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William Cook cook
Frank Wild in charge of stores
TERRA NOVA 1910–1913
Robert Falcon Scott, Captain, CVO, RN leader
George P Abbot, PO, RN
WW Archer, late RN, chief steward
Edward L Atkinson, RN, surgeon and parasitologist
Henry R Bowers, Lieutenant, Royal Indian Marine
Frank V Browning, PO, 2nd class RN
Wilfrid M Bruce, Lieutenant, RN
Victor LA Campbell, Lieutenant, RN
Thomas Clissold, late RN cook
Thomas Crean, PO, RN
Apsley Cherry-Garrard assistant zoologist
Bernard C Day motor specialist
Frank Debenham geologist
Henry Dickason, AB, RN
Francis RH Drake, Assistant Paymaster, RN
Edgar Evans, PO, RN
Edward RGR Evans, Lieutenant, RN
Robert Forde, PO, RN
Dimitri Gerov dog driver
Tryggve Gran, Sub-Lieutenant, Norwegian ski expert
FJ Hooper, late RN steward
W Lashly, chief stoker
G Murray Levick, RN, surgeon
Dennis G Lillie biologist
Cecil H Meares in charge of dog teams
Lawrence EG Oates, Captain, 6th Inniskilling Dragoons
Anton Omelchenko groom
Harry LL Pennell, Lieutenant, RN
Herbert G Ponting camera artist
Raymond E Priestley geologist
Edward W Nelson biologist
Henry F de P Rennick, Lieutenant, RN
George C Simpson meteorologist
T Griffith Taylor geologist
Thomas S Williamson, PO, RN
Edward A Wilson chief of the scientific staff and zoologist
Charles S Wright physicist
ENDURANCE 1914–1916
Ernest H Shackleton leader
William Bakewell, seaman
Percy Blackborrow stowaway – later steward
Alfred Cheetham, Third Officer
Robert Clark biologist
Thomas Crean, Second Officer
Charles Green cook
Lionel Greenstreet, First Officer
Ernest Holness fireman
Walter How, seaman
Hubert Hudson, Second Officer
Frank Hurley camera artist
Leonard Hussey meteorologist
Reginald James physicist
Alfred Kerr, Second Engineer
Timothy McCarthy, seaman
James McIlroy surgeon
Thomas McLeod, seaman
Henry McNeish carpenter
Alexander Macklin, chief surgeon
George Marston artist
Thomas Orde-Lees (Lieutenant, RM) ski expert and store keeper
Louis Rickinson, Chief Engineer
William Stephenson, stoker
John Vincent, Boatswain
Frank Wild, Second-in-Command
James Wordie geologist
Frank Worsley, Master and navigator
SELECTED BIOGRAPHIES
Amundsen, Roald Englebreth Graving (1872–1928) See Chapter 4 and 8
Armitage, Albert (1864–1943) Armitage was a cadet in HMS Worcester before joining the P&O line in 1886. In 1894 he was released to serve as navigator on the Jackson–Harmsworth expedition to Franz Josef Land in the Arctic where he remained for two and a half years. He returned to P&O in 1896, before being appointed navigator and second-in-command on the Discovery expedition in May 1900.
Atkinson, Edward Leicester (1882–1929) After qualifying in 1906 at St Thomas’s Hospital Medical School, Atkinson went on to serve at the Royal Naval Hospital, Haslar. He joined the Terra Nova expedition in 1910 as junior surgeon and parasitologist and led the search party that discovered Scott’s body in November 1912. He was awarded the Albert Medal during the First World War and had to retire from the Royal Navy at the age of 46 due to injuries sustained in it.
Barne, Michael (1887–1961) Michael Barne joined the Navy in 1893. He served as second lieutenant on the Discovery expedition. Barne attempted to organise his own expedition to the Weddell Sea after the Discovery, but had to abandon the idea when he failed to raise sufficient funds. Frostbite injuries to his hands prevented him from serving on the T erra Nova expedition.
Bernacchi, Louis (1876–1942) A Tasmanian, Bernacchi had been one of the men to winter at Cape Adare as part of the Southern Cross expedition in 1899. He joined the Discovery expedition as physicist and was responsible for seismic and magnetic research. His own colourful account, Saga of the ‘Discovery’, was published in 1938.
