Scott's fatal errors
From John Harradine Sir: Your recent review of Ranulph Fiennes's Captain Scott (1 November) reminds me of an interesting conversation I had with Tryggve Gran, the last surviving member of Scott's last expedition, when I visited him in his home in Grimstad in southern Norway.
The Plateau party consisted of two sledges: Scott's with Wilson, Oates and PO Evans; and that of Lieutenant Evans with Bowers, Lushly and Crean.
On 31 December Scott ordered the second sledge party to leave its skis and proceed on foot; a decision, as far as I know, unexplained and inexplicable. Scott later recorded, It's been a plod for the foot
people and pretty easy going for us. and bizarrely, 'The supporting party not in very high spirits, they have not managed matters well for themselves.'
On 3 January the two parties separated, the second sledge to return with three men, and Scott's sledge to continue with the addition of a fifth man — Bowers.
It was a decision taken at the last moment. Scott: 'Last night I decided to reorganise . . . and we proceed as a five man unit. ' And it was taken without thought to the implications. Scott again: 'Cooking for five takes a seriously longer time than . .. for four . ... It is an item I had not considered when reorganising.' And again: 'Bowers on foot . . has to keep his own pace and luckily does not throw us out at all.' (!) It meant that five men were suddenly having to adapt to the routines and equipment of camping, cooking and sledging which had been perfected for four men; and that the pulling was done by four men on skis and one on foot.
Further, it left the returning party with three men to pull a four-man sledge. Lieutenant Evans wrote, 'I soon realised that the ceding of one man from my party had been too great a sacrifice .. . it was a fight for life.' In fact it nearly cost Lieutenant Evans his life.
Now, to get to my point. Tryggve Gran told me that this decision to take Bowers was made on the morning of 3 January only after a tremendous row, graphically described by Gran, between Scott and Bowers.
Such an incident will appear dissonant with the atmosphere of the expedition conveyed by the published diaries — not least that of Lieutenant Evans — which throughout describe perfect harmony, goodwill and thorough planning. But it is consonant with the account given by Cecil Meares to Mrs Oates, and quoted by Huntford, which told of 'great trouble and unhappiness. Captain Scott would swear all day at (Lieutenant) Evans and the others. He said it was shocking — and the worst was it was not possible to get away from the rows.'
John Harradine
Ardvasar, Isle of Skye
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