George Percy Abbott was a petty officer in the Royal Navy and served on the British Antarctic Expedition, 1910-1913 (leader Robert Falcon Scott) as petty officer on board the expedition ship Terra Nova .
On arrival in Antarctica Abbott was transferred to the shore party and was chosen as a member of the Northern Party led by Victor Campbell, this group spent the first year at Cape Adare and the second year exploring and sledging along the Victoria Land coast. When Terra Nova was unable to relieve the party they wintered for seven months in a snow cave on Inexpressible Island without adequate supplies before returning safely to the base at Cape Evans. Abbott was awarded the polar medal for his part in the expedition.
After the expedition, Abbott served in the navy throughout the First World War. He died in 1923.
From the guide to the George Abbott collection, 1911-1916, (Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge)
