Antarctic Medals To Be Awarded

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28539, 19 March 1958, Page 10

Antarctic Medals To Be Awarded

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

LONDON, March 17. The 20 members of the British Commonwealth expedition which crossed Antarctica will be received by the Queen at Buckingham Palace on May 15, it was announced today. The Queen will then confer the knighthood on Dr. Vivian Fuchs, the leader.

The Royal Geographical Society announced today that the Queen had approved the award of the society’s Patron Medal to Dr. Paul A. Siple, of the United States expedition, for contributions to Antarctic exploration and research.

Dr. Siple was scientific leader at the International Geophysical Year South Pole base (the Amundsen-Scott Base). He was the youngest member of Admiral Byrd’s first Antarctic expedition in 1928-30 and served with Byrd on many pre-war expeditions. As scientific leader at the South Pole base from January last year up to two months ago, he was in charge of the first party to spend the winter at the South Pole. He is now Chief of tlje United States Army Arctic Research Station.

The society also announced today that Sir Edmund Hillary had been awarded its Founder’s

Medal for Antarctic and Himalayan exploration.

Sir Vivian Fuchs will receive a special gold medal, which was last awarded to Robert E. Peary, of the United States Navy, the first man to reach the North Pole.

The society has also awarded its back grant to the leader of the French Antarctic expedition, Mr Bertrand Imbert.