From Ice Floes to Battlefields Page 8

  On 11 June, a week after leaving Fayal, the Terra Nova arrived at the Scilly Isles, where Teddy Evans and Francis Drake boarded the ship for the final leg of the journey to Cardiff.17 Teddy Evans had sad news: his wife Hilda had died of peritonitis during their homeward voyage. Since returning from France (where his wife had been buried), Evans had kept himself busy at the expedition’s Victoria Street offices, making arrangements for the return of the Terra Nova and finalising details of her resale to her previous owners, Bowring Brothers.

  In a few days the expedition would be over and Pennell could go home.

  On Saturday, 14 June 1913, a day short of a year since leaving Cardiff, the Terra Nova returned to her point of departure, where Pennell’s sisters, Winifred, Dorothy and Neeta, were there to greet him. There was a sizeable crowd on the wharf, but the presence of Kathleen Scott, her young son Peter and Oriana Wilson seemed to discourage cheering. Atkinson and his aunt, Lady Nicholson, were also there, along with other friends and relations of those on board. Once the ship had docked, temporary railings and the presence of policemen kept those with no direct connection with the expedition or its members at bay.

  Pennell and his sisters stayed with a Mr and Mrs Miles, who obligingly also provided accommodation for visitors. Edward Nelson came to stay, as did Harold Hodson, one of the six brothers of Gerry Hodson, Pennell’s best friend from HMS Britannia. Mr and Mrs Miles took Pennell and his sisters to see Tintern Abbey, but gave Pennell the chance to ‘slack it’ after his long voyage. On 16 June Pennell attended two ‘compulsory’ formal events; he felt that both the official welcome and dinner at the Royal Hotel ‘went off alright’.

  On 23 June Pennell formally turned the Terra Nova over to Teddy Evans and took the train to Exeter. He missed the last train to Honiton, but after a night at the Rougemont Hotel he caught the morning train. As he was walking from Honiton station to his mother’s home at Awliscombe, ‘I passed the church just as Mother & Dorothy were going in (it being a saints day) & so we all went in & partook of the sacrament together.18 Atkinson had come down on the Saturday & met us all on our way home.’

  That afternoon Pennell played some tennis, went for a walk with his sister Dorothy and Atkinson (whom Mrs Pennell had ‘taken straight to her heart’) and embarked on a round of visits to relations and friends. Atkinson returned to London, so that Pennell could spend more time with his family before finding out what was expected of him in addition to completing his charts and other expedition paperwork.

  Pennell’s first job was to attend a meeting of a recently formed advisory committee which was in the process of winding up the expedition’s business. This august body was chaired by Lord Curzon (in his capacity as president of the Royal Geographical Society) and included Sir Clements Markham, Reginald Smith (whose family publishing company would publish Scott’s journals and other expedition records), Sir Edgar Speyer, Daniel Radcliffe (Cardiff’s leading expedition supporter) and Admiral Sir Lewis Beaumont, an RGS council member who was also a long-standing naval colleague and friend of Scott. Pennell, as a member of Teddy Evans’ hastily constituted Terra Nova committee, was happy to hand over his responsibilities, but Teddy Evans still seemed to regard himself as being in command of the expedition.

  Atkinson, one of the few expedition members involved in the new structure, would be representing the scientists on a ‘publications’ sub-committee, which was run by Colonel Henry Lyons of the Royal Engineers, a widely travelled geologist and meteorologist.19 Pennell joined Atkinson on a visit to Cambridge to meet the Master of Christ’s College, Dr Arthur Shipley, an eminent parasitologist, who helped with arrangements for Lillie to complete his experiments in university laboratories.

  At the end of June it was announced that Pennell, Campbell and Bruce were now promoted to the rank of commander (in the navy’s main fleet, emergency list and Royal Naval Reserve respectively), Francis Davies was promoted to acting carpenter, and Rennick, Atkinson, Levick and Williams were noted for future accelerated advancement.20

  Admiral Sir Lewis Beaumont invited Pennell to pay him a visit at his home near Brighton. Scott’s old friend was ‘very keen on the expedition & that things should run smoothly. Unfortunately he & Teddy do not see eye to eye; but the old gentleman is out for peace if possible. His position is not an easy one.’

