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User:Flyingkiwi/George Percy Abbott

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For other people with similar names, see George Abbott (disambiguation).

George Percy Abbott

RVM
George Percy Abbott sitting on his bunk
George Percy Abbott sitting on his bunk
Born(1880-03-10)10 March 1880
Islington, London, England
Died22 November 1923(1923-11-22) (aged 43)
Henlow Aerodrome, England
Allegiance United Kingdom
Branch
Years of service1895–1923
Rank
Expeditions
Awards
[1]
Spouse(s)
Emily Soutar
​
(m. 1916)​

George Percy Abbott RVM (10 March 1880 – 22 November 1923) was a Royal Navy petty officer, Royal Naval Air Service pilot officer, and Antarctic explorer.[2][3]

Abbott was a survivor of Robert Falcon Scott's Antarctic Terra Nova expedition, and was one of six arctic explorers that were part of its Northern Party.

Biography[edit]

Abbott was born in London in 1880[2] and joined the Navy three days after this 15th birthday[4][5]. At the age of 18 he was one of the young naval ratings to be selected to pull the gun-carriage bearing Queen Victoria's coffin during her funeral procession[4][5]. The original intention had been to have the coffin pulled by horses but the sailors where selected after the horses broke their tracers[6]. George was awarded the Royal Victorian Medal for his gallantry during the procession where he had recaptured and calmed a house carrying a senior army office that got excited and broke away from the parade.

In 1910 he was recruited to join Captain Robert Scott's Terra Nova Expedition to Antarctica, at the time he was Petty Officer but he signed on as a Able Seamen at 6 pound per month.[7] Called 'Tiny' by his friends he was one of the tallest men on the ship. He was a well-built man, champion wrestler and a qualified physical instructor 1st class.[7].

As part of the Terra Nova Expedition Abbot was one of six arctic explorers that were included in the Northern Expedition. This expedition ended up standed for nine extra months and survived the winter in an ice cave before compelting a very difficult treck across Antarctica to rejoin the rest of the Terra Nova Expedition[8]. On the return to England Abbot had a breakdown and was invalided out of the service for a time.[2]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "No. 28740". The London Gazette. 25 July 1913. pp. 5322–5323.
  2. ^ a b c "National Archives Record". Retrieved 15 November 2019.
  3. ^ "RAF Museum". Retrieved 23 November 2019.
  4. ^ a b "The local hero who was one of Scott's party". Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  5. ^ a b "Abbott, George". Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  6. ^ "History on film: Queen Victoria's funeral". Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  7. ^ a b Hooper, Meredith (1 October 2011). The Longest Winter: Scott's Other Heroes. Chapter 2: Catapult. ISBN 1582438382.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  8. ^ Huxley 1913b, p. 126-135.


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