The Terra Nova Expedition

In 1909, Captain Scott published his plans for another Antarctic expedition and began the tasks of raising funds, obtaining a suitable ship and identifying his team. The Discovery had been acquired by the Hudson Bay Company and was not available. The Terra Nova, a three-masted, 187-foot wooden sealer with an auxiliary steam engine, built in 1884 in Dundee and used extensively in the Antarctic and the Arctic for whaling and sealing, was eventually chosen and purchased for £12,500.

Lieutenant Evans, who had sailed on The Morning for the two National Antarctic Relief Expeditions to the ice-locked Discovery during the first expedition, was also planning an expedition based on Cardiff. However, he agreed to join Scott as second-in-charge and began the complicated process of fitting out the Terra Nova. Evans had also been partially responsible for finding the crew for The Morning so Scott made him mainly responsible for selecting the men this time. Almost 8,000 people volunteered to join the expedition. William, recently returned from his work on HMS Proserpine blockading the Somaliland coast, was among them. His previous Antarctic experience and his outstanding work for Scott ensured selection.

The departure of the ship was from Cardiff on June 15th. After an eventful sea voyage, the Terra Nova arrived in New Zealand, was refitted and left for the south on November 29^th 1910. After another remarkable sea journey they arrived in McMurdo Sound on January 4th 1911.

William had already experienced something of the challenge of sailing the Southern Ocean on the Discovery expedition. The Terra Nova journey proved to be even more traumatic. Storing the huge quantities of coal and petrol needed, building deck stables for the 19 ponies and space for 33 dogs, not to mention three huge motorsledges (for which William had partial responsibility), were all a threat to the stability of the ship. The ship’s pumps, blocked with coal dust, failed to cope with huge, stormy seas which threatened to flood the ship. Only 48 hours out from port the wind freshened and for hours they fought against mountainous waves to keep the ship afloat. As a Chief Stoker (though techically on this expedition a member of the landing party rather than ship's crew) , William was at the centre of the battle, up to his neck in rushing water as he tried to clear the suction inlets of the pumps. In the end they won through, losing only a dog and a pony, ten tons of coal and sixty-five gallons of petrol.

Arrival in the Antarctic

On arrival, a fortnight was spent unloading the ship and building the 50ft by 25ft hut which would provide accommodation for the ‘Main Party’. A second group of scientists was to be deposited on King Edward VII Land but because of disembarking problems it was eventually landed at Cape Adare. Unlike the Discovery in 1902 the Terra Nova, having disembarked the expedition, left Antarctic waters to return with supplies and equipment a year later, then again a year after that to collect the survivors of the expedition.

Twenty–five men, including sixteen officers and scientists, over-wintered in the hut. Although this was not a Royal Navy expedition it followed the usual Navy practice of providing separate quarters for officers and men. William’s sleeping billet was slung from rods in the roof over the bunks occupied by two ex-navy men, cook Thomas Clissold and steward F. J. Hooper.

They had arrived a month later than planned so work began quickly on transporting everything to Hut Point, the home depot which was 15 miles across the sea ice. This was followed by laying supply depots ready for the attempt on the Pole the next summer, giving polar novices an opportunity to get experience at sledging. William, an experienced sledger, remained at the hut concentrating on construction and helping with the ponies.

May 1911 saw all the men gathered in the hut ready to begin their winter work. There was no sun at all in the winter months so, apart from a record-breaking journey by Edward Wilson’s small team to study the nesting habits of the Emperor penguin, there was little outside activity, but plenty to do by way of preparation of equipment. When Spring arrived sledging trips began in earnest. By late October all was ready for the attempt on the Pole and William began to write his second Antarctic diary.