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‘A kind of suicide’? Errors and misconceptions in Roland Huntford's account of the last days of Scott's polar party

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 January 2013

Karen May  and
George Lewis
Karen May
Affiliation:
c/o Scott Polar Research Institute, Lensfield Rd., Cambridge CB2 1ER ([email protected])
George Lewis
Affiliation:
c/o Scott Polar Research Institute, Lensfield Rd., Cambridge CB2 1ER ([email protected])
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Abstract

In writing and interviews Roland Huntford has stated that at the end of his life Captain Robert Falcon Scott ‘probably’ had no reason to wish to survive, and that he ‘persuaded’ Dr Edward A. Wilson and Lieutenant Henry Bowers to remain in the tent with him when they could have gone forward. This commentary demonstrates that Huntford's interpretation of events shows a serious misunderstanding of the primary sources and historical context; that Wilson and Bowers could not have survived had they gone forward, a fact which Huntford himself understands; and that Scott had extremely strong motivation to wish to return home.

Type
Research Article
Information
Polar Record , Volume 50 , Issue 2 , April 2014 , pp. 156 - 164
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2013 

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