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‘Will make a good Admiral’: a reassessment of Captain Scott's naval career

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 October 2013

George Lewis  and
Karen May
George Lewis
Affiliation:
27 Old Gloucester Street, London WC1N 3AX ([email protected])
Karen May
Affiliation:
27 Old Gloucester Street, London WC1N 3AX ([email protected])
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Abstract

In his book Scott and Amundsen (1979) Roland Huntford described Captain Robert Falcon Scott R.N. as ‘not well thought of in the Service’ and ‘an obscure, rather dull torpedo lieutenant with mediocre prospects’. A myth has subsequently arisen that Scott was forced into Antarctic exploration as his only route to naval promotion. In reality, Scott was an extremely able officer held in high regard by his naval contemporaries; he was on course for promotion to flag rank (rear-admiral and above) had he not taken up polar exploration; and his primary motivation for polar work was financial support for his family. In addition to a chronological account of Scott's career, this article will present his Admirals’ reports in full.

Type
Research Article
Information
Polar Record , Volume 51 , Issue 2 , March 2015 , pp. 111 - 129
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2013 

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