WHEN ROBERT FALCON Scott reached the South Pole on 17 January 1912, he immediately knew he had been beaten. The first sign was a black flag whipping in the wind; the second was the green tent of Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen standing dark against the snow. Ducking inside, Scott found it empty aside from two letters: one addressed to the King of Norway, announcing Amundsen’s successful arrival at the pole a full month prior, and one addressed to Scott, asking if he could please post the letter to the king on his way out.

‘A note from Amundsen, which I keep, asks me to forward a letter to King Haakon!’ Scott exclaimed in his journal.