Borchgrevink, Carsten Egeberg (1864–1934) Borchgrevink was a Norwegian and childhood friend of Roald Amundsen. He travelled to Australia in 1888 and, after a variety of jobs, signed on as a crew member in the Antarctic, a Norwegian sealer, in 1894. When a party landed at Cape Adare in 1895, during its voyage, Borchgrevink was one of the first men to set foot on Antarctica. Inspired by his experience and determined to be the first man to winter on the continent, by 1899 Borchgrevink had raised sufficient funds from a British sponsor, Sir George Newnes, to return as leader of his own expedition in the Southern Cross. He successfully spent the winter of 1899–1900 at Cape Adare and travelled south by sledge to latitude 78° 50’ – at that time, the furthest south ever reached.
Bowers, Henry Robertson, (called ‘Birdie’, 1883–1912) Bowers was descended from a Scottish seafaring family. He earned the nickname ‘Birdie’ from his distinctive nose. In September 1897 he was enrolled as a cadet in HMS Worcester from where he entered the merchant service. In 1905 he left to join the Royal Indian Marine as a sub-lieutenant. He had read Scott’s account of the Discovery expedition and had a lifetime fascination with polar exploration. He was recommended for the Terra Nova expedition by Sir Clements Markham and approved by his former commander in HMS Worcester. He died with Scott and Wilson on their return journey from the Pole.
Bruce, Wilfred Montagu (1874–1953) Kathleen Scott’s brother, Wilfred Bruce had served as a cadet in HMS Worcester before joining the merchant navy. He joined the Terra Nova expedition, supporting Meares in transporting dogs and ponies selected for the expedition from Vladivostok to New Zealand.
Campbell, Victor Lindsey Arbuthnot (1875–1956) Victor Campbell served on the Terra Nova expedition where he was picked by Scott to lead what became the Eastern Party – later known as the Northern Party when they were put ashore at Cape Adare – the area originally explored by Borchgrevink. Known as ‘the Mate’ or the ‘Wicked Mate’, Campbell and his five companions spent seven months of the 1912 winter in a 2.7 x 1.5-metre (9x5-foot) ice cave, cut off from relief and lacking adequate equipment and rations. They then sledged the 200-mile journey back to Cape Evans, only to learn that Scott and his four companions had died nine months earlier.
Cherry-Garrard, Apsley George Benet (1886–1959) Selected by Wilson to join the scientific team on the Terra Nova expedition as assistant zoologist, ‘Cherry’, as he was known, travelled with Wilson and Bowers on their extraordinary winter journey to collect Emperor penguin eggs in 1911. His own fine account of the Terra Nova expedition, The Worst Journey in the World, was published in 1922. In it he showed his misgivings that had he disobeyed his orders and travelled on beyond One Ton depot to look for Scott’s return sledging party, they might have been saved.
Colbeck, Lt William Robinson (1871–1930) Colbeck was a Yorkshireman who sailed with Borchgrevink to Antarctica in 1898, one of only three British subjects on this largely Scandinavian-manned British Antarctic Expedition. He was one of those who reached Borchgrevink’s ‘furthest south’ with him. He was also captain of the Morning, the relief ship sent to effect the release and rescue of the ice-bound Discovery in 1902–03 and again in 1903–04.
Crean, Thomas (1876–1938) Crean was born at Annascaul in County Kerry, Ireland. He joined the Discovery as an able seaman and his powerful build marked him as an excellent sledger. He went on to serve on the Terra Nova
expedition from HMS Bulwark and was awarded the Albert Medal for saving the life of Teddy Evans. Crean then bought himself out of the Navy in 1912 in order to join Shackleton’s Endurance expedition, during which he was one of the six who sailed to South Georgia in the James Caird and then crossed the mountainous island on foot with Shackleton and Worsley to find help at Stromness. He later returned to Annascaul to open a pub called ‘The South Pole Inn’. A man of extraordinary physical and mental toughness, Crean eventually died of appendicitis.
David, Sir TW Edgeworth (1858–1934) Although Welsh-born and Oxford-educated, David’s career is linked with Australia, where he became a geological surveyor in 1882 and Professor of Geology at Sydney University in 1891. He was particularly interested in past geological climates and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1900. After giving Shackleton much help with the Nimrod expedition he was invited to join it as chief scientist. He led the first ascent of Mount Erebus and it was his party that first located the South Magnetic Pole. He later rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel as a military tunnelling expert in the First World War and was knighted in 1920, remaining a major figure in his scientific field throughout the Commonwealth until his sudden death in 1934.
