From 1965 to 1969, the BEC held expeditions to Austria, in the first couple of years working with the Austrians in Raucherkarhöhle, then later doing much work in the already known cave of Ahnenschacht, on the slopes of Schönberg, in the north of the western massif of the Totes Gebirge. This is now a very major system, but even in 1967, it was a very serious proposition, being remote, and with a very deep entrance shaft, which became epic in the wet, especially when tackled on ladders, as was the way in those days.

The BEC's explorations were reported in a series of articles in their frequent (then monthly) newsletter the Belfry Bulletin, as well as in other more widely available journals. Not all references in this list have CTS numbers, as most are too early, and nobody seems inclined to produce retrospective CTS volumes.

Belfry Bulletin 214, Dachstein/Hirlatz/Raucher/Koppenbrüller/Eisriesenwelt

Belfry Bulletin 222, Raucherkarhöhle

Belfry Bulletin 237 pp 93-97, Ahnenschacht 1967

Belfry Bulletin 239 (Jan 1968) pp 23-26, Scientific work on 1967 trip

Belfry Bulletin 246 (Sep 1968) pp 130-138, Ahnenschacht 1968, Alan Thomas

Belfry Bulletin 249 (Dec 1968) pp 198-204, Drainage development in the Western Totes Gebirge, Mike Luckwill

69.708

Cave Research Group of G.B. Newsletter 116 (June 1969) pp 7-9 A brief account of the history of the Ahnenschacht, A.R.Thomas.

69.709

Descent 5 (July 1969) pp 31-35, British Team challenges Austria's Ahnenschacht, A.R.Thomas.

69.707

Mendip Caving Group Newsletter 77 (August 1969) pp 1-3, Austria 1969, Greg Smith

69.711

Belfry Bulletin 259, (Oct 1969) pp 169-170, New Austrian discovery (near Feuertal Ice Cave), Dave Yeandle.

69.704

Shepton Mallet Caving Club Newsletter 6(5) (Oct 1969) pp 65-70, Ahnenschacht 1969 ... near Ebensee, Austria, R.D.Craig

69.710

Belfry Bulletin 261 (Dec 1969) pp 200-203, Ahnenschacht 1969, A.R.Thomas.

69.704A

Shepton Mallet Caving Club Journal 4(8) (Dec 1969) pp 15-21, Ahnenschacht 1969 ... near Ebensee, Austria, R.D.Craig