Documentary record of the British Combined Services Expedition to South Georgia, with archive footage of Shackleton's expedition 1914-1917.

Preparation begins; supply dumps are set up. The men eat meal prior to commencing the journey. Aims of the expedition are to map some of the island's uncharted mountains and climb two of its highest peaks (mountaineering sequences and scene of man with theodolite), record wildlife (king penguins, elephant seals, antarctic skuas) but principally to retrace Shackleton's desperate trek across South Georgia in 1916; frequent comparisons between the two journeys are made. (Sequence of monochrome footage by Frank Hurley of Shackleton's ill-fated Antarctic journey of 1914-17: their ship, the Endurance, ice-bound and crushed in the Weddell Sea; the 77 men setting up camp on Elephant Island; voyage by Shackleton and five colleagues in the James Caird, to get help from the whalers in South Georgia; subsequent hazardous trek across ice-covered island.) Back to colour footage as the present expedition prepares to set off from King Haakon Bay, where Shackleton began his perilous journey. Men pack sleds; blizzard; first camp; first obstacle - a mountain ridge; walking between peaks. Leader of expedition falls into crevasse, but is hauled out unharmed. Perilous slope reached; sleds lowered down by rope. Fade to scene of the men crossing snowscape - weather good. Party reaches place where Shackleton made a wrong turning (into Stromness Bay instead of Cumberland Bay), takes correct route. The last lap; another blizzard (film of the men struggling through thick snow). Storm blows itself out. Abseiling down into the steep valley towards whaling station (at Grytviken - now disused) where members of expedition settle down to hot drinks and hospitality inside at the successful conclusion of their mission and before their departure by sea for home.

Notes

Summary: members of the Combined Services Expedition as follows. Lieutenant-Commander M K Burley, Royal Navy; Squadron Leader A H Back, AFC, MA, RAF; Senior Aircraftman J R Chester, RAF Regiment; Lieutenant S H Down, Royal Marines; Captain P F Fagan, Royal Engineers; Sergeant H G Hutt, Royal Air Force; Control Artificer (W) 1st Class P C Langdon; Sergeant T J Lynch, Parachute Regiment; Major J D C Peacock, MA, REME; Sergeant T D Thompson, Royal Marines.

Remarks: film "specially adapted by Hollybush Film Productions".