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The remarkable account of the Commonwealth Trans-Atlantic Expedition of 1955 to 1958, the first to successfully complete the overland crossing of Antarctica via the South Pole. With numerous illustrations - thirty full page coloured plates and sixty-three full page plates in black & white taken from original photographs, with nine maps in the text. ***Very good in pale blue cloth covered boards, with silver titles to the spine. The boards have a few light foxing marks and rubbing commensurate with age and handling, but are generally clean. Head and tail of spine slightly creased, and slight fading at the very top of the spine and top edge of front board near the spine. All edges of text-block lightly foxed. Internally also very good, with no inscriptions. No creases or tears. Pages clean apart from some light sporadic foxing to the first and last few pages. Spine tight. ***In a very good dustwrapper which retains the publisher's printed price of 30/- net. The dustwrapper is complete, with some creasing and rubbing at the edges, mainly at the head and tail of the spine. No chips or tears and no fading - just light foxing and browning. ***337 pages including a Glossary, Appendixes and a detailed Index at the back of the book. 228mm x 148mm. ***'Men have long dreamed of crossing the vast frozen wastes of the Antarctic, but not since Shackleton's last attempts to reach the Pole from the Weddell Sea in 1914 has anyone embarked on this great adventure. In turning the dream into reality Sir Vivian Fuchs has taken his place alongside Shackleton, Amundsen, and Scott, with a feat of courage and endurance that has rightly been called one of the truly heroic and magnificent achievements of the century.' [Quote taken from the front flap of the dustwrapper] ***'Sir Vivian Ernest Fuchs FRS (11 Feb 1908 - 11 Nov 1999) was an English explorer whose expeditionary team completed the first overland crossing of Antarctica in 1958. Fuchs was involved with the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey (now the British Antarctic Survey) beginning in 1947, when he applied for a geologist position. The organisation's goal was to promote Britain's claims to Antarctica, and secondarily to support scientific research. In 1950 Fuchs was asked to develop the new London scientific bureau of the Survey, to plan research in the Antarctic and support research publication. He would eventually become director of the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey, from 1958 (after his return from the successful Antarctic expedition) until 1973. He became a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1974. Fuchs is best known as the leader of the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition, a Commonwealth-sponsored expedition that completed the first overland crossing of Antarctica. Planning for the expedition began in 1953, and envisioned the use of Sno-Cat tractors to cross the continent in 100 days, starting at the Weddell Sea, ending at the Ross Sea, and crossing the South Pole. On 2 March 1958, Fuchs and company completed the 100-day trip by reaching Scott Base, having travelled 2,158 miles. In 1958, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II. He co-wrote, with Sir Edmund Hillary, "The Crossing of Antarctica"'. ***'Sir Edmund Percival Hillary KG ONZ KBE (20 Jul 1919 - 11 Jan 2008) was a New Zealand mountaineer, explorer, and philanthropist. As part of the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition he reached the South Pole overland in 1958. He subsequently reached the North Pole, making him the first person to reach both poles and summit Everest. [Wiki] ***A nicely preserved copy of the first edition of this landmark book of Polar exploration. ***For all our books, postage is charged at cost, allowing for packaging: any shipping rates indicated on ABE are an average only: we will reduce the P & P charge where appropriate - please contact us for postal rates for heavier books and sets etc.
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