Having served his initial two years of his commission as a Second Lieutenant Blashford-Snell was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 2 August 1959 and then Captain after four years on 2 August 1963. Further promotion followed to the rank of Major on 31 December 1968 and Lieutenant Colonel on 30 June 1976 before reaching his final rank of Colonel on 30 June 1982. After 37 years of service, Blashford-Snell retired from the British Army on 30 December 1991. He was the subject of This Is Your Life in 1976 when he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews.
Expeditions
In 1969, Blashford-Snell founded the Scientific Exploration Society. Amongst his expeditions were the first descent of the Blue Nile, during which he invented white-water rafting 'by accident' ; crossing of the Darién Gap and overseeing the first north–south vehicular journey from Alaska to Cape Horn; and a complete navigation of the Congo River. He was awarded the Segrave Trophy in 1974 and the Livingstone Medal by the Royal Scottish Geographical Society in recognition of his leadership of the expeditions. In 1978, Blashford-Snell established Operation Drake, which later developed into Operation Raleigh, an educational initiative for young people, of which he was Director General until he retired from this post in 1991. In 1993, Blashford-Snell was awarded the Patron's Gold Medal of the Royal Geographical Society. In 2006, Blashford-Snell helped the London hatmakers James Lock & Co. to design a hat to meet the needs of explorers. Since 2001, he has been the Hon. Life President of the Centre for Fortean Zoology. He is also a member of the Ghost Club. In 2010 he was made an Honorary Fellow of Liverpool John Moores University His publications include an autobiography, Something Lost Behind the Ranges. Blashford-Snell has been a member of The Explorers Club since 1974. In 1992, he was awarded the Sweeney Medal in honour of his outstanding contributions to the welfare and objectives of the organization.
Personal life
Blashford-Snell married Judith Sherman in 1960. They had met whilst Blashford-Snell was still at Sandhurst; Sherman was attending the women's officer training unit. They have two daughters, Victoria and Emma.
Works
Where the Trails Run Out, London, Hutchinson 1974.
In the Steps of Stanley, London, Hutchison 1975.
Expeditions: the Experts’ way, edited by John Blashford-Snell and Alistair Ballantine. London, Faber 1977.
A taste for adventure, London, Hutchinson 1978.
In the wake of Drake John Blashford-Snell and Michael Cable. London, W.H. Allen, 1980.
Operation Drake London, W.H. Allen, 1981.
The expedition organiser’s guide by John Blashford-Snell & Richard Snailham ; written for the Scientific Exploration Society. London, Daily Telegraph, 1982.
Mysteries: encounter with the unexplained. London, Bodley Head 1983.
Operation Raleigh: the start of an adventure London, Collins, 1987.
Something lost behind the ranges :the autobiography of John Blashford-Snell. London, HarperCollins, 1994.
Mammoth hunt: in search of the giant elephants of Nepal by John Blashford-Snell and Rula Lenska. London, HarperCollins, 1996.
Kota Mama: retracing the lost trade routes of ancient South American peoples by John Blashford-Snell and Richard Snailham. London, Headline, 2000.
East to the Amazon: in search of Great Paititi and the trade routes of the ancients by John Blashford-Snell and Richard Snailham. London, John Murray 2002.
