Deaths in Antarctica
Deaths of FIDS and BAS Staff in Antarctica
Source: BAS Archives Service
1948
Oliver Burd and Michael C Green, 9 Nov 1948, Hope Bay
Killed in hut fire.
Graves in the vicinity of the original hut.
Commemorative place names: Cape Burd & Cape Green, Trinity Peninsula
Eric Platt, 10 Nov 1948, Admiralty Bay
Heart attack.
Grave marked by cross in vicinity of base.
Commemorative place name: Platt Cliffs, King George Island
1953
Arthur H Farrant, 17 Nov 1953, Deception Island
Suicide.
Grave in whalers cemetery. Cross was probably washed away or buried by the mud slide caused by the 1969 volcanic eruption.
1956
Ronald G Napier, 24 Mar 1956, Admiralty Bay
Drowned when dinghy overturned.
Memorial (cross in vicinity of base) (body not recovered).
Commemorative place name: Napier Rock, King George Island
1958
Stanley E Black, David Statham and Geoffrey Stride, 27 May 1958, Horseshoe Island
Lost when sea ice broke up during depot laying trip to Dion Islands.
Memorials - single cross on Beacon Hill, Horseshoe Island and plaque at Rothera Point (bodies not recovered).
Commemorative place names: Black Pass, Statham Peak & Stride Peak, Pourquoi Pas? Island.
1959
Alan Sharman, 23 Apr 1959, Admiralty Bay
Fractured skull following a fall on rocks when out walking.
Grave, marked by cross in vicinity of base.
[Commemorative place name: Sharman Rock, King George Island - but feature later found to be non-existent.]
Dennis R Bell, 26 Jul 1959, Admiralty Bay
Crevasse fall.
Memorial - cross in vicinity of base (body not recovered).
Commemorative place name: Bell Point, King George Island.
1961
Roger Filer, 13 Feb 1961, Signy
Fell from cliff while doing ornithology work.
Grave on Pantomime Point.
Commemorative place name: Filer Haven, Signy Island.
1963
Neville S Mann, 15 Aug 1963, Halley
Lost on sea ice (part of a 2 sledge party which became separated in bad weather).
Memorial - plaque at Halley Station (body not recovered).
1965
Jeremy T Bailey, David P Wild and John K Wilson, 12 Oct 1965, Halley
Occupants of Muskeg tractor lost in crevasse fall en route to Vestfjella.
Memorials - plaques on Survey Point, Vardeklettane, Heimfrontfjella and at Halley Station. (bodies not recovered).
Commemorative place names: Bailey Ice Stream, Baileyranten, Wildskorvene & Wilsonberga, Dronning Maud Land.
1966
John F Noel and Thomas J Allan, Jun 1966, Stonington Island
Died of exposure whilst sitting out a storm in a snow hole during field trip, Butson Ridge area.
Graves on Flagstaff Hill.
Commemorative place names: Mount Noel & Mount Allan, Traverse Mountains (Rymill Coast).
1976
Geoffrey H Hargreaves, Michael A Walker and Graham J Whitfield, Sep 1976, Argentine Islands
Lost during return from ascent of Mount Peary.
Memorial - single cross on Rasmussen Island (bodies not recovered).
1980
Miles V Mosley, 2 Feb 1980, Halley
Hit by low flying aircraft.
Memorial - plaque at Halley Station (buried at sea).
1981
John H M Anderson and Robert Atkinson, 16 May 1981, Rothera
Crevasse accident on Shambles Glacier.
Memorial - single cross on Rothera Point (bodies not recovered).
1982
Ambrose C Morgan, Kevin P Ockleton and John Coll, 14 Aug 1982, Argentine Islands
Lost when sea ice broke up during field trip, Petermann Island area.
Memorial - single cross on Petermann Island (bodies not recovered).
2003
Kirsty M Brown, 22 July 2003, Rothera
Drowned when attacked by Leopard seal while snorkelling.
Memorial at Rothera Point. Body returned to UK for burial.
Commemorative place name: Kirsty Island, Ryder Bay (Adelaide Island).