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Edward Leicester Atkinson

(1882-1929), Surgeon; member of British Antarctic Expedition, 1910-1913

Sitter in 2 portraits
The Royal Navy surgeon Atkinson joined Captain Scott 's Terra Nova expedition as medical officer and parasitologist. He travelled to within 293 miles of the Pole as part of the support party for the final push. On his return to the base-camp at Cape Evans leadership fell to him as sole remaining officer. He led the search party that found the bodies of Scott, Wilson and Bowers on 12 November 1912. Scott wrote: 'Atkinson is quietly pursuing the subject of parasites. Already he is in a new world…Constantly he comes to me to ask me if I would like to see some new form, and I am taken to see some protozoon or ascidian isolated on the slide plate of his microscope.'

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Captain Scott's Birthday Dinner, 6 June 1911, by Herbert George Ponting - NPG P1100

Captain Scott's Birthday Dinner, 6 June 1911

by Herbert George Ponting
carbon print, 6 June 1911
NPG P1100

Edward Leicester Atkinson, by Herbert George Ponting - NPG P1364

Edward Leicester Atkinson

by Herbert George Ponting
gelatin silver print, 15 September 1911
NPG P1364

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