Scott's death in 1912 made him an even greater hero than if he had got to the South Pole; the memorial service held for him in St Paul's Cathedral early in 1913 was attended by King George, while the streets around were blocked by crowds. As it happened, Roald Amundsen had beaten him to it and got safely to the Pole and back, though Scott and his three companions did not know that at the time. It is sometimes said that he was rather a poor organiser and amateur explorer, but this biography does not give such an impression, though food and diet for the expedition were probably inadequate. What beat Scott chiefly was sheer bad luck and the weather - a blinding, prolonged snowstorm pinned them down only eleven miles from a food and fuel depot which might have saved their lives. The bodies were not found until eight months later, lying in a snow-covered tent. Scott's widow, Dorothy, went on to become a successful sculptor, married a politician, and lived to see her son Peter become a successful artist.
Brian Fallon