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

Surgeon Commander E W Bingham, RN, was appointed Field Leader for the
l945/46 season and the William Scoresby and Fitzroy continued to provide logistic
support. In addition MV Trepassey was chartered from the Canadian Government.
Further bases were established at Cape Geddes (C), Laurie Island, South Orkney
Islands and Stonington Island (E), Marguerite Bay, at the base of the Antarctic
Peninsula.
From the l946/47 season FIDS was financed by the Colonial Office and the
logistic support continued as before. An aircraft (Auster “Autocrat”) was acquired
and operated from Stonington until September l947. Bingham was put in overall
charge of FIDS by the Governor, with a deputy (Base Leader) at each base, and
additional bases were established at the Argentine Islands, Antarctic Peninsula (F),
Admiralty Bay, South Shetland Islands (G), and Signy Island South Orkney Islands
(H). Bingham issued Scientific and Survey Instructions and the Falkland Islands
Meteorological Service, administered by the UK Meteorological Office took over
meteorological reporting.
A policy decision was taken by government in September 1947 to continue
FIDS, to reinforce Britain’s territorial claims and explore the economic potential of
the Dependencies. From this followed the purchase of HMS Pretext in l947, which
was renamed MV John Biscoe, after an early British explorer, and used for the relief of
the bases. In April l948 the Governor of the Falkland Islands took over the
administrative and financial responsibility for FIDS. He appointed a Secretary to
head a small FIDS administrative staff in Stanley, Falkland Islands, who became
known as “Secfids” from the telegraphic address. Colonel K S Pierce-Butler (formerly
Base Leader, Stonington) was the first Secfids. A FID Scientific Committee was
formally appointed by the Colonial Secretary in London to replace the earlier
informal committee. Crown Agents became responsible for supplies, equipment and
recruitment and a FIDS London Office was set up where Secfids spent part of each
year.
Preparations for my first research programme
Towards the end of October, l947, I went down to London to prepare for my
Antarctic adventure. Owing to delays in refitting the ship, I was to have six clear
weeks (ie more than expected) to define the research programme I was to undertake,
reading the relevant literature (fortunately not too extensive at that time), and
acquiring equipment and materials for two years' work. I was fortunate in being able
to consult Colin Bertram and Brian Roberts. Colin made available to me, in his
rooms at St John's College in Cambridge his collection of scientific reprints of
scientific papers and books on seal biology. Brian was extremely helpful in advising
me on birds, equipment, paints and dyes (for marking seals), and the procedure for
purchasing formalin and duty-free alcohol (for preserving specimens!). Ted
Bingham gave me introductions to the Naval Dockyard at Chatham, which I visited
and where I had equipment made, including branding irons for permanently
marking the seals and a large tripod for weighing seal pups (which in practice
proved to be much too flimsy!). I had just £100 to spend on all this equipment,
including preservatives, other chemicals for specialist fixation of tissues, brandingirons,
collecting jars, weighing equipment, spring balance, etc. I also visited the ICI
Dyestuffs Division and the Paints Division, to discuss ways of marking seals for
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