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The objectives for the second suumer of the expedition had been agreed between the Governor of the Falkland Islands and Marr over over the Antarctic winter and early spring.[1] These were to relieve the main party at Base A and replace them with a new team of four; to relieve Base B and again leave a small team of new men; to build a hut on Coronation Island ready for occupation the following year; establish a new base at Hope Bay, manned by most of those who had wintered at Bases A and B, along with some new men, with a focus on mapping the coast of Graham Land.[2]

Journey South

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On 12 November 1943 Bransfield sailed from Tilbury, joining a small coastal convoy to Falmouth. Problems arose almost immediately and she had to put in to Portsmouth for repairs. She continued on 25 November but proved unseaworthy during a gale on the voyage to Falmouth. Meanwhile, the Marquesa, on leaving Liverpool wharf, had grounded on a submerged wreck and the Tabarin contingent were ordered to re-join the rest of the expedition.[3] Forced to abandon the Bransfield, the expedition was trans-shipped to the troop ship SS Highland Monarch at Avonmouth on 8 December. She was taking a relief garrison to the Falkland Islands and sailed via Barry and the Clyde, finally departing the UK on 16 December.[4]Highland Monarch made stops at Gibraltar and Montevideo before reaching Port Stanley on 26 January.[5] There, the expedition's members re-embarked into Fitzroy and William Scoresby.[6]

Planning and Preparation

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Following a number of interdepartmental meetings, planning for an expedition to occupy sites in the Falkland Islands Dependencies started in May 1943.[7][8] An Expedition Committee was established in June, chaired by A.B. Acheson, Colonial Office Under-Secretary, with members from the Colonial Office, Foreign Office, Admiralty, Treasury, Crown Agents, Ministry of War Transport and Discovery Investigations.[9] It was agreed that scientific research and mapping should be undertaken by the expedition and three scientists with significant Antarctic experience were involved. Two joined the committee from the outset: geologist and polar explorer James Wordie, a member of Shackleton's Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition and one of the founders of the Scott Polar Research Institute and Neil Mackintosh, a zoologist and Director of the Discovery Investigations. The third, Brian Roberts, was an ornithologist on the British Graham Land Expedition, who was working with Wordie in the Admiralty Intelligence Department on cold-climate clothing and equipment. He was formally involved after Feb 1944, when he took up a post at the Foreign Office Research Department.[7][10][11] Mackintosh prepared a detailed scientific programme for the shore parties.[10]

The expedition code name 'Tabarin' was acknowledged in October when departments within the Admiralty were informed,[12] though it is likely to have been in use earlier. A hand-written note by Roberts explains that the name, after the Paris night club Bal Tabarin, was chosen because of the amount of night work required and the chaotic organisation.[13] According to some sources the expedition was briefly code named Operation Bransfield, after Royal Navy officer Edward Bransfield.[14]

Marine biologist and polar explorer James Marr was selected as leader of the expedition. His experience included participation in Shackleton's last expedition 1921-22, as an 18-year old; the British, Australian and New Zealand Antarctic Research Expedition (BANZARE) 1929-30; and as a scientist on the Discovery Investigations 1928–1929, 1931–1933, 1935–1937.[10] At the time of his recall, Marr was serving as a lieutenant in the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve in the Far East. He arrived in the UK in July 1943 and joined the expedition committee.[10] He was subsequently promoted to Lieutenant Commander.[15]

 
Norwegian sealing vessel Veslekari

Marr's priorities were to find an expedition vessel and recruit suitably experienced volunteers. In the circumstances of war and time constraints it was difficult to find a ship built to navigate through sea ice and with sufficient cargo capacity. He flew to Iceland to inspect a Norwegian sealer Veslekari, built in 1918, that had been used on Arctic expeditions in the past. After further inspection by a surveyor, she was considered suitable,[16] brought to London for a refit and requisitioned by the Admiralty under the name HMS Bransfield.[17][9] Lieutenant Victor Marchesi, Royal Navy, was appointed as her captain and second-in-command of the expedition.[18] Marchesi had served on the Discovery Investigations with Marr.[19]

Potential recruits were identified by Marr, assisted by Wordie and Mackenzie, and interviewed by him at the Colonial Office in September and October.[20] Most were serving in the armed forces or the merchant navy, but some were still in civilian roles. Several were well known to them through the Discovery Investigations, including the chief steward Thomas Berry, ship's carpenter Lewis Ashton, senior wireless operator James Farrington, handymen John Matheson and Gwion Davies. Other specialists recruited were surveyor Andrew Taylor, a Canadian with cold-weather experience; medical officer Eric Back; meteorologist Gordon Howkins; botanist Ivan Mackenzie Lamb, then working at the British Museum of Natural History; and two geologists, William Flett, from Glasgow University and Buck, who withdrew from the expedition before it left the UK; wireless operator Norman Layther.[21][22]

  1. ^ Taylor 2017, p. 103.
  2. ^ Wordie 1946, p. 377.
  3. ^ Taylor 2017, p. 22.
  4. ^ Pearce 2018, p. 55.
  5. ^ Taylor 2017, pp. 27–31.
  6. ^ Haddelsey 2014, pp. 38–43.
  7. ^ a b Haddelsey 2014, p. 29.
  8. ^ Pearce 2018, p. 22.
  9. ^ a b "Minutes of Expedition Committee" (1943) [Textual record]. British Antarctic Survey, Fonds: Records of The British Antarctic Survey, Series: Records of Operation Tabarin, File: Expedition Committee Minutes, ID: AD6/1/ADM1. British Antarctic Survey Archives, British Antarctic Survey.
  10. ^ a b c d Dudeney & Walton 2012, p. 11.
  11. ^ Pearce 2018, p. 23.
  12. ^ "Secret Branch acquaint from Head of Military Branch" (23 Oct 1943) [Textual record]. The National Archives, Series: Admiralty and Ministry of Defence, Navy Dept.: Correspondence and Papers, File: Admiralty, Commonwealth of Nations, Foreign Countries: Falkland Islands, ID: ADM1/16175. The National Archives, The National Archives Kew.
  13. ^ Pearce 2018, p. 32-33.
  14. ^ Haddelsey 2014, p. 30.
  15. ^ Pearce 2018, p. 256.
  16. ^ Pearce, 2018 & p24.
  17. ^ Taylor 2017, pp. 18–19.
  18. ^ Taylor 2017, p. 19.
  19. ^ Pearce 2018, p. 27.
  20. ^ Haddelsey 2014, p. 35.
  21. ^ Haddelsey 2014, pp. 35–36.
  22. ^ Taylor 2017, pp. 20–25.
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