The story of how Scott and his four companions battled their way back from the pole and eventually perished only 14 miles from safety is now legendary
Although the expedition reaped a rich scientific harvest, the attempt to conquer the South Pole for the empire failed.
Motor sledges proved of limited use.The motor sledges, which Amundsen feared would put the British ahead, rapidly broke down and were abandoned.
Too few dogs and ponies were available to save the British from the dreadful ordeal of man-hauling their sledges.
Scott did not pick his final team until the last support party turned back 150 miles from the Pole. At the last moment, he added a fifth man, Henry ‘Birdie’ Bowers, to his man-hauling Polar party of Dr Wilson, Petty Officer Edgar Evans and Captain Lawrence Oates. This created significant difficulties in managing the rations and fuel.
The Norwegians, in contrast had 19 men and 97 dogs. Compared with Scott’s party, this was less men and three times as many dogs.
Roald Amundsen and his men made extensive preparations and laid supply depots southwards in 1911. These extended much further south than Scott’s thanks to the Norwegians’ expert use of dogs and skis.
They were pioneering a new route to the Pole.
