Part I: Seals teeth and whales ears - Scott Polar Research Institute ...

service was deferred for students until they had taken degrees. In the event my
views changed soon after entering Cambridge, and my period of National Service
was deferred on graduation in l947 after the War had ended, so that I could
undertake Antarctic work with the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey. I was
never called for National Service, although other contemporaries including Arthur
Mansfield, and my younger brother Michael were. This was because the relevant
authorities decided that my Antarctic service was judged to have replaced it!)
I kept on trying to resolve the clash of wills, and went home again in September,
but returned to Windermere for a few days at the beginning of October. Soon
afterwards I phoned Peter to tell him that I had decided to remain at Green Gables.
He came over and put pressure on me but without success. Mr Wilson, the
Headmaster also had a go at me. Later I decided to return home and after further
words and long conferences with the family (parents and Peter), when I was put
under more pressure, a compromise was reached. So, a little late for the start of term,
I travelled down by train on 12 October to Cambridge to become a member of St
Catharine's College, bruised by recent events. I did keep in touch with the Woods
though. Later, they packed up my books, my only remaining possessions at Green
Gables, and sent one big trunk and five large boxes to Cambridge. A new phase of
my life was just beginning.
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