Percy Correll (1892–1974) was a mechanic and an assistant physicist on Sir Douglas Mawson's scientific expedition to Antarctica from 1911–1914, the

Australasian Antarctic Expedition The Australasian Antarctic Expedition was a 1911–1914 expedition headed by Douglas Mawson that explored the largely uncharted Antarctic coast due south of Australia. Mawson had been inspired to lead his own venture by his experiences on Ernes ...

Biography

Percy Edward Correll (also known as Percival) was born in 1892 in

Adelaide Adelaide ( ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater A ...

, and died on 11 June 1974. He was cremated at

Centennial Park Cemetery Centennial Park Cemetery is a large, 40.5 hectare (or 100 acre) cemetery in the southern Adelaide suburb of Pasadena, located on Goodwood Road. It is the largest cemetery in the southern suburbs and one of the largest in the Adelaide metropolit ...

, Adelaide.

Australasian Antarctic Expedition

Group photograph Sir Douglas Mawson and AAE members B-4866

Correll was 19 years old and a science student at the

University of Adelaide The University of Adelaide (informally Adelaide University) is a public research university located in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third-oldest university in Australia. The university's main campus is located on ...

when he was selected to join Mawson's expedition. He was selected as a mechanic and as assistant to wireless operator Walter Hannam. He took part in the Eastern Sledging journey with

Cecil Madigan Cecil Thomas Madigan (15 October 1889 – 14 January 1947) was an Australian explorer and geologist, academic, aerial surveyor, meteorologist, author and officer of the British army. He was born in Renmark, South Australia. His family had associ ...

and Archibald McLean, exploring the coast near the

Mertz Glacier Mertz Glacier () is a heavily crevassed glacier in George V Coast of East Antarctica. It is the source of a glacial prominence that historically has extended northward into the Southern Ocean, the ''Mertz Glacial Tongue''. It is named in honor ...

. They were instructed to explore this area taking detailed records of magnetic, biological, topographical, meteorological and geological observations, as well as details of the surfaces including

sastrugi Sastrugi, or zastrugi, are features formed by erosion of snow by wind. They are found in polar regions, and in snowy, wind-swept areas of temperate regions, such as frozen lakes or mountain ridges. Sastrugi are distinguished by upwind-facing poi ...

and record distances and heights. The group left Cape Denison on 8 November 1912, reached their farthest point on 18 December 1912, and returned to base camp on 16 January 1913. Their return was delayed one day past their deadline due to blizzard conditions on their return which slowed their progress. During their trek the group explored the Mertz and Ninnis glaciers, travelled over dangerous stretches of coastal ice and glaciers, climbed

Aurora Peak Aurora Peak () is an Antarctic peak high along the west side of the Mertz Glacier, south of Mount Murchison. It was discovered by the Australasian Antarctic Expedition (1911–14) under Douglas Mawson. The members of the eastern coastal part ...

and reached

Horn Bluff Horn Bluff () is a prominent rocky headland on the northern side of the coastal island at the western side of Deakin Bay, Antarctica. The feature rises to and is marked by the columnar structure of the dolerite forming the upper part of it. It was ...

. They kept detailed records of geological features and mapped the environment as they travelled. Correll left the main base on SY ''Aurora'' in February 1913 along with most of the expedition, while a smaller group stayed behind awaiting the return of the

Far Eastern Party The Far Eastern Party was a sledging component of the 1911–1914 Australasian Antarctic expedition, which investigated the previously unexplored coastal regions of Antarctica west of Cape Adare. Led by Douglas Mawson, the party aimed to explo ...

(comprising Mawson,

Xavier Mertz Xavier Guillaume Mertz (6 October 1882 – 8 January 1913) was a Swiss polar explorer, mountaineer, and skier who took part in the Far Eastern Party, a 1912–1913 component of the Australasian Antarctic Expedition, which claimed his lif ...

and

Belgrave Edward Sutton Ninnis Belgrave Edward Sutton Ninnis (22 June 1887 – 14 December 1912) was an English officer in the Royal Fusiliers and an Antarctic explorer who was a member of Douglas Mawson's 1911 Australasian Antarctic expedition. Antarctica, 1911–1912 ...

). During the return trip, he acted as colour photographer. He returned to Adelaide in March 1913.

Correll Nunatak Correll Nunatak () is a nunatak lying within the western part of Mertz Glacier, about south of Aurora Peak Aurora Peak () is an Antarctic peak high along the west side of the Mertz Glacier, south of Mount Murchison. It was discovered by the ...

is named after him.

Patents

Correll applied for a number of

patent A patent is a type of intellectual property that gives its owner the legal right to exclude others from making, using, or selling an invention for a limited period of time in exchange for publishing an sufficiency of disclosure, enabling disclo ...

s including: *Process for embellishing glass *Improvements in light projectors including head lamps for vehicles and the like *Improvements in the Construction of Tent *Improvements in the Construction of Headlamps for Vehicles *Improvements in and relating to "screens" and "sheets" and the like for the reception of optically-projected pictures, images and the likeGB166133 (A) – Improvements in and relating to "screens" and "sheets" and the like for the reception of optically-projected pictures, images and the like
European Patent Office
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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Correll, Percy 1892 births 1974 deaths Australasian Antarctic Expedition Explorers of Antarctica