Oates' medal will make journey to the South Pole
12 October 2011
A Polar Medal,
posthumously awarded to British Antarctic explorer Captain Lawrence
Oates, has been presented to a British Army team undertaking an
expedition to the South Pole in support of The Royal British
Legion.
The medal was presented on loan to expedition leader Lt Col Henry Worsley MBE, in front of Captain Oates' great nephew Bryan Oates, for its first journey to the South Pole in the 100th Anniversary year of the missions led by British explorer Captain Robert Falcon Scott and the Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen.
At the presentation in front of J C Dollmann's famous painting of Capt Oates, "A very gallant gentleman" in London's Cavalry and Guards Club, Lt Col Worsley said: "We wanted to pay homage to the great Antarctic explorers of the Polar age by undertaking this gruelling challenge, and taking Capt Oates' medal with us is a tremendous honour and a great omen for our trip," Lt Col Worsley said.
"Capt Oates' last words were: "I am just going outside and may be some time" as he walked to his certain death in a blizzard of -40 degrees to give his fellows a better chance of survival. His action is seared in the nation's memory as an enduring narrative of duty and self-sacrifice.
"Capt Oates' Polar Medal will be a reminder that we are also attempting this challenge as a tribute to the men and women of the Armed Forces who have served and continue to serve Britain in duty and often, sacrifice."
The medal, which is kept at the Royal Dragoon Guards Regimental Museum in York, was presented to Lt Col Worsley by the museum's curator Alan Henshall. It was posthumously awarded to Capt Oates by King George V in 1912.
The Royal British Legion Director of Fundraising Russell Thompson OBE said: "As they make preparations to leave, we wish The Scott-Amundsen Centenary Race 2011/12 team every success in their expedition.
"They will be the first team to retrace the exact routes of the original expeditions to the South Pole and we're honoured that they're doing it to raise money for The Royal British Legion Battle Back Centre for injured Service people."
For further information about the Scott-Amundsen Centenary Race 2011/12 please visit the website at www.scottamundsenrace.org.