  Pennell soon fell in to a rhythm of working on his charts and records during the week and catching up with family and friends (usually outside London) at weekends.21 In late July a state ball provided a change from his usual routine:22

  Buckingham Palace … is a very pretty sight but one wants a companion to appreciate it. Fortunately John Hughes came over. Also met … Admiral Beaumont & saw a few other familiar faces but not many. At suppertime there was a good view of the King & Queen as they walked in – she was looking very nice.

  A few days later Pennell and his sister Dorothy joined Atkinson on a visit to Scott’s mother. Atkinson, whose only previous meeting with Mrs Scott had been when he had told her about her son’s death, had been rather dreading the visit. Pennell and his sister enjoyed meeting the resilient old lady (who had now lost both her sons) and was glad that Atkinson had ‘taken away a more cheerful memory’ than he had from his earlier encounter.

  In early August Pennell took his sisters Winifred and Dorothy on an evening out in London. After dinner they went to see Arnold Bennett’s new play, The Great Adventure, which contained, Pennell thought, ‘quite the best pieces of acting I have seen probably in my life’; in addition, ‘Atkinson honoured us with his company & so made it a most successful evening.’23

  Pennell spent the following weekend in the Cotswold village of Oddington, where the family of his HMS Britannia friend Gerry Hodson lived and where Gerry’s father was vicar. Gerry was away on naval duties but his brothers Cyril, Reginald and Charlie were there, as was Katie, Gerry’s younger and only sister. Pennell had first met Katie as a 16-year-old when Gerry and his family had been living in Charlton King’s, near Cheltenham; Gerry and his brothers had all at one time attended Cheltenham College, Edward Wilson’s old school. Over the years Pennell had gradually watched Katie become ‘much older in manner’ and less shy and self-conscious than she had been as a young girl. Of Gerry and Katie’s other siblings, Tom was already married, Hubert was working in Canada and Harold was due to leave, with his twin brother Reginald, to spend time in the Antipodes.24

  In London, Pennell and Atkinson became regular theatre-goers. Pennell found Bunty Pulls the Strings, General John Regan and The Milestones all ‘entirely first class’ but felt that, for acting, The Great Adventure could not be surpassed.

  On 26 July Pennell and Atkinson donned dress uniform and went to join their Terra Nova companions at the expedition’s office in Victoria Street. Rennick marched the seamen along the road to Buckingham Palace, where everyone was due to be presented with polar medals, or clasps in the case of those who had already had one from a previous expedition.25 King George first presented insignia to Kathleen Scott, Oriana Wilson, Emily Bowers, Lois Evans and Rosa Brissenden, and to Evans on behalf of Mrs Oates.26 Pennell and the officers and men were then introduced by First Sea Lord Admiral Prince Louis of Battenberg to the king, who presented them all with medals or clasps. The king also presented Lashly and Crean with Albert Medals for their roles in saving Teddy Evans’ life. Pennell was glad to hear the king also make ‘a kindly and well deserved acknowledgement’ of Atkinson’s work following Scott’s death. The king was clearly genuinely interested in the expedition and had, Pennell knew, already broken with royal precedent by attending the memorial service for Scott and other members of the South Pole party which had taken place in St Paul’s Cathedral in February.27

  Following the ceremony, everyone went along to Caxton Hall, where they drank toasts to the expedition, to each other and to absent friends. Francis Drake would be sending medals or clasps to Jim Dennistoun, Demitri Gerof and seven seamen who were all in New Zealand, to Bernard Day in Australia, George Simpson in India and An
ton Omelchenko in Russia. He also had medals for Clissold, who was in England but apparently indisposed, and for Abbott, who was still under doctors’ supervision.28

  Pennell was glad to hear that a concluding meeting between Evans and the advisory committee had resulted in expedition matters being ‘peaceful in every direction’. Atkinson would be taking a break from his report-writing and committee work to take a holiday with his sisters in the West Indies, where he had been born. While he was away Pennell would stay on in the house near Harley Street, where they both now had rooms:

  It is very comfortable here at Queen Anne Street and being in the same house as Atkinson makes it most enjoyable. James Wyatt F.R.C.S. owns it & Miss Wyatt, lives here too, Atkinson, Treves, Senior & myself complete the household, while numerous [Wyatt] brothers drop in from time to time.29 Wyatt & Miss Wyatt are exceedingly nice & considerably above the average.

