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Making his mark

In Antarctica, the Saxton Ridge is a mountain ridge just south of Thomson Massif in the Aramis Range, Prince Charles Mountains.

In Antarctica, the Saxton Ridge is a mountain ridge just south of Thomson Massif in the Aramis Range, Prince Charles Mountains.

It was plotted from Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions (ANARE) air photos taken in 1956. The Antarctic Names Committee of Australia (ANCA) named it after Richard (Dick) Saxton (‘40), who was officer in charge at Wilkes Station in 1963.

His wife Joan wrote recently to the Archives recalling how ‘when my husband left us all for 15 months, to lead an expedition to Antarctica – to Wilkes – now Casey Station, in 1963’ she and their two boys Clive (1968) and John (1970) saw them off from North Wharf, Melbourne.

‘He left just before Christmas in 1962. I remember when politician Sir Hubert Opperman farewelled the expedition, he stood near to the little red ship, the Thala Dan, and the men, and said “These men will be away from Australia for two Christmases …” ’ The boys were dismayed. ‘A sad day.’

Having wintered at Wilkes, Saxton then spent three months in the spring of 1963 on a tractor train traverse across the Antarctic plateau, primarily carrying out seismic research studies. He is said to have led Wilkes with professionalism, dignity and understanding, and he earned from his men the nickname ‘Sherriff’. GS

The archives pages are compiled by Dr Jim Mitchell (‘64), Archivist;

Phone: 03 9810 4293; Email: jim.mitchell@scotch.vic.edu.au

Updated: Monday 24 June 2013