Robert Falcon Scott (1868–1912) was a British Royal Navy officer and Antarctic explorer best known for leading the ill-fated Terra Nova Expedition (1910–13) in an attempt to reach the South Pole. His expeditions advanced scientific discovery and geographic exploration, but his tragic death cemented his legacy as a symbol of perseverance and heroism.
Born in Plymouth, England, Scott joined the Royal Navy in 1881, rising through the ranks before leading the Discovery Expedition (1901–04.) This journey established him as a prominent polar explorer, setting a new southern record at latitude 82°S and discovering the Antarctic Plateau, where the South Pole is located.
Scott’s Terra Nova Expedition aimed to be the first to reach the South Pole. However, his team arrived on January 17, 1912, only to find Roald Amundsen’s Norwegian expedition had beaten them by five weeks. On the return journey, Scott and his companions perished due to extreme weather, exhaustion, and starvation.
His writings include The Voyage of the Discovery (1905,) detailing his first Antarctic expedition, and Scott’s Last Expedition (1913,) a collection of his journals from Terra Nova.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Robert Falcon Scott
Had we lived I should have had a tale to tell of the hardihood, endurance and courage of my companions which would have stirred the heart of every Englishman. These rough notes and our dead bodies must tell the tale.
—Robert Falcon Scott
Topics: Heroism, Heroes/Heroism, Heroes
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