1910 15th June
Terra Nova Departure
Serves as navigator on Terra Nova.
Antarctic exploration · permanent subject timeline
Harry Pennell
Navigator and Terra Nova commander during major ship operations. This page combines historical context with 12 matching records drawn directly from the World History Database Terra Nova archive.
Historical context
Harry Pennell: overview and significance
What happened?
Harry Lewin Lee Pennell served as navigator and later commanded Terra Nova during Antarctic coastal, survey and relief operations while Scott and other members were ashore.
Why was it important?
Pennell's responsibilities made him central to the shipboard side of the expedition, including navigation through pack ice, the Bay of Whales encounter and later relief voyages.
World History Database records
Harry Pennell timeline
The records below are selected from the 89-record Terra Nova archive and rendered as static HTML in chronological order.
1910
1910 26th November
Lyttelton Harbour Departure
Pennell handles Terra Nova during the ship's departure from Lyttelton for Port Chalmers.
1910 December
Pack Ice Navigation
Pennell helps navigate Terra Nova through the difficult Antarctic pack during the three-week delay.
1911
1911 21st January
Terra Nova Grounding
Terra Nova briefly grounds near Cape Evans while manoeuvring around the ice edge.
1911 25th January
Terra Nova Leaves Winter Quarters
Pennell takes Terra Nova away from Cape Evans to continue ship operations and return toward New Zealand.
1911 3rd February
Amundsen Base Reconnaissance
Pennell's shipboard party gathers direct information about the Norwegian expedition at the Bay of Whales.
1911 3rd February
Amundsen Expedition Encounter
Pennell's shipboard party meets members of the Norwegian expedition.
1911 3rd February
Fram Found at Bay of Whales
Terra Nova reaches the Bay of Whales and finds Amundsen's Fram.
1911
Antarctic Coastal Survey
Commands Terra Nova during coastal survey and resupply operations.
1911
Terra Nova Scientific Cruise
Supports charting and scientific observations around the Ross Sea.
1912
1912 22nd February
Second Relief Voyage Arrives
The ship brings supplies and additional transport animals.
1912 22nd February
Terra Nova Returns to Cape Evans
Terra Nova returns to Cape Evans during the expedition's second season.
Editorial provenance
Sources and editorial review
Compiled and edited by World History Database.
Historical context is editorial material; the chronology is generated from World History Database Terra Nova records.
Last reviewed: September 2026.
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