Scott of the Antarctic’s doomed expedition to the South Pole was ‘sabotaged’ by his second in command, a new study claims.
Captain Robert Falcon Scott and his crew of four died on their return to base having been beaten in the race to the pole by a Norwegian team led by Roald Amundsen.
The tragic deaths in 1912 have previously been blamed on poor planning by Scott, bad food supplies and unfortunate weather.
But in the new study, researchers suggest that the actions of second-in-command Lieutenant Edward ‘Teddy’ Evans ‘on and off the ice can at best be described as ineffectual, at worst deliberate sabotage.’
Scott of the Antarctic’s doomed expedition. This image shows the five members who died, Captain Laurence Oates (top left), Captain Robert Scott (top centre) Petty Officer Edgar Evans (top right); Lt Henry Bowers (bottom left); and Dr Edward Wilson (bottom right)
Professor Chris Turney at the University of New South Wales in Sydney based his conclusions on papers he found ‘buried’ in the British Library in London, which give a crucial piece of evidence about Evans’s trip back to camp.
Seven pages of notes detailed meetings held in April 1913 between Lord Curzon, president of the Royal Geographical Society, and Scott’s and Wilson’s widows, both of whom had read their late husbands’ diaries and correspondence.
The documents showed members of Scott’s expedition questioned Evans’ leadership abilities, with Scott describing in letters he was ‘not at all fitted to be second-in-command’ and promised to ‘take some steps concerning this.’
Evans had accompanied Scott to within 150 miles (240 km) of the Pole, but became seriously ill with scurvy.
Professor Turney claimed questions about Evans led Scott to send him back before pushing on to the South Pole with four companions instead of five.
Evans returned to camp and survived his bout of scurvy, and following the fatal expedition was made 1st Baron Mountevans.
Yet the new documents show that on the return journey from the Pole, Scott’s expedition found rations carefully planted on the journey out had disappeared.
According to the notes found by Professor Turney, Kathleen Scott reported that: ‘Scott’s words in his diary on exhaustion of food & fuel in depots on his return… It appears Lieut Evans – down with Scurvy – and the two men with him must on return journey have entered & consumed more than their share.’
Several days later, also according to the meeting notes, Oriana Wilson described how: ‘…there was a passage in her husband’s diary which spoke of the ‘inexplicable’ shortage of fuel & pemmican [sledging ration] on the return journey… This passage however she proposes to show to no one and to keep secret.’
In addition, the updated orders Scott gave to Evans to send a dog team out to meet the returning expedition were seemingly never delivered.
HOW IS ‘TEDDY’ EVANS TO BLAME?
Evans (pictured) had gotten within 150 miles (240 km) of the Pole, but became ill with scurvy and returned to base
In new research, Professor Chris Turney at the University of New South Wales in Sydney said the actions of second-in-command Lieutenant Edward ‘Teddy’ Evans ‘on and off the ice can at best be described as ineffectual, at worst deliberate sabotage.’
His studies are based on papers found ‘buried’ in the British Library in London, which give a crucial piece of evidence about Evans’s trip back to camp.
Evans had accompanied Scott to within 150 miles (240 km) of the Pole, but became seriously ill with scurvy.
Evans returned to camp and survived his bout of scurvy, and following the fatal expedition was made 1st Baron Mountevans.
Yet the new documents show that on the return journey from the Pole, Scott’s expedition found rations carefully planted on the journey out had disappeared, which Professor Turney suggests were taken by Evans.
In addition, the updated orders Scott gave to Evans to send a dog team out to meet the returning expedition were seemingly never delivered.
Instead Scott and his team were left to die alone and starving in a blizzard.
Instead Scott and his team were left to die alone and starving in a blizzard.
Of the five men in Scott’s party, Petty Officer Edgar Evans (no relation to ‘Teddy’) was the first to die.
He was killed from the effects of concussion at the base of the Beardmore Glacier.
Later, suffering from frostbite and exhaustion, and recognising his slow pace was threatening the others, Captain Lawrence ‘Titus’ Oates bravely walked out into a blizzard with the words, ‘I am just going outside and may be some time’.
The privately funded British Antarctic Expedition of 1911 to 1913 was watched with great interest back home as the two teams competed to reach the pole. New evidence suggests that second-in-command Evans was responsible for the expedition’s fatal end
In plummeting temperatures with limited food and fuel, Scott, Dr Edward Wilson and Henry ‘Birdie’ Bowers were pinned down by a nine-day blizzard.
They died sometime around 29 March 1912, 150 days out from base and just 18 km (11 miles) from the nearest depot.
The tragic deaths in 1912 have previously been blamed on poor planning by Scott (pictured) and bad food supplies and weather
One year later, their bodies were discovered with 16 kg [35 lbs] of fossil-rich rocks collected as part of the returning scientific programme.
Professor Turney said the new documents exposed contradictions in Evans’s testimony, who led the last party to see Scott and his men alive.
Professor Turney said: ‘The new documents suggest at the very least appalling leadership on the part of Evans or at worst, deliberate sabotage, resulting in the death of Scott and his four companions.’
The papers also reveal how public records were altered in later recounts of the expedition to cover for Evans.
Documents uncovered by the historian showed Evans had a history of taking more than his share of supplies.
Public statements were changed to deflect blame from Evans’ role in the missing rations after Scott’s death, the papers show.
They also uncover why the President of the Royal Geographical Society, Lord Curzon, quashed a public committee of inquiry.
An expert has found new documents ‘buried’ in the British Library in London that suggest Evans ate too many rations and didn’t call for dog team support when he was sent back with scurvy. Pictured is the expedition’s ‘Terra Nova’ ship
Professor Turney said: ‘It appears that Curzon and others associated with the expedition accepted that this may have been necessary because Evans had been stricken by scurvy when the food was removed.
‘However, further analysis of key texts from the time indicates that this was not the case, and that the timeline of Evans’ sickness was deliberately changed to align with the removal of the supplies.
‘For too long Scott has been held responsible for the death of himself and the men of his party who made the fateful expedition to the South Pole.
‘These new documents tell a very different story about how Scott’s planning for the expedition was undermined, reveal that his orders were fatally ignored and why the man who arguably contributed the most to his death was never held accountable for his actions.’