The Man on the Ice Cap

In fact August was to survive for five months (December - May), completely alone and cut off from all communication. The small (11 ft) tent was gradually buried by drifting snow (in the end leaving only the tip of the ventilator pipe above the surface) and for the last six weeks he was completely snowed in.

The Camp as Found

Almost all his supplies of food and fuel were exhausted, but nevertheless he had faith in his ultimate rescue. He wrote afterwards:

"But as each month passed without relief, I felt more and more certain of its arrival. By the time I was snowed in I had no doubts on the matter, which was a great comfort to my mind. I will not attempt any explanation of this, but leave it as a fact, which was very clear to me during that time, that while powerless to help myself, some outer force was in action on my side and I wasn't fated to leave my bones on the Greenland ice cap."

Gino Watkins digging August out!

After his eventual rescue - to everyone's immense relief and rejoicing - he undertook something just as hazardous, if not more so: he was asked by Gino Watkins to go with him and one other companion on a prodigious open boat journey in two 18 ft whaleboats (eventually just one) with outboard motors (of only 3 horse-power) 600 miles down an unmapped, almost uninhabited coast, round the southern tip of Greenland to the west coast.
Many difficulties, privations and disasters on the way were overcome and August's seamanship saw them through.

His rescue from the tent buried beneath the snow was seized on by the press and August was appalled to discover that he had become famous.
Coming from a Huguenot family whose puritan blood ran in his veins he scorned all frivolity and fuss and detested any form of publicity.

However on returning home he was proud to receive the Polar Medal from King George V.