Land of the Long Day - Chapter Intro

INTRODUCTION

There are many tales of adventure and stories of exploration, but all too often they are written by the captain of the ship or the leader of the expedition and give the official view only and seldom fail to reiterate how marvellous the chaps were, even when you happen to know from unofficial sources that some were, shall we say, rather less than perfect. Only rarely are two books seen which were written by two different people of the same expedition, but when they are, they are often remarkably different!

Elspeth Huxley has rather cleverly juxtaposed the rather glamourised account by Scott of his first sledging journey down The Barrier in 1901 with Shackleton and Wilson, with the rather more believable accounts of his companions and others in her book, "Scott of the Antarctic". Three books were written of an American expedition to Graham Land immediately after the War. One was 'Two Years In the Antarctic" by E. Kevin Walton, there was "My Antarctic Honeymoon" by Jennie Darlington, and an official account by the leader of the American party, Finne Ronne. It is difficult to believe it was the same expedition.

Ronne stresses how successful it all was, but a member of the party later told me "The day there wasn't a fistfight before breakfast, we reckoned as being a real peaceable day!" E.K.W. admits that his ambitions to make an Antarctic dog-sled journey was totally destroyed as a result of attempts to merge American and British exploration plans, and that he returned to the South yet again in order to make a second attempt.

The official account is just that: an account of how objectives were gained. There is rarely any expression of the interplay of human character which may have made the whole affair a success or disaster. Being a junior member of a major expedition carries with it special frustrations which are seldom written about, even though the least significant members of small parties in isolation from the rest of the world may still make some contribution or so I feel though my judgment might be suspect. Objectives are not gained by moving along a fixed schedule like a railway train, there may be massive differences of opinion in the ranks as to what even those objectives are, yet men move forward helped by real down‑to‑earth humour which carries them through the bad patches. Weaker men are carried along in the wave created by the stronger, but stories of human strengths and failings are embarrassing and unpopular, moreover you may be sued!

Wing Cmdr John Claydon, our chief pilot, recently said to me: "You know, I have been mixed in quite a few events in my life but TAE was the most outstanding. We had our differences, by God we did! But when it was decided that that was what the course was to be, all the chaps pitched in and worked like hell! I don't think that today you could put together a group of men like that!" and I am inclined to agree.
In writing this quite personal account, I am confident that few of the thirty or more men involved will agree with a word of it, moreover, they will strenuously deny that much of it ever happened; nevertheless, I can only offer, my diary tells me it all did, however much another diary conflicts!
May you at least get a laugh out of some of our little adventures of long ago on the days of the long, long trail!

In memory of:
Sir J.Holmes Miller, Surveyor, our "Uncle Bill".
Mr Murray Robb, Engineer and stalwart extraordinaire.
Dr George Marsh, Chief Doggoe and sometime doctor.
Lt. Tom Couzens, sno-cat driver, ex Tankie and a gallant gentleman.
Mr Roy Carlyon, Surveyor.
Mr Harry Ayres, Guide and Mentor.
Mr Murray Douglas, Guide.

and with special thanks to:
Lt.Cmdr.R.F. Brooke, Surveyor and leader of the Northern Party.
W.Cmdrs John Claydon and Wm. Cranfield, our reliable "Flyboys".
Sgt Wally Tarr, who kept the things flying.
Mr. James Lowery, Geologist.
Mr Guyon Warren, Geologist.
Mr. Garth Matterson, Surveyor.
Capt. P. Hunt, Surveyor.
Mr 'Charlie' Wise, Engineer. (Thank you, Charlie!)

To all the members of "Operation Deepfreeze One" for their notable kindness to a stranger in their midst;
and all members of T.A.E., of the '59 Expedition and
James Wilson of the '61 Expedition.

As well as, Dismal, Fido, Joe and sixty more. May they enjoy in another life, the rest they seldom had in this!

from Bernie Gunn
Northern Party, T.A.E.

< Prev | Next >