William Lashly
Encyclopedia
William Lashly was a Royal Navy
seaman who was a member of both of Robert Falcon Scott
's Antarctic
expeditions.
, a village near Portsmouth
, England
. At the time he joined Scott's Discovery
expedition in 1901, he was a 33-year-old leading stoker in the Royal Navy
, serving on HMS Duke of Wellington
. On this expedition, Lashly proved a success and was a member of Scott's "Farthest West" party exploring Victoria Land
in 1903. A teetotaller and non-smoker, he was quiet and strong, good-natured, dependable and acknowledged by Chief Engineer Reginald Skelton
as 'the best man far and away in the ship'. Before joining the Terra Nova expedition
in 1910, he served as an instructor at the Royal Naval College, Osborne on the Isle of Wight
.
in 1911–1913, Lashly was initially in charge of one of the expedition's two motor sledges which were to haul supplies southward in support of the polar party. However, the sledges quickly broke down, and the motor party had to switch to man-hauling the supplies.
On 4 January 1912, along with Lieutenant E.R.G.R. "Teddy" Evans and Tom Crean, he was a member of the last support party to be sent back by Scott on his way to the pole. During the 730 mile return journey, Evans became seriously ill with scurvy
and on 11 February collapsed, unable to walk any further. Still 100 miles from Hut Point camp and safety, he tried to persuade Lashly and Crean to leave him to save themselves, but they refused. Strapping him onto the sledge, they pulled him for days until with only one to two days food rations left but still four or five days sledge pulling to do, they had to stop. Lashly then stayed with Evans in the tent to nurse him while Crean walked the remaining 35 miles alone in 18 hours to reach Hut Point camp where he was able to fetch help. Extracts from Lashly's polar journals, chronicling his tribulations with the motor sledges and the return journey with Evans, were included in Apsley Cherry-Garrard
's book The Worst Journey in the World. Both Lashly and Crean received the Albert Medal
for saving Evans' life.
in HMS Irresistible
and HMS Amethyst
. Later he served as a customs officer in Cardiff
. Upon his retirement in 1932, he returned to Hambledon where he lived in a house he called "Minna Bluff", after one of the landmarks on the road to the South Pole
. Lashly died on 12 June 1940.
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
seaman who was a member of both of Robert Falcon Scott
Robert Falcon Scott
Captain Robert Falcon Scott, CVO was a Royal Navy officer and explorer who led two expeditions to the Antarctic regions: the Discovery Expedition, 1901–04, and the ill-fated Terra Nova Expedition, 1910–13...
's Antarctic
Antarctic
The Antarctic is the region around the Earth's South Pole, opposite the Arctic region around the North Pole. The Antarctic comprises the continent of Antarctica and the ice shelves, waters and island territories in the Southern Ocean situated south of the Antarctic Convergence...
expeditions.
Early life
The son of a farm worker, Lashly was born in Hambledon, HampshireHambledon, Hampshire
Hambledon is a small village and civil parish in the county of Hampshire in England, situated about north of Portsmouth.Hambledon is best known as the 'Cradle of Cricket'. It is thought that Hambledon Club, one of the oldest cricket clubs known, was formed about 1750...
, a village near Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. At the time he joined Scott's Discovery
RRS Discovery
The RRS Discovery was the last traditional wooden three-masted ship to be built in Britain. Designed for Antarctic research, she was launched in 1901. Her first mission was the British National Antarctic Expedition, carrying Robert Falcon Scott and Ernest Shackleton on their first, successful...
expedition in 1901, he was a 33-year-old leading stoker in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, serving on HMS Duke of Wellington
HMS Duke of Wellington
HMS Duke of Wellington was a 131-gun first-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy. Launched in 1852, she was symptomatic of an era of rapid technological change in the navy, being powered both by sail and steam...
