU Press. Major Zaharias is the CEO of E 2001 on the Mount Everest Expedition AAA.