  Before Atkinson left Frankie Davies joined him, Pennell, Lillie and James Wyatt for an evening at the Trocadero grill and a variety show at the Tivoli theatre.30 On 13 August Pennell went to see Atkinson and his three sisters, who were all ‘in the highest spirits’, off to the West Indies. Two days later Pennell’s old friend Gerry Hodson passed through London on his way to Oddington for an extended home leave: ‘It was our 1st meeting since the T.N. returned. He is looking well but is worried over his chances in the navy. At present he is in the Blake which is I am afraid a backwater, but he is trying hard for an independent command.’

  Pennell spent the following two weekends with Gerry and his family in Oddington:31

  It is lovely in the English country now. Mr Hodson is coming into his own now after a heart-breaking fight & the parish appreciate him at last. The old church has been done up and is now used again … The wall opposite the door had a larger painting but this has been mainly obliterated; it must have been a startling picture when new as Hell obviously figures largely with devils & flames.

  In a return visit, Gerry and Katie came to London to join Pennell for dinner and a performance of The Great Adventure, which, Pennell noted, Katie appeared to have enjoyed very much.

  In early September Pennell visited a very different country residence, the Lamer Park estate which Cherry-Garrard had inherited whilst still a student:32

  It is only 25 miles from town and yet in perfect country. The house is a large Georgian structure, ugly from the front but very comfortable inside. The front door opens straight onto the park … [which] gives a curious sense of space & freedom. C.G. is the only son, but he has several sisters … Mrs Cherry-Garrard (the mother) is most charming and delightful.

  Cherry drove Pennell back to London on Monday, following a pleasant weekend of country pursuits. Cherry, Pennell and Atkinson would all be meeting up again in Scotland in a few days’ time at an estate which Atkinson’s aunt had recently inherited from her late husband, the eminent lawyer Sir Richard Nicholson. Pennell had agreed to wait and travel up to Scotland with James Wyatt and Atkinson, who was due back from the West Indies. On his return Atkinson, who appeared to have enjoyed his holiday, immediately ‘fled off to Essex, where his lady love lives’, but he was back in time to catch the following evening’s night sleeper to Aberdeen. They arrived ‘very hale and hearty & ready for great deeds’ at Eden House, near Banff – on an estate which Pennell felt lived up to its name and where he thoroughly enjoyed himself:33

  No salmon have been caught but there are always high hopes … Fresh air, delightful company & most lovely country – well may this be called Eden … The house is beautifully situated amongst the trees on the hillside near the river Deveron, a prettier spot could hardly have been chosen … The land seems to be very good and the farmers are good at their work too.

  Pennell was pleased that Oriana Wilson, whom he had seen recently when she had visited his mother in Awliscombe, was able to join them all for a few days.34

  Pennell spent the following weekend in Colchester with his HMS Britannia friend, Edward Digby, whose father, Sir Kenelm Digby, was an eminent lawyer and civil servant who shared Pennell’s liberal leanings. Sir Kenelm had recently been appointed to a Royal Commission on venereal disease and, as ever, Pennell found it ‘a great treat to hear Sir Kenelm discuss matters of the day’.35

  In October Pennell paid another visit to Oddington. He knew that Katie and her parents were due to leave for six months in Lausanne, Switzerland, and that, by the time they returned, he would probably be at sea. There was therefore something he felt he must say:36

  I proposed to Katie & dropped a bombshell in the vicarage. I know the poor girl had no idea either way but saw no other way to make her think of me. Mr & Mrs Hodson & all the family are delighted, the dear old Mum is delighted, all except poor Katie who is having rather a bad time.

  Katie had clearly been taken aback at Pennell’s proposal, but Pennell felt his cause was not lost. He certainly did not want Katie to ‘jump at [him] without thorough thought’, particularly as he would not be well off and knew that his long absences would mean she would ‘have a hard life in some ways’.37 But he was glad to have spoken out – and to be invited to join Katie and her parents in Lausanne for a week in January.

  When Pennell returned to London, Atkinson took him to see The Great Adventure and for post-theatre dinner and a tête-à-tête about Pennell’s news. Atkinson was wondering whether he might return to Antarctica in about four years’ time ‘to find out what is East of the Barrier’ – the area which Campbell had left unexplored following the encounter with the Fram. Campbell was now back in London, ready to complete his charts, but Teddy Evans, with whom Pennell wanted to check some charts he had drafted based on Evans’ notes, was ‘still running about lecturing’.

