William
the man
Physically, William Lashly (far right in this picture with Captain Scott on the Terra Nova expedition) appears to have been a remarkable man. Captain Scott wrote of him in his report of the Discovery expedition that, in appearance, he was the most deceptive man he had ever seen: "He was not above the ordinary height, nor did he look more than ordinarily broad, and yet he weighed 13st 8lb and had one of the largest chest measurements in the ship”.William certainly took trouble to keep himself fit. He was a teetotaller and a non-smoker all his life. According to Captain Scott, William “was never in anything but the hardest condition”.
On both expeditions, when not engaged in sledging, he took advantage of what physical recreation was available. There are frequent references in William’s diary to playing in football matches and, during the Discovery expedition, he notes, “Have taken up hockey as a pastime and exercise. We play a match every afternoon”
Perhaps the greatest test of William's strength and stamina was the Western journey during the second winter of the Discovery expedition. Well into the journey, when Scott decided, based on careful observation of his men, to proceed with only half the party, he kept William and Evans with him. “With these two men behind me, our sledge seemed to become a living thing and the days of slow progress were numbered," he wrote. When Scott and Evans disappeared down a crevasse, William kept himself from following and saved them all. Herbert Ponting, the Terra Nova expedition photographer, reflects “it was due to Lashly's resource, strength and presence of mind that they escaped with their lives.”
William’s physical strength and stamina were put to the test again on Scott's second expedition when, between them, he and Crean saved Lieutenant Evans’ life.
The 35-night winter journey by Apsley Cherry-Garrard, Bill Wilson and Birdie Bowers to collect incubating emperor penguins’ eggs is frequently seen as the toughest man-hauling journey in polar history. Years later, when reflecting on whether the right three men had been chosen for this project, Apsley wrote in The Worst Journey in the World:
“I don’t know. There could never have been any doubt about Bill and Birdie. Probably Lashly would have made the best third... Lashly was wonderful. If only Scott had taken a four-man party and Lashly to the Pole!”
Edward Wilson once asked Surgeon Atkinson whom he would choose if an extra man were to be picked for the final polar assault. Atkinson's first choice was Lashly, followed by Thomas Crean.
Next: A man of all trades