1909
Terra Nova Expedition
After Shackleton's Nimrod Expedition fails to reach the South Pole despite setting a furthest-south record, Scott tells Crean that they should attempt the Pole themselves.
Antarctic exploration · permanent subject timeline
Scott's South Pole Journey
The southern journey, the polar party and the loss of Scott's five-man team. This page combines historical context with 10 matching records drawn directly from the World History Database Terra Nova archive.
Historical context
Scott's South Pole Journey: overview and significance
What happened?
Scott's expedition set out from Cape Evans in stages for the southern journey. Robert Falcon Scott, Edward Wilson, Henry Bowers, Lawrence Oates and Edgar Evans became the final polar party and reached the South Pole in January 1912 after Amundsen.
Why was it important?
All five members of the polar party died on the return journey. Their diaries, photographs and recovered records made the episode one of the defining narratives of the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration.
World History Database records
Scott's South Pole Journey timeline
The records below are selected from the 89-record Terra Nova archive and rendered as static HTML in chronological order.
1909
1910
1910
Terra Nova Expedition Appointment
Accompanies Captain Scott on the "Terra Nova" expedition to the South Pole, 1910-12.
1910
Terra Nova Expedition Appointment
Alfred Cheetham joins Scott's Terra Nova expedition as an experienced Antarctic seaman.
1910
Terra Nova Expedition Appointment
Accompanies Scott on the ill fated "Terra Nova" expedition to the South Pole, 1910-12.
1910
Terra Nova Expedition Appointment
Lawrence Oates accompanies Scott's Terra Nova expedition and takes responsibility for the ponies used during the planned southern journey.
1910
Terra Nova Expedition Participation
Tom Crean accompanies Scott on the Terra Nova expedition, bringing experience gained during the earlier Discovery Expedition.
1911
1911 25th May
Terra Nova Pony Management
Oates oversees the ponies at Cape Evans, monitoring their condition and exercising animals intended for the southern journey.
1911 22nd June
Terra Nova Winter Celebration
Maintains morale during the Antarctic winter before the southern journey.
1911
Motor Sledge Responsibility
On Scott's second expedition in Terra Nova 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.
1913
1913 10th February
News of Polar Party Losses
The world was informed of the tragedy when Terra Nova reached Oamaru, New Zealand.
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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