  Evans’ lecturing career had begun at the Royal Albert Hall on 21 May 1913 when, shortly after returning to England, he had delivered only the sixth Royal Geographical Society lecture to be given by an explorer. The audience of 9,000 had included Lord Curzon, Prince Louis of Battenberg, General Sir Douglas Haig and Sir Robert Baden-Powell. Evans had been joined on the platform by Atkinson, Cherry-Garrard, Bruce, Drake, Meares, Taylor, Priestley, Gran and John Mather.38 When Evans had spoken at the Queen’s Hall the following month, Shackleton had been in the chair and Prime Minister Asquith and First Lord of the Admiralty Churchill had been in the audience.39

  In September Evans was invited to speak in Scotland, where he and John Mather (by now working as Evans’ assistant) stayed with Emily Bowers on Bute.40 Evans began receiving invitations to give lectures on the Continent. He travelled to Antwerp, Belgium, where the British community was commissioning a memorial window to the South Pole party in St Boniface’s Anglican church; he agreed to return the following year to inaugurate the window. When Evans lectured in Christiania, the Norwegian capital, he was presented to King Haakon and (courtesy of Gran) to Elsa Andvord, the strikingly attractive English-educated ‘belle of Christiania’. Following a few more European lectures Evans embarked on a well-publicised sixty-lecture tour of Britain which would last from October almost to Christmas 1913.41

  While Evans lectured, Pennell awaited Katie Hodson’s response. His expedition work was tapering off, but he still had no news of a new naval posting. In the meantime, he contemplated national concerns, including the thorny ‘Irish Question’ which, he felt, hung ‘like a cloud over the country’.

  On 6 November, the charts on which Pennell had worked so hard and a report on the voyages of the Terra Nova which he had co-authored with Teddy Evans were finally published in Scott’s Last Expedition. This two-volume publication, produced by Reginald Smith’s publishing company, included Scott’s edited journals, scientific reports and narratives about the Northern Party and other sub-expeditions. It was lavishly illustrated by watercolours and drawings by Edward Wilson and photographs by Ponting and others, including Scott, Bowers, Levick and Debenham, with whom ‘Ponko’ had shared his expertise.

  A few days later Pennell, Atkinson, Evans, Meares, Levick and Lillie travelled to Oates’ fam
ily home at Gestingthorpe, Essex, where a bronze memorial plaque in memory of their late friend, commissioned by his fellow-officers of the 6th Inniskilling Dragoons, was unveiled.42

  On 10 November Lord Curzon presented Pennell, Atkinson and other officers and scientists with the Royal Geographical Society’s Antarctic medal.43 Evans was unable to attend due to a lecturing engagement in Cambridge; Victor Campbell had also given his apologies. Raymond Priestley, who had been invited to give a talk on the Northern Party’s scientific work following the ceremony, took advantage of the opportunity to praise the ‘unfailing cheerfulness and fertility of resource’ of the notoriously shy and modest Campbell.

  During the proceedings Lord Curzon read out a telegram of good wishes from Australia. It had been sent by Edgeworth David and Captain John Davis (of Mawson’s Aurora) but also, thanks to the wireless link at Mawson’s Cape Denison headquarters, included a message from the explorer himself. He was still on the ice: two members of his party had died earlier in the year and he and his companions would only be relieved when the Aurora returned in early 1914.44

  Shackleton had recently let it be known that he was now contemplating another Antarctic expedition. This was not unexpected, but it was more of a surprise when J. Foster Stackhouse, a railways advertising agent from Kendal, announced that he was planning an expedition to King Edward VII Land, based on plans he had discussed with Scott. Stackhouse, who had part-sponsored a Terra Nova expedition pony, also claimed that he had raised further funds for Scott and only declined to join the expedition due to prior commitments.45 Stackhouse’s only previous experience of polar exploration had been a short expedition to Jan Mayen Island, off Greenland, but he persuaded Sir Clements Markham to write to The Times describing his plans as being ‘in the best traditions of British discovery’. When one of Stackhouse’s associates claimed (again through The Times) that Teddy Evans had also endorsed the expedition, Harry Pennell wrote his own letter to the editor:46