Memorial plea for Scott’s mate

There is a piece in ‘This is South Wales’ published yesterday:

http://www.thisissouthwales.co.uk/Memorial-plea-Scott-s-mate/story-15761797-detail/story.httm

It draws attention to the increasing interest in a memorial for Edgar in South Wales.  None was erected after his death, both for financial  reasons and the insidious implications in some national newspapers, that Edgar was somehow responsible for the deaths of the whole party.

I hope that this interest will be maintained. Edgar’s grandson, John Evans,  is a keen instigator.

A  ‘comment ‘ by Dai_Chotomy who writes under the heading of ‘please explain mate’  says that ‘an egotistical snob (like Scott), would not have befriended a low born Welsh Man. Also that Edgar was not a Mate in the Naval meaning (he was, in fact a Chief Petty Officer).  Although  it is probably true that Scott would not have counted Edgar as his personal friend, he certainly admired Edgar and looked on him with affection — he had after all, spent 62 days with Edgar and Lashley when on the ‘Discovery Expedition’ they travelled far onto the Plateau. Scott regularly said how much he owed to Edgar, — the sledges, the ski shoes, the sledge fittings, Edgar’s good humour and fund of jokes.  Scott truly appreciated Edgar and with  very good reason.

Tags: John Evans, Memorial for Edgar Evans in South Wales