The Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition 1955-58 - How the crossing of Antarctica moved New Zealand to recognise its Antarctic heritage and take an equal place among Antarctic nations

• Main Author: Hicks, Stephen Walter
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: University of Canterbury. Gateway Antarctica 2015
• Subjects: Antarctica; TAE; expedition; exploration; New Zealand; Fuchs; Hillary; Dufek; Scott Base; IGY; US Navy; Antarctic crossing; Antarctic; Endeavour; Polar Plateau; Antarc*
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.26021/8492; https://ir.canterbury.ac.nz/handle/10092/10485

The thesis analyses the expedition (TAE) led by Dr.Vivian Fuchs and Sir Edmund Hillary from three vantage points: 1)the years from 1948 to 1955 leading up to the expedition 2) the interaction between the IGY and the TAE projects and 3) the role of the US Navy as the expedition unfolded. The thesis also investigates key events including the purchase of the ship Endeavour from Britain, the competition for leadership of the UK and NZ parties, the 'dash to the Pole' by Hillary, and the search for base sites and routes to the Polar Plateau. The thesis contains an overview historical introduction, a comprehensive literature review as well as a broad-based set of conclusions.