'With Scott Before the Mast.

If you are interested in Antarctic exploration and character's like Shackleton and Scott, then this book is a fantastic insight into the mindset of the men who followed them.

As a young boy Francis Edward ‘Frank’ Davies (1885-1952) was inspired after reading ‘Farthest North‘ an account of Fridtjof Nansen’s Polar Exploration aboard the ‘Fram’, to one day travel the world on an adventure and explore unknown regions. On the 4th July Francis Davies reported to the Royal Naval barracks Devonport and signed on as a shipwright for twelve years, beginning his own lifetime of adventure and exploration.  In 1910 Francis Davies was selected as the ships carpenter aboard the Terra-Nova for Captain Scott’s British Antarctic Expedition of 1910-1913, where he proved himself invaluable by keeping the aged ship afloat, even spending nights asleep beside the Terra Nova’s ever troublesome main pump. Francis Davies was instrumental in the preparations and construction of the expedition’s winter quarters of ‘Scott’s Hut’ at Cape Evans on Ross Island, Antarctica and after hearing the news of the loss of Scott and his party on the return journey from the South Pole, Francis Davies constructed the Terra Nova memorial cross erected on Observation hill. Both structures still stand today and are designated Antarctic Historic Monuments.

Francis Davies enjoying some skiing during the 'Discovery II' Expedition

The following is a review by; Lieutenant Commander Paul Hart FRGS MPhil (Cantab) Royal Navy. Leader of the first party to make a man-haul crossing of the Antarctic Peninsula to conduct science and exploration, to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of Captain Robert Falcon Scott reaching the South Pole.

As a former Royal Navy Officer, who came from the ranks, I was hugely interested in this book and potential insights that it offered from a very different perspective than other books I have read about Scott. I am delighted to say that I was not disappointed and actually, the writings of Francis Davies offered not only an insight into Scott and the Terra Nova Expedition, but also the norms and the way that both the navy and society operated. In itself, this combination allows for a detailed consideration of the basis by which the expedition was undertaken and Scott’s leadership was executed. As a fellow naval Officer, who has led mixed groups of military and civilians in highly challenging environments and with a background of 30 years of expedition across the globe, I understand the complexities of managing mixed groups where the leadership of the military might necessarily be different to that needed to motivate and manage the civilians. I also understand how the reverse perspective of those being led, can lead to issues when the military contingent expect the civilian contingent to be led according to the same rules of military discipline as they are subject to. In my experience, when these forces combine, discontent and unruliness can commonly be the case unless the leader is able to establish a very high level of trust and respect. In doing so, the leader must walk the narrow margin between enforcing group compliance and being able to engage with every person at an individual level. There are many instances in the book where this is presented as a reality of Scott’s leadership, but the book is also very honest about some of his traits that were less desirable and this is essential to understand the man, as well as the expedition itself. The book is well written, with some quite comical observations on the operation of the Royal Navy and on Societal values at the time. It is also littered with a range of interesting photographs that enhance and support visual understanding of the writer’s words. As an avid reader of all things Antarctic and a practicing Historian who speaks regularly on Scott and Shackleton, I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in such matters.

If you would like to obtain a copy of the book please contact me.