110 years ago, the renowned explorer Captain Robert Scott and four companions died in a blizzard on their return from the South Pole. Over a year later the surviving members of the Scott’s team returned to England to tell the story of the ill-fated expedition.
First published in The Age on May 23, 1913
THE POLAR TRAGEDY
STORY OF SCOTT’S EXPEDITION
TOLD BY COMMANDER EVANS
GRAPHIC DETAILS
LONDON, 22nd May.
(L-R) Capt Lawrence (Titus) Oates, Capt Robert Falcon Scott, PO Edgar Evans and seated (L-R) Lt Henry (Birdie) Bowers, Dr Edward Adrian Wilson are seen at the South Pole in January 1912Credit:The Scott Polar Research Institute
At the Albert Hall last night a great audience gathered to welcome home the members of the Scott Antarctic expedition, and to hear Commander E. R. G. Evans, C.B., tell the story of the heroic but ill-fated dash for the Pole by Captain Robert Scott, R.N., and his four companions—Dr E. A. Wilson, Lieutenant H. R. Bowers, Captain L. E. G. Oates and Petty-Officer Evans. Lord Curzon, president of the Royal Geographical Society presided.
There was a brilliant assemblage which included Lady Scott, Vice-Admiral Prince Louis of Battenberg, Lord Brassey, Lord Chelmsford, Lieutenant-General Sir Robert Baden-Powell, Lord Lamington, Mr. T. Mackenzie, High Commissioner for New Zealand; Captain R. M. Collins, secretary to the Commonwealth in London; prominent naval and military officers, and leading scientific men and influential citizens.
Commander Evans was accompanied on to the platform by the survivors of the expedition, who were greeted with acclamation.
Mr. G. H. Pouting, the photographer to the expedition, exhibited a wonderful series of photographs of seal and penguin life, and interesting cinematograph films of sledging parties.
LORD CURZON’S TRIBUTE
Lord Curzon welcomed the survivors as men who had not only dared and suffered, who had accomplished that which entitled them to the gratitude of their fellow countrymen and the admiration of the world.
He said that when the result of Captain Scott’s work was published it would be in the first rank of the contributions to our Antarctic knowledge, and a real monument to Captain Scott and his men greater than sculptured effigies or carved inscriptions. The expedition would be remembered not merely for its crowning tragedy, but for its splendid talc of achievement.
Captain Scott writes in his den in the Terra Nova hut on October 7, 1911.
COMMANDER EVANS’S ADDRESS
Commander Evans said that Captain Scott’s organisation and completeness of equipment were splendid, so that the expedition remained self-contained even after his death. He paid a tribute to the bravery of Lieutenant Bowers, Cherry-Garrard and Seaman Crean when they wore adrift on a sea of ice near Hut Point, Crean gallantly jumping front floe to floe and going for assistance. Lieutenant Bowers and Cherry-Garrard were afloat on the broken ice with the ponies for a whole day before they were rescued.
Continuing, he said the expedition in Dry valley found a lake full of algae. They washed the gravel for gold, but found only magnetite.
The speaker detailed the life of the party in their winter quarters, and described Dr Wilson’s journey to Cape Crosier to observe the habits of penguins. The party, he said almost perished in a gale. Their tent blew away, and they slept in their sleeping bags in the open for two days. When the southern march began Mr. Cecil H. Meares’ supporting party travelled further south than his return rations warranted. He and Demitrion, in their 450-mile northward march, deprived themselves of one meal daily in order not to deplete the depots. When the turn of the last supporting party came to leave Captain Scott on his dash for the Pole, they gave three cheers for him and his party, and watched the intrepid five disappear over the horizon.
HONORING BRAVERY
A letter written by Britain’s Polar explorer Captain Robert Falcon Scott entitled “To my widow”, before dying in the Antarctic in 1912.
Proceeding, Commander Evans recounted how he secretly advanced the hands of his watch in order to get an extra hour’s march on the homeward journey. He eulogised seamen Crean and Lashly for refusing to leave him when he was attacked by scurvy, and said that both had been recommended for the Albert medal.
Commander Evans next detailed Captain Scott’s journey to the Pole, as revealed in the leader’s diary. Captain Scott came upon the tracks of Captain Amundsen’s dogs in latitude 88, and followed them to the Pole, which he located within half a mile of Captain Amundsen’s reckonings. It was, the speaker remarked, a fine piece of work by both expeditions.
A MAGNIFICENT SPIRIT
“Lady Scott,” Commander Evans went on, “has remarked on the magnificent spirit shown by the party in not making an uncharitable remark when they knew that they had been anticipated. On the return journey, and after Petty-Officer Evans’s death, Captain Scott must have realised, by the gradually shortened marches, what little hope there was of reaching the winter quarters. In the later stages of the march only three miles were covered daily. Captain Oates was badly frostbitten, and constantly appealed to Dr Wilson for advice, asking what he could do. Dr Wilson could only answer, “Slog on; just slog on.” Captain Oates died on his birthday.
“Doctor Wilson was nicknamed ‘the Peacemaker’ by the members of the expedition. Thanks to him, they never had a quarrel or an angry word. Lieutenant Bowers was the pet humourist of the party, and a marvellous little fellow, whom Captain Stott described as the hardiest man who ever undertook a Polar journey. Captain Scott himself was the heart and brain of the expedition.”
Commander Evans paid a glowing tribute to the work of Lieutenant V. C. A. Campbell’s eastern exploring party, and said that Dr Griffith Taylor made a most valuable journey to Victoria Land for geological and surveying purposes. He hoped the doctor would deliver a special paper about the work of this expedition. The Terra Nova’s oceanic work wall also worthy of special accounts.
Commander Evans concluded by thanking the public of Great Britain and the oversea Dominions for their generous support in response to Captain Scott’s last appeal, and said the amount contributed would provide for the relatives of the victims, and give funds with which to publish the records of the expedition.
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