N.Z. PARTY IN ANTARCTIC

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29401, 31 December 1960, Page 14

N.Z. PARTY IN ANTARCTIC

Supplies Taken By Air

(New Zealand Press Association) SCOTT BASE, December 30

A New Zealand field party working in the Antarctic 300 miles from Scott Base, which was left with a short supply of food when an aircraft flying supplies to it on Christmas Eve made a forced landing in a heavily crevassed area on the Ross Ice Shelf, has been successfully resupplied.

The party consisting of Messrs P. Hunt. W Herbert, M. Laird, and N. Cooper was almost out-of food. All its members had was a few meat bars, some malt beverage and cocoa. The men were camped at an altitude of about 3000 ft on a snow nlateau 10 miles west of Mount Christmas and 30 miles north of the Nimrod Glacier.

The original resupply aircraft, a United States Navy Otter made a forced landing after jettisoning most of its 14001 b of stores. Christmas fare, mail and a Greenland huskie which was flown out to replace an injured sledge dog On Thursday a Dakota piloted by Lieutenant D. Angier with th° Scott Base leader (Captain L. D Bridge) and five Navy men carried out the successful resupplv of the party The plane was heavily laden and made a first stop on the shelf ice near the Darwin Glacier to load equinment for use in getting the crashed Otter airborne. A perfect landing was made in the soft snow right alongside *he southern party’s camp. Hungry men quickly unloaded the stores and delicacies sent down from Scott Base. Last minute mail was quickly addressed and the plane' prepared for take-off. After four unsuccessful take-off runs, four JATO bottles were used and the aircraft became airborne.

Forty minutes later, at Cape Parr, a successful airdrop of urgently-needed radio batteries and other essential stores was parachuted to Mr G. Matterson’s northern party. The next resupply is scheduled for the third week of January.