The awesome Mission Spiritus Antarctica team – former Royal Marines Alan Chambers MBE and Dave Thomas – have been making excellent progress over Christmas and New Year as they head ever closer to the geographic South Pole. They have been keeping in close touch with those back home, and the Royal Marines Family has also been sending support and encouragement through personal calls and messages that have included those from the Commandant General Royal Marines General Gwyn Jenkins, Charity Ambassador Aldo Kane, and Honorary Colonel to the RM, Bear Grylls. The British Forces Broadcasting Service has also been keeping close tabs on them – and you can listen to their Christmas morning interview with the lads via the button below.

Despite some challenging milder conditions that resulted in deep, softening snow – when travel was reportedly ‘like dragging a carthorse through soft sand’ – Alan and Dave have now completed 800km of their gruelling scientific expedition.
With morale remaining high, they are now approaching the final 330km of their journey with 33m of ascent, snow conditions have improved and temperatures are now dropping to below -20 degrees where it should be for this part of the journey, with much colder weather expected nearer to the Pole


When they reach their final destination, Dave – who is 68 years’ of age having celebrated his birthday only a couple of weeks’ ago – will set a new Guinness World Record, becoming the oldest person to ski unsupported to the geographic South Pole.
To date, they have raised over £6,000 for RMA – The Royal Marines Charity via the Mission Spiritus Antarctica JustGiving page.