Debenham, Frank (1883–1959) Born in New South Wales, Debenham was selected by Wilson as a geologist for the Terra Nova expedition. ‘Deb’, as he was known, went on to found the Scott Polar Research Institute in 1920 with James Wordie and Raymond Priestley, becoming its first Director.
Evans, Edgar (1876–1912) Born at Middleton in South Wales, ‘Taff’ Evans joined the Royal Navy in 1891. He was selected for the Discovery expedition and went on to become a physical training officer and naval gunnery instructor in 1904 before volunteering for the Terra Nova expedition. He died on the Beardmore Glacier on 17 February 1912, the first casualty of Scott’s five-man Polar Party.
Evans, Edward RGR (1881–1957) ‘Teddy’ Evans joined the Royal Navy from the training ship HMS Worcester in 1896. In 1902 he convinced Sir Clements Markham that he should be appointed as second officer in the relief ship Morning, which found the Discovery in McMurdo Sound. In 1910 he decided to form his own expedition to the South Pole but on hearing of Scott’s plans, he offered his services and joined the Terra Nova as second-in-command. He was instrumental in gathering support and funds for the expedition. He almost died from scurvy on the Ross Ice Shelf, but was saved by the actions of petty officers Crean and Lashly. He was to return to the Navy after the expedition to become a war hero in command of the destroyer Broke and was created a Labour peer in 1946 as Admiral Lord Mountevans.
Ferrar, Hartley T (1879–1932) Hartley Ferrar replaced Dr JW Gregory, who had resigned, as geologist on the Discovery expedition. He discovered fossilised remains of early flora in Victoria Land.
Gerov, Dimitri (1888?–1932) Born in eastern Siberia, Gerov (the English spelling of whose name varies considerably) supported Meares in selecting and then transporting the dogs purchased for the Terra Nova expedition from Russia to New Zealand and onward to the Antarctic. He joined the expedition as dog handler.
Gran, Tryggve (1889–1980) Introduced to Scott by Fridtjof Nansen, Gran had planned his own expedition but was selected for the Terra Nova expedition because of his skiing expertise. He was a member of the search party that discovered Scott’s tent. Later, Shackleton failed to persuade him to go on the Endurance expedition.
Hodgson, Thomas Vere (1864–1926) In an interlude from his work as Director of the Marine Biological Association Laboratory in Plymouth, Hodgson joined the Terra Nova expedition as a biologist, being one of the two eldest members of the party.
Hussey, Leonard (1894–1965) Hussey was meteorologist on the 1914 Endurance expedition. He was also a talented musician and entertained the men stranded on Elephant Island with songs and banjo playing.
Hurley, Frank (1886–1962) Frank Hurley bought his first camera at the age of 17. He showed particular talent for landscape photography and set up a postcard business to exploit his skills. In 1910 he was asked by fellow Australian Douglas Mawson to accompany his Australasian Antarctic Expedition of 1911–1914 in the Aurora. Hurley created a remarkable range of images and also made the film Home of the Blizzard, the documentary that records the expedition. This was seen by Shackleton, who then hired Hurley to join the Endurance expedition in 1914. As stills and cine-cameraman, Hurley displayed great tenacity and determination while his ingenuity and early training as a metalworker were also enormously useful. He returned to South Georgia in 1916 to shoot additional footage for his film, South, which was released in 1919.
James, Reginald (1891–1964) James joined the scientific team on the Endurance expedition as a physicist.
Koettlitz, Reginald (1861–1916) Koettlitz had volunteered to serve in the position of doctor on the Jackson–Harmsworth expedition to the Arctic in 1894. He received his appointment as senior surgeon and bacteriologist on the Discovery expedition in 1900. A rather serious figure, and the oldest member of the party, his companions gave him the nickname ‘Cutlets’.
Lashly, William (1868–1940) Born in Hampshire, Lashly served as leading stoker in the Discovery. His strength and dependable nature made him a natural success on the expedition. He went on to serve as an instructor at the Royal Naval College, Osborne, before volunteering for the Terra Nova expedition. With Tom Crean, he was awarded the Albert Medal for saving the life of Teddy Evans.
Lillie, Dennis G (1884–1963) Lillie was biologist on the Terra Nova expedition.
Markham, Sir Clements (1830–1916) While in the Navy, Markham served on the 1850–1851 expedition to search for the Arctic explorer Sir John Franklin, and went to Greenland on the Nares polar voyage of 1875. He was president of the Royal Geographical Society, 1893–1905, and a passionate advocate of Antarctic exploration, securing Scott’s selection as leader for the 1901 Discovery expedition.
