User:Liam2520/Sandbox VI

The British Trans-Arctic Expedition was a 1968–1969 3,800-mile surface crossing of the Arctic Ocean, from Alaska to Spitsbergen via the geographic North Pole achieved by the four man crew lead by Sir Wally Herbert. This journey was the first time the Arctic Ocean had been crossed solely on surface travel. If Robert Peary's claims on reaching the North Pole in 1909 are false, as most now believe, Herbert and his team are also the first men in history to reach the North Pole by surface travel.

The four-men team spent 476 days on the sea ice in total, using 40 sledge dogs to travel over over 3,700 miles. The North pole was reached on 6 April 1969 after 407 days on arctic ice.

Expedition Team/Crew?/Personnel?

• Wally Herbert –
• Allan Gill –
• Roy "Fritz" Koerner –
• Kenneth Hedges –

Expedition

Parts of Expedition:

Journey to the pole

On the morning of 5 April 1969, Herbert dead-reckoned that the team had reached 89°59'N, barley a mile from the pole. Presumptively, Herbert sent a message in Morse code to the Queen:

I have the honour to inform Your Majesty that today, 5 April, at 0700 hrs Greenwich Mean Time, the British Trans-Arctic Expedition by dead reckoning reached the North Pole 407 days after setting out from Point Barrow, Alaska. My companions of the crossing party, Allan Gill, Major Kenneth Hedges, RAMC, and Dr Roy [Fritz] Koerner, together with Squadron Leader Church, RAF, our radio relay officer at Point Barrow, are in good health and spirits and hopeful that by forced marches and a measure of good fortune the Expedition will reach Spitsbergen by Midsummer's Day of this year, thus concluding in the name of our Country the first surface crossing of the Arctic Ocean.

When Gill performed the official measurements, he found out that the crew were actually about seven miles away from the pole. The four of them packed up, and by 9 a.m. ventured north to the pole. The crew travelled at about a mile every four hours, and by stopped to take observations at 0345 GMT on 6 April 1969, which put them at 89°59'N, on longitude 180°. This meant they had passed the north pole about a mile behind their tracks. Herbert described trying to find the north pole like trying to "step on the shadow of a bird that hovering overhead". The crew set up to take some pictures, and a few hours later they set course for the island of Spitsbergen along the Greenwich Meridian.

Later that day, as Herbert rested in his tent, Koerner's tent caught fire, some possessions and clothing was damaged. The crew received a return message from the Queen:

I send my warmest congratulations to you and the other members of The British Trans-Arctic Expedition on reaching the North Pole. My husband and I are delighted that you are well and wish you the best of luck for the rest of your journey.

And one from the then Prime Minister, Harold Wilson:

Yours is a feat of endurance and courage which ranks with any in polar history. My colleagues and I send you heartfelt congratulations and our best wishes for a safe and triumphant completion of your journey.

Return to Spitsbergen

By 6 April, the team had but 60 days to cover a distance 600 nautical miles (((convert))) if they wanted to make it to Spitsbergen in time.

On 26 May 1969

Gallery

If I can find enough free images...

Reception and Legacy

Reception at home?

Documentary?

Coincide with the moon landing?

Publicity - newspapers

~

Wally Herbert's pocket sextant used on the expedition was sold at Christie's in 2010 for £4,375.

See also

• Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition – The first surface crossing of the Antarctic continent.

Further reading

• Across the Top of the World - BBC TV Documentary, 1969
• The First Surface Crossing of the Arctic Ocean in the The Geographical Journal by Wally Herbert and Roy M. Koerner (1970).

External links

[[Category:British Trans-Arctic Expedition]] [[Category:1968 in science]] [[Category:1969 in science]] [[Category:Exploration of the Arctic]] [[Category:Arctic expeditions]] [[Category:Exploration of the Arctic]] [[Category:20th century in the Arctic]] [[Category:1960s in Alaska]] [[Category:1968 in Alaska]] [[Category:1969 in Alaska]] [[Category:North Pole]] [[Category:Geography of the Arctic]] [[Category:Arctic expeditions]] [[Category:Exploration of the Arctic]] [[Category:Polar exploration]] [[Category:Expeditions from the United States]]