A small archive of items relating to Operation Deep Freeze, 1955-63.

Comprising: 1: Album belonging to William K. Horner, Chief Aerographer's Mate who overwintered 1955-6, with over 60 contemporary photographs mostly approx. 5 x 4" but some larger, a large-format photographic portrait of Commander George Dufek inscribed to Horner, two Christmas cards sent from the Antarctic by Horner to his family, and two tin labels taken from one of the historic huts; 2: An envelope of approx. 40 large format official photographs from the 1950s expeditions, each approx. 10 x 8" and captioned to verso; 3. An Information Folder for 1963, containing three booklets (Welcome to Operation Deep Freeze, Introduction to Antarctica, and Aviation in the Antarctic), a leaflet for Air Devron Six, a 2pp. mimeograph, and eight 1960s photographs. From 1955, the United States initiated a series of expeditions to the Antarctic, in preparation for its involvement in the International Geophysical Year 1957/8. Known collectively as Operation Deep Freeze, the first expedition was led by George Dufek in 1955, though the Polar pioneer Richard Byrd had titular command. The sizeable task force for the first season established an operations station at McMurdo Sound, and a further base on the Ross Ice Shelf, Little America V. The location put members of the expedition in relative proximity to the huts built by Scott and Shackleton at Hut Point and Cape Royds. The album offered here, compiled by or for expedition member William Horner, contains images of the first season, and mementoes such as Christmas cards sent home from the Antarctic, and two tin labels almost certainly collected from one of the historic huts - one for Beach's Apricot, the other Griffiths McAlister & Co. (arguably these were taken from Shackleton's hut). This first year of operation also saw the first plane landing at the South Pole. Operation Deep Freeze continued each year - the other items offered here record later seasons from 1956 to 1963 - and to date forms part of the United States ongoing presence on the continent.…