The Crossing of Antarctica – Sir Vivian Fuchs and Sir Edmund Hillary – First UK Edition, 1958

Authors: Sir Vivian Fuchs and Sir Edmund Hillary
Publisher: Cassell, London
Publication Date: 1958
Edition: First UK Edition
Binding: Hardback with original photographic dustwrapper
Stock Code: 004257
Location: Bookroom

Description

A particularly attractive first UK edition of The Crossing of Antarctica (1958), the important first-hand account of the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition of 1955–1958, written by its two principal leaders, Sir Vivian Fuchs (1908–1999) and Sir Edmund Hillary (1919–2008).

The expedition achieved the first successful overland crossing of Antarctica, travelling from the Weddell Sea to the Ross Sea via the South Pole and completing one of the most significant geographical journeys of the twentieth century. Illustrated with photographs and maps, the book documents the expedition’s planning, scientific objectives, equipment, logistical challenges and extraordinary achievements.

The Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition, 1955–1958

The Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition was conceived as an ambitious scientific and geographical undertaking intended to complete the first overland crossing of the Antarctic continent. Although explorers including Roald Amundsen and Robert Falcon Scott had reached the South Pole earlier in the century, no expedition had successfully crossed the entire continent. The expedition was led by the British geologist and explorer Sir Vivian Fuchs, with Sir Edmund Hillary commanding the New Zealand support party. The undertaking combined modern mechanical transport, scientific investigation and the traditions of polar exploration established by the great Antarctic expeditions of the early twentieth century. Its principal objective was to cross Antarctica from the Weddell Sea to the Ross Sea, travelling via the South Pole. The journey required the establishment of bases, supply depots and transport routes across some of the most remote and inhospitable terrain on Earth.

Sir Vivian Fuchs and the First Antarctic Crossing

Sir Vivian Fuchs was a distinguished British geologist and polar explorer whose experience of scientific expeditions made him ideally suited to lead the undertaking.

The main crossing party departed from Shackleton Base on the Weddell Sea in November 1957, travelling across the Antarctic interior in specially adapted tracked vehicles. The expedition faced extreme cold, difficult ice conditions, crevasses and the enormous logistical challenge of transporting fuel, food, scientific equipment and personnel across thousands of kilometres of largely unexplored country. Fuchs’s party reached the South Pole in January 1958 before continuing towards Scott Base on the Ross Sea. On 2 March 1958, the expedition completed the first successful overland crossing of Antarctica, covering approximately 2,158 miles. The achievement represented a landmark in geographical exploration and demonstrated the possibilities of mechanised transport and scientific research in the Antarctic interior.

Sir Edmund Hillary and the South Pole

Sir Edmund Hillary had already achieved international fame in 1953 when, together with Tenzing Norgay, he became one of the first two climbers confirmed to have reached the summit of Mount Everest. His involvement in the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition extended his remarkable career in exploration. Hillary commanded the New Zealand support party, which was responsible for establishing supply depots from the Ross Sea side of the continent in preparation for Fuchs’s crossing. Using modified Ferguson tractors, Hillary and his companions travelled across the Ross Ice Shelf and towards the South Pole. On 4 January 1958, Hillary’s party reached the Pole, becoming the first expedition to arrive there overland since Robert Falcon Scott’s ill-fated journey of 1911–1912. Their achievement attracted considerable international attention and remains one of the most memorable episodes in the history of Antarctic exploration.

Scientific Exploration and the International Geophysical Year

The expedition took place during the International Geophysical Year of 1957–1958, a period of unprecedented international cooperation in scientific research. The Antarctic was a major focus of this programme, with scientists investigating the continent’s geology, meteorology, glaciology and geophysical characteristics. The Trans-Antarctic Expedition therefore had objectives extending beyond the achievement of a geographical first. Scientific observations and measurements undertaken during the journey contributed to contemporary understanding of the Antarctic interior. The expedition helped establish a model for later scientific exploration in which geographical discovery and systematic research were closely connected.

Condition

A near fine, tight, clean copy in a near fine dustwrapper. The binding is nice and tight, and the pages are nice and clean. The original photographic dustwrapper is very slightly faded, creased and rubbed, but remains particularly attractive, with the panoramic Antarctic illustration well preserved. The dustwrapper is now protected in an easily removable clear acetate archival wrapper. Please examine the accompanying photographs, which show the actual copy offered for sale.

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