Marston, George (1882–1940) Born in Southsea, Marston had trained to be an art teacher in London. He joined Shackleton’s Nimrod and Endurance expeditions as artist, recording events that would then illustrate the official accounts of the expeditions. After the Endurance expedition he went on to join the Rural Industries Board, of which he was Director from 1934 to his death in 1940.
Mawson, Sir Douglas (1882–1958) One of Australia’s greatest explorers, English-born Mawson was the geologist selected to join Ernest Shackleton’s Nimrod expedition (1907–1909). As a member of the scientific team, he joined the ascent of Mount Erebus and the journey to the South Magnetic Pole. He went on to command the Australasian Antarctic Expedition, 1911–1914, in the Aurora. In 1912, Mawson was the sole survivor against the odds of the Far Eastern Party, as he describes in his book Home of the Blizzard, first published in 1915. He was knighted in 1914 and led the British, Australian and New Zealand Antarctic Research Expedition (BANZARE) in the Discovery in 1929–1930 and 1930–1931.
Meares, Cecil (1877–1937) A traveller, adventurer and trader in the East, Meares was appointed by Scott in 1910 to buy dogs and ponies in Siberia and then transport them to New Zealand to join the Terra Nova expedition. He was the only experienced dog driver among the British team and persuaded Dimitri Gerov to join the expedition when buying the dogs.
Murray-Levick, George (1877–1956) Murray-Levick was senior surgeon on the Terra Nova expedition and one of the Northern Party that spent the winter of 1912 living in an ice cave when they became stranded. He also studied the Adélie penguin colonies at Cape Adare and his book Antarctic Penguins (1914) was the standard work on the subject for many years.
Nansen, Fridtjof (1861–1930) In 1893 Nansen, the Norwegian Arctic explorer and marine biologist, had sailed to the Arctic on board the specially designed Fram, hoping to drift across the North Pole. Although unable to reach his final destination, the expedition provided much new information about the Arctic Ocean, proving that sea surrounded the Pole. He published his account of the expedition in Farthest North, first published in English translation in 1897. He became an Ambassador f
or Norway and a respected polar authority, advising Scott, Amundsen and Shackleton alike.
Oates, Captain Lawrence Edward Grace (1880–1912) Known as ‘Titus’ or ‘the Soldier’, Oates was an expert horseman. In 1900 he joined the 6th Inniskilling Dragoons and served as a subaltern in the Boer War, where he received a serious bullet wound to his left thigh. The injury left him with a shortened leg and was to contribute to his death. On the basis of his skill with horses, Oates was put in charge of the ponies on the Terra Nova expedition, though he was not instructed to buy them. He also gave a substantial contribution of £1,000 towards the costs of the expedition, offering his services free. As one of Scott’s final South Pole party he suffered particularly badly from malnutrition, frostbite and probably scurvy, affecting his leg wound. He is best remembered for his self-sacrifice in walking out of the tent to his certain death on the return journey on 17 March 1912. He is the only soldier to die in a noncombatant role who is commemorated by the Army.
Omelchenko, Anton Lukish (1883–1932) Born in Bat’ki, Russia, Omelchenko was groom on the Terra Nova expedition, assisting with the ponies.
Pennell, Harry LL (1882–1916) Pennell was navigator in the Terra Nova. A gifted amateur naturalist, he also helped Wilson in the study of birds during the early part of the expedition.
Ponting, Herbert George (1870–1935) Herbert Ponting was photographer and cinematographer on the Terra Nova expedition. Born in Salisbury, Ponting travelled to the United States, after a short interlude in banking, where he worked in ranching and mining before taking up photography in 1900. He travelled widely in the Far East, building a reputation for his work.
By 1909 he had an international name as a photographer and was appointed by Scott as ‘camera artist’ for the Terra Nova expedition. Known as ‘Ponko’, he was inspired by the light and landscape of Antarctica and his black-and-white work remains unequalled. During the dark winter nights, Ponting entertained the men with lantern-slide shows of his exploits in Japan and China.
As the first professional photographer to visit Antarctica, he created a dramatic and beautiful visual record of the early part of the expedition. Ponting was unable to gain permission from Scott to accompany the Southern Party on their push for the Pole, because it was impractical to transport his heavy equipment.