Chapter 2: The story of the British Graham Land Expedition 1934–37

Extract

This is an account of the British Graham Land Expedition, which spent nearly three years in that part of the Antarctic that lies south of South America and was the first British expedition to winter in Antarctica in the last twenty-five years.

HM King George VI approved the award of the Polar Medal to the sixteen members of the party — a coveted distinction — only previously granted the expeditions of Captain Scott, Sir Ernest Shackleton, Sir Douglas Mawson, and Mr Gino Watkins. The Royal Geographical Society and the American Geographical Society have also honoured the work of this expedition by giving its leader, Mr John Rymill, their highest awards.