# Edward Atkinson — The Worst Journey in the World character guide

> Edward Atkinson in The Worst Journey in the World by Apsley Cherry-Garrard.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Atkinson, Atkinson and Oates

**First appearance:** 0003-the-worst-journey-in-the-world

## Snapshot

The expedition's surgeon and second-in-command, who survives a blizzard on foot and later leads the search for the missing.

## Who they are

Atkinson is the steady naval doctor who becomes Scott's second-in-command and, in the book's later stretches, the man responsible for the living while others search for the dead. His ordeal in a Cape Evans blizzard — hours of crawling through pressure ridges, frostbitten and disoriented, until a paraffin flare saves him — is one of the narrative's great set-pieces of survival. He matters because he represents the expedition's unglamorous backbone: the men who kept the hut running and the dogs fed while the polar party was away.

## In the story

### [I: From England to South Africa](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_worst_journey_in_the_world_se/chapters/i-from-england-to-south-africa)

Atkinson is a specialist in parasites (helminthology) and a surgeon. He landed with a small rifle and examined specimens.

### [Land](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_worst_journey_in_the_world_se/chapters/iv-land)

Wakes the narrator to show the first sight of Antarctic land.

### [The Depot Journey](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_worst_journey_in_the_world_se/chapters/v-the-depot-journey)

Brings the ship's mail to Scott, including Campbell's letter about Amundsen.

### [The Barrier Stage](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_worst_journey_in_the_world_se/chapters/i-the-barrier-stage)

Atkinson is part of the man-hauling party with Wright after losing their ponies, underscoring the transition to manual labor.

### [The Polar Journey (Continued)](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_worst_journey_in_the_world_se/chapters/xii-the-polar-journey-continued)

Commander of the First Supporting Party; suffered a severe crevasse fall head-first but was saved by his harness straps.

### [Returning Parties](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_worst_journey_in_the_world_se/chapters/iv-returning-parties)

Atkinson is mentioned as the doctor whose party is expected to be nearing home; he later receives Crean at Hut Point.

### [XIII: Suspense](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_worst_journey_in_the_world_se/chapters/xiii-suspense)

Senior officer after Scott's departure; leads rescue and search parties, cares for the sick.

### [XIV: The Last Winter](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_worst_journey_in_the_world_se/chapters/xiv-the-last-winter)

Takes command of the winter party and leads the decision to search south for the Polar Party.

### [XVI: The Search Journey](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_worst_journey_in_the_world_se/chapters/xvi-the-search-journey)

Leads the search party, reads Scott's diary and the Message to the Public, and directs the building of the cairn.

### [Endnotes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_worst_journey_in_the_world_se/chapters/endnotes)

Mentioned in endnotes regarding scurvy symptoms and the search journey.

### [List of Illustrations](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_worst_journey_in_the_world_se/chapters/list-of-illustrations)

A photograph of Atkinson, commanding the Main Landing Party, is listed.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_worst_journey_in_the_world_se/characters/atkinson
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_worst_journey_in_the_world_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_worst_journey_in_the_world_se/characters