Halley Bay - 1962

• New tractor garage/ generator shed built.
• Non-magnetic huts and tunnel built.
• First vehicle route onto the inland ice - the "Bob-Pi" - put up by Jarman and Lee. Bob-Pi hut established. More ...
• Greenhouse built

Pictures

Base photo:

Peter Blakeley - Bob Lee - Charlie Spaans - Mike Jarman - Paul Whiteman - Rod Dean - Edwin Thornton Dave Robinson - Chris Ruffell - Stuart Marsden - George Blundell - Frank Bent - Jack Hill - John Griffiths Barry Peters - Ken Lambert - Doug Finlayson - Martin Winterton - Mike Bethell - Chris Brown - John Holt Picture supplied by Tony Jackson

Doug Finlayson in the Geophysics Den, IGY Hut, 1962. Picture supplied by Doug Finlayson

Picture by Bob Lee Bob Lee says: Mike Jarman and I made that trip across the Dawson Lambton as it was called in those days. Remember, that's what it was called in those days before the hinge nomenclature as I recall. [28 Oct 2006] More ...

Picture by Bob Lee Jack Hill’s greenhouse on the north end of the base hut. Anemometer tower in the background. [12 Dec 2010]

Picture supplied by Bob Lee Map from inside the cover of Halley Comet 1962. [12 Dec 2010]

Oral History Recordings

• Jack Hill
• Barry Peters

Other information, anecdotes etc.

• Dictionary of Antarctic Terminology from the 1962 Halley Comet
  
• The Plug-hole Effect from the 1962 Halley Comet
• Muskeg Sledging Flags by John Griffiths

Edwin Thornton rescued Chris Brown from a crevasse fall whilst sledging. Awarded Albert Medal - for saving life at sea! [NB. Edwin says this is incorrect. In fact it was the Bronze medal of the Royal Humane Society which he was awarded. -- Ed.]

George Blundell, who replaced Stu Marsden at Bob-Pi dump, and I reached the Vestfjella in 1962. Dog team and I covered 1001.7 miles in 9 weeks. Intermediate dump of fuel and food called the Bob-Pi Dump was laid by tractor teams ready for the 1963 Tottan Survey. [27 Jan 2006]

Jack Hill:

In 1962 I was also Head Gardener! We produced a goodly crop of tomatoes and other salad bits using artificial light and hydroponics. Crops grown in black volcanic sand from Deception (where I had wintered as radio op' in 1956). Greenhouse built over hatch in flat roof over Met office. It was a good year! [4 Aug 2006]

Ken Lambert:

I was a Diesel Electrics Mechanic DEM, for my duration at Halley Bay, and I was also at base T Adelaide Island from 1963 to 1964. [2 April 2007]

Bob Lee:

Just a note of the fiftieth anniversary of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Several of us were in the Old Met office in the lower (old) base hut listening to Willis Conover’s Jazz Hour on Voice of America. It was then that we heard President Kennedy announce the blockade of Cuba. If I remember correctly, we all thought this might be WW III and the anxiety that came along with waiting for the Kista Dan to arrive. [20 October 2012]

Chris Ruffell:

Built new generator shed, new buildings and above-ground tunnel for geophysicist .. [22 September 2015]