Stephen Haddelsey - Shackletons Dream: Fuchs, Hillary and the Crossing of Antarctica

Shackletons
Dream

PRAISE FOR SHACKLETONS DREAM

Extraordinary. A story that will prove to anyone who doubts it, that courage, determination, danger and disaster remain as much a part of Antarctic exploration in the Modern Age as in the Heroic Era.

SIR RANULPH FIENNES

Thoroughly researched and engagingly written, Shackletons Dream tells the in-depth story of the first crossing of the Antarctic continent, an expedition with more than its fair share of adventure, rivalry, ego, and controversy. Following in the footsteps of his biographies of Frank Bickerton and J.R. Stenhouse, this book further establishes Stephen Haddelsey as a key historian of Antarctic exploration.

BEAU RIFFENBURGH, AUTHOR OF NIMROD AND RACING WITH DEATH

The story of the most daring British polar expedition since Shackletons and an important link between the heroic and modern eras of Antarctic exploration.

NICHOLAS OWENS, DIRECTOR OF THE BRITISH ANTARCTIC SURVEY

A superbly readable and well researched book on the trials and tribulations of the first successful crossing of Antarctica.

KEN BLAIKLOCK, SURVEYOR AND DOG HANDLER ON THE COMMONWEALTH TRANS-ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION

The first crossing of the Antarctic continent remains a benchmark in the exploration of our planet. Haddelseys book provides an important insight into the achievements of Fuchs, Hillary and their companions.

JULIAN DOWDESWELL, DIRECTOR OF THE SCOTT POLAR RESEARCH INSTITUTE

For my son George Fitzwilliam Haddelsey as he embarks upon the greatest adventure of them all.

Every reasonable effort has been made to trace copyright holders and to obtain their permission for the use of copyrighted material. Any valid issues that may arise will be corrected in subsequent editions.

First published 2012

This paperback edition first published 2022

The History Press

97 St Georges Place, Cheltenham,

Gloucestershire, GL50 3QB

www.thehistorypress.co.uk

Stephen Haddelsey, 2012, 2022

The right of Stephen Haddelsey to be identified as the Author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without the permission in writing from the Publishers.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data.

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN 978 0 75247 772 5

Typesetting and origination by The History Press

Printed and bound in Great Britain by TJ Books Limited, Padstow, Cornwall.

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A pity we contribute yet another soiled page to the already extensive book of polar intrigue.

Hal Lister, glaciologist on the Commonweath Trans-Antarctic Expedition

to think only in terms of miles travelled is to include but a small part of the polar heritage that is ours.

E.W. Kevin Walton, Two Years in the Antarctic

A journey is like the life of a man. The labours of its birth are heavy, its youth is full of ideals and hopes, its main course leads swiftly to harsh reality and its end, whether of failure or success, is bitter.

August Courtauld, Surveyor on Gino Watkinss British Arctic Air Route Expedition, 193031

I would like to express my admiration for all of the surviving veterans of the British Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition (TAE) and, in particular, I should like to thank Ken Blaiklock, Richard Brooke, John Claydon, Rainer Goldsmith, Roy Homard and the late Jon Stephenson, without whose support and encouragement this book could not have been written. In addition, I should like to acknowledge the immense patience of Ken Blaiklock who has not only answered a constant flow of questions on all aspects of the expedition but has also very kindly read the entire manuscript to ensure its historical accuracy. It has been a novel and rewarding experience to have my account of an Antarctic expedition commented upon by one of the leading participants. Despite their immense achievements, very few of the veterans have chosen to formally record their experiences. Regrettable though this decision will undoubtedly appear to future generations, it is typical of their modesty and inclination to self-effacement. If it achieves nothing else, therefore, I hope that this book will serve to preserve some of their memories and views regarding the remarkable exploits in which they played such a leading part. I would also like to thank Derek Williams, the BP cameraman who accompanied the Advance Party on the Theron, for his highly evocative descriptions of his journey to the Antarctic.

Although the events of the TAE took place in relatively recent times, the task of piecing together its full story has been rendered unusually difficult by the fact that very few contemporary documents, especially diaries and letters, have so far found their way into accessible public collections. I am therefore also enormously grateful to a host of individuals, usually the widows or descendants of the explorers, who have been immensely generous in permitting me to use documents in their possession and in assisting me to trace other previously unknown sources. In particular, I would like to thank: Peter and Ann Fuchs, for their hospitality and for granting me complete access to the papers and diaries of Sir Vivian Fuchs; Peter and Sarah Hillary for permitting use of the diary of Sir Edmund Hillary; Mary Lowe and Margaret Lister for allowing me to read and quote from the diaries of their husbands, George Lowe and Hal Lister; Jan Fullarton and Roger Miller, for granting me access to the diary of their father, Sir Holmes, or Bob, Miller; Lionel Stephens, Lindsey Hinks and David Stewart, for their help in piecing together the story of Tony Stewart; Paul and Colin Rogers for the TAE anecdotes of their father, Dr Allan Rogers; Sheila and Stephen Marsh for permitting use of the papers of Dr George Marsh and Rosemary Breen for facilitating access to those papers; John Cooper and Sydney Cullis for their assistance in tracing the TAE publications of Hannes La Grange; Derek Gunn for permitting me to quote from the memoir of his father, Bernie Gunn; and Eliane George for sharing her memories of working in the TAE office at 64, Victoria Street.

I would also like to express my appreciation to Anthea Arnold whose account of the TAEs Advance Party, Eight Men in a Crate, first inspired me to research the expedition; to Joanna Rae of the British Antarctic Survey for her assistance in tracing the TAE papers contained within the BAS archives; and to Andy Stevenson for producing such dynamic maps for the book. This list is not, indeed cannot, be comprehensive and I hope that those who have not been named individually will not think that their help is any the less appreciated. Every effort has been made to obtain the relevant permissions and I should like to crave the indulgence of any literary executors or copyright holders where these efforts have been unavailing. All photographs are reproduced by the kind permission of the explorers and their families, with particular thanks due to Peter Fuchs, George and Mary Lowe, David Stewart and Stephen and Sheila Marsh.