EPIC OF ANTARCTIC

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21520, 17 June 1933, Page 9 (Supplement)

EPIC OF ANTARCTIC

"A VERY GALLANT GENTLEMAN' Much has already been written of Captain Scott's last expedition to the Antarctic Continent in 1912, and of the heroic manner in which he and his four companions met their deaths on the return trip from the Pole. By their dogged courage in face of overwhelming odds and by deeds of heroic self-sacrifice, these five men, even in death, won for themselves everlastiug glory. And tho name of Captain L. E. li. Uates, of the inniskilling Dragoons, is now included among those of Britain's most honoured soldiers. His supreme example of heroism, when, ill and dying, ho walked deliberately to his death, in order to give iiis comrades a chance of life, will never be forgotten. Although full justice to this deed of heroism has been given in ' other. records of the expedition, no book nas, up til] the present, been devoted entirely to a biography of Lawrence Uates. His life story, so well worth telling, has been made the subject of a book, entitlod " A Very Gallant Gentleman," written by Commander L. C. Jiernacchi, who accompanied Scott's first Antarctio expedition in 1901—>1904, and Borchgrevinck's earlier Southern Cross expedition in 1899-1900. He has gathered his information from many sources and relates in sequence the outstanding events of an outstanding career. "Titus" Uates is revealed as a. kind, patient, 6trong-willed man, liked by all his comrades. It is shown how he conquered the delicate health of boyhood to become a keen athlete, a. daring yachtsman, a splendid polo player, huntsman and point-to-point rider. As a soldier in Africa and India one finds him acquitting himself in a manner well worthy of one, who, in a later field of activity, was destined to become one of Britain's national heroes. In .fiction or £act it would be difficult to imagine a more inspiring figure to fill the role of hero. A Very Gallant Gentleman," by Commander li. C. Bernacclii. (Thornton Butterworlh.J