Baron Edward Ratcliffe Garth Russell Evans Mountevans

Born in London on 28 October 1881, Edward Ratcliffe Garth Russell Evans entered naval training after an early setback in trying to join the Royal Navy, and soon built a reputation for toughness and determination. He first took part in Antarctic work during the relief voyages for Robert Falcon Scott’s Discovery expedition, where his energy and leadership helped free the ship from the ice.

Evans is most closely linked with Scott’s Terra Nova expedition of 1910–1913, on which he served as second-in-command and captain of the expedition ship. He led an important supporting sledging party toward the South Pole, then survived a severe and nearly fatal return journey marked by scurvy and exhaustion. That experience made him one of the most vivid witnesses to the dangers and ambitions of the age of Antarctic exploration.

After his polar years, he continued a distinguished naval career and rose to high rank, later becoming known as Baron Mountevans. He also wrote about exploration and remained a public figure associated with courage, endurance, and the dramatic story of Britain’s Antarctic ventures.