'The Third Man Factor tells the revealing story behind an extraordinary idea that people at the very edge of death, often adventurers or explorers, experience a benevolent presence beside them that encourages them to make on final effort to survive'

' If only a handful of people had ever experienced the Third Man, it might be dismissed as an unusual delusion, but over the years the experience has occurred again and again to mountaineers, divers, polar explorers, prisoners of war, solo sailors, aviators, astronauts and 9/11 survivors.  All have escaped traumatic events only to tell strikingly similar stories of having experienced the close presence of a helper or guardian'


The above is from what's known as the 'back cover blurb'
of a book entitled 'The Third Man Factor' by John Geiger

Throughout, 'experts' theories are cited and contradict each other.  What's left is a collection of first-hand accounts of The Third Man

The experiences which fill the book aren't those of run of the mill individuals.  Instead, they're some of the most daring, resourceful, courageous people imaginable - almost all of them household names. Common to all is the belief they shared what felt to them like the edge of death with companions who simply could not be present - yet their companions' presence was felt and at times seen and heard

Many of the 'companions' were unknown.  At other times they took the form of (or maybe were) the loved-ones of those they helped.  In every case, it was impossible for the 'companion' to be there.  In many instances they averted catastrophe on behalf of the person they'd come to help.  At other times, their presence helped the living through utter despair.  Invariably, when rescue and/or survival was assured, the 'companions' departed as mysteriously as they'd arrived

It's an interesting and thought-provoking read for those not already familiar with it

Picked up a book at Woolies in the 80s.  It had the improbable title of 'Psychic Experiences in Sport'.  It was a large-size soft-cover, only a few dollars.  Had a bit of a skim while waiting at the check-out.  Bought it

It was similar to the much later, 'Third Man Factor' mentioned above.  I've never struck anyone, ever, who's read 'Psychic Experiences in Sport', nor have I ever come across another copy.  As usually happens, I loaned it to someone - never got it back -- wouldn't mind finding another copy

Chris Bonnington the climber was featured and an Aussie long-distance runner whose name I've forgotten.  The runner had gone to the UK to take part in a charity-run.  He must have been fairly famous at the time.  He wrote that his leg of the race took place at night under rugged conditions - pouring rain, cold, no-one cheering from the roadside, etc.

He said he was almost done and had long ago lost contact with others running the same leg.  Later, it was revealed the organisers had almost called it off due to the poor conditions.  This was unknown to the Aussie runner as he thudded along, running blind most of the time.  From memory, he was running through Cornwall, along a road which hugged the coast in parts

One foot after the other, pushing himself to the limit.  Then, he said, he heard voices.  Next thing, to his amazement, he heard people cheering him on from the side of the road.  He saw them there in the howling wind and rain.  It did wonders for his morale, gave him the second-wind he desperately needed and he finished his leg

When others straggled in, he mentioned the people cheering by the roadside and said how incredible they'd made their way to one of the most desolate stretches of all, at that time of night and in such foul weather. Full marks to those people, etc

None of the other runners had seen or heard the well-wishers, however

The Aussie returned to Australia and got on with his life.  Some time later, he returned to his parents' place, in rural NSW or Vic, I can't remember, and discovered his father had taken an interest in the family-history in his retirement

The runner spent a bit of time with his parents and out of politeness more than anything else, took a look at what his father had compiled so far re: the family-history.  He said he was surprised to learn that the family had originated in the UK.  He said it had never occurred to him that his family was anything other than 100% Aussie, although (he said) when he gave it a minute's thought it was clear the family had to have originated somewhere, being that white settlement in Oz had commenced only a couple of hundred years earlier

His father had traced the family back to a farming region in Cornwall.  The runner took a closer look at his father's map and discovered his ancestors had lived in the same area he'd run through during the charity event

After he returned home from spending time with his parents, the runner developed an interest in his family history.  He said he suspected now that those people who'd cheered him along and who no-one else had seen, must have been his long-departed ancestors (it sounded better in the book)

The other I remember from that book was Chris Bonnington, who said he and two others had been scaling a particularly difficult mountain face when a snow-storm came through.  They were exposed on the rock - couldn't go up or down - complete white-out.  Bonnington was struggling, couldn't tell up from down, nowhere to hide.  The noise was so colossal, he and his companions didn't have a chance of hearing each other

Things were looking particularly grim when Bonnington saw another climber off to his side.  The other climber gave Bonnington a thumbs-up, then they'd lose sight of each other. This went on for a while.  Bonnington had no idea who the other climber was, but when the other climber gestured Bonnington should move toward him, he did.  The other climber gestured to a place on the rock face and Bonnington fought to cover the distance.  When he did, there was a slight projection in the rock which provided a bit of cover from the snow-storm and Bonnington credited it with saving his life because otherwise he would have been blown around like a rag.  The other climber stayed nearby.  Bonnington said this presence (whom he took for a flesh and blood climber at the time) made all the difference - cheered him up, gave him hope

When the storm had blown itself out and Bonnington and his two companions made it back to base camp, he asked the others about the climber who'd stayed with him through the worst of it.  The others didn't know what Bonnington was talking about - they hadn't seen him and in fact had been surprised to discover Bonnington was still alive

Bonnington said that it was only later that he remembered the stranger had been wearing old-fashioned climbing gear - similar to that worn in the 1920s.  It was his belief the man who'd appeared to save him had been the ghost of a past climber.  Apparently, such stories are common within the climbing fraternity, also seafarers

Interestingly, in the Shackleton episode in 'The Third Man Factor', there were multiple witnesses to the 'companion' who'd remained with them when things were at their worst.  There are other cases, too, where more than one was witness to the 'companion' or 'Third Man'.  Just as interestingly, the witnesses didn't reveal to the others that they could see him. They admitted it only later

Freedumb wrote on Oct 12^th, 2014 at 1:24pm:



Yes