. On this expedition, Lashly proved a success and was a member of Scott's "Farthest West" party exploring Victoria Land
Victoria Land
Victoria Land is a region of Antarctica bounded on the east by the Ross Ice Shelf and the Ross Sea and on the west by Oates Land and Wilkes Land. It was discovered by Captain James Clark Ross in January 1841 and named after the UK's Queen Victoria...
in 1903. A teetotaller and non-smoker, he was quiet and strong, good-natured, dependable and acknowledged by Chief Engineer Reginald Skelton
Reginald William Skelton
Reginald William Skelton was the Chief Engineer and Official Photographer of the 1901-1904 Discovery Expedition to Antarctica.-Early life:...
as 'the best man far and away in the ship'. Before joining the Terra Nova expedition
Terra Nova Expedition
The Terra Nova Expedition , officially the British Antarctic Expedition 1910, was led by Robert Falcon Scott with the objective of being the first to reach the geographical South Pole. Scott and four companions attained the pole on 17 January 1912, to find that a Norwegian team led by Roald...
in 1910, he served as an instructor at the Royal Naval College, Osborne on the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
.
Scott's second Antarctic expedition (1910–13)
On Scott's second expedition in Terra NovaTerra Nova (ship)
The Terra Nova was built in 1884 for the Dundee whaling and sealing fleet. She worked for 10 years in the annual seal fishery in the Labrador Sea, proving her worth for many years before she was called upon for expedition work.Terra Nova was ideally suited to the polar regions...
in 1911–1913, Lashly was initially in charge of one of the expedition's two motor sledges which were to haul supplies southward in support of the polar party. However, the sledges quickly broke down, and the motor party had to switch to man-hauling the supplies.
On 4 January 1912, along with Lieutenant E.R.G.R. "Teddy" Evans and Tom Crean, he was a member of the last support party to be sent back by Scott on his way to the pole. During the 730 mile return journey, Evans became seriously ill with scurvy
Scurvy
Scurvy is a disease resulting from a deficiency of vitamin C, which is required for the synthesis of collagen in humans. The chemical name for vitamin C, ascorbic acid, is derived from the Latin name of scurvy, scorbutus, which also provides the adjective scorbutic...
and on 11 February collapsed, unable to walk any further. Still 100 miles from Hut Point camp and safety, he tried to persuade Lashly and Crean to leave him to save themselves, but they refused. Strapping him onto the sledge, they pulled him for days until with only one to two days food rations left but still four or five days sledge pulling to do, they had to stop. Lashly then stayed with Evans in the tent to nurse him while Crean walked the remaining 35 miles alone in 18 hours to reach Hut Point camp where he was able to fetch help. Extracts from Lashly's polar journals, chronicling his tribulations with the motor sledges and the return journey with Evans, were included in Apsley Cherry-Garrard
Apsley Cherry-Garrard
Apsley George Benet Cherry-Garrard was an English explorer of Antarctica. He was a survivor of the Terra Nova Expedition and is acclaimed for his historical account of this expedition, The Worst Journey in the World....
's book The Worst Journey in the World. Both Lashly and Crean received the Albert Medal
Albert Medal (lifesaving)
The Albert Medal for Lifesaving was a British medal awarded to recognise the saving of life. It has since been replaced by the George Cross.The Albert Medal was first instituted by a Royal Warrant on 7 March 1866 and discontinued in 1971 with the last two awards promulgated in the London Gazette of...
for saving Evans' life.
Post-Antarctic
After returning from the Antarctic, Lashly retired from the Royal Navy with a pension, but promptly joined the reserves and served in World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
in HMS Irresistible
HMS Irresistible (1898)
HMS Irresistible—the fourth British Royal Navy ship of the name—was a pre-dreadnought battleship.-Technical characteristics:HMS Irresistible was laid down at Chatham Dockyard on 11 April 1898 and launched on 15 December 1898 in a very incomplete state to clear the building ways for the...
and HMS Amethyst
HMS Amethyst (1903)
HMS Amethyst was a third-class protected cruiser of the Topaze class of the Royal Navy. She was launched in 1904, served during World War I at the Dardanelles and Gallipoli, in the Mediterranean and the South Atlantic...
. Later he served as a customs officer in Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
. Upon his retirement in 1932, he returned to Hambledon where he lived in a house he called "Minna Bluff", after one of the landmarks on the road to the South Pole
South Pole
The South Pole, also known as the Geographic South Pole or Terrestrial South Pole, is one of the two points where the Earth's axis of rotation intersects its surface. It is the southernmost point on the surface of the Earth and lies on the opposite side of the Earth from the North Pole...
. Lashly died on 12 June 1940.