Person

Bage, Edward Frederick Robert (1888 - 1915)

Born
17 April 1888
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Died
7 May 1915
Dardanelles, Gallipoli Peninsula, Turkey
Occupation
Antarctic explorer, Antarctic researcher, Civil engineer and Military engineer
Alternative Names
  • Bage, Robert

Summary

Lieutenant Robert Bage was a member of Sir Douglas Mawson's Australasian Antarctic Expedition 1911-1913, as astronomer, assistant magnetician, and recorder of tides. At Cape Denison he assisted in the construction of what are now known as Mawson's Huts as well as other buildings, and constructed the Aurora Observatory which he used for his astronomy work. Bage was the leader of the hazardous southern sledging party, which included Frank Hurley and Eric Webb, through Adelie Land towards the South Magnetic Pole. Dwindling supples, and the need to be back at base when Aurora arrived to take them home, caused the party to turn back before reaching the pole. After Mawson's expedition failed to return by the appointed time, Bage volunteered to stay a second winter. On return to Australia, Bage rejoined the Royal Australian Engineers, and on the outbreak of the First World War, volunteered for active service. Promoted to Captain, he was second-in-charge, 3rd Field Company, Australian Infantry Forces at Gallipoli, when he was killed in action. He is memorialised by the Robert Bage Memorial Scholarship for higher degree engineering students, awarded by the School of Engineering, University of Melbourne. Cape Bage, George V Land, Antarctica, was named in his honour.

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Details

In 1911, on leave of absence without pay from the Royal Australian Engineers, Lieutenant Bage joined the Australian Antarctic Expedition under Douglas Mawson, as astronomer, assistant magnetician, and recorder of tides. Bage was leader of the southern sledging party, which accomplished a perilous journey of 600 miles, man-hauling their sledge over the rough blizzard-swept ice surfaces.His absence with the expedition extended over a period of two years and three months, as he was one of the six volunteers forming the relief party that was left in the Antarctic for a second winter, when Mawson and his ill-fated companions failed to return to winter quarters at the appointed time.

On his return from the Antarctic Bage was attached to the Engineers' Staff Office, Melbourne, and when mobilisation was ordered in August 1914, he took up duty at Port Phillip Heads. When the first Australian Division for service abroad was formed, he volunteered for active service, and was appointed second in command of the 3rd Field Company (Engineers), with the rank of Captain. He was killed at Gallipoli on May 7th, 1915.

Chronology

1909
Career event - Second Lieutenant, Corp of Australian Engineers, Queensland
1910
Education - Bachelor of Civil Engineering (BCE), University of Melbourne
1911
Career position - Submarine Mining Station, Chowdar Bay, Sydney
1911
Career position - Officer-in-charge, Submarine Mining Station, RAE, Swan Island, Victoria
1 February 1911
Career event - Lieutenant, Royal Australian Engineers
December 1911 - February 1914
Career position - Astronomer, Assistant Magnetician and Recorder of Tides, Cape Denison, Australasian Antarctic Expedition
25 August 1914
Career event - Lieutenant, 3rd Field Company Engineers, First Division, Australian Imperial Force
18 October 1914
Career event - Captain, Second-in-charge, 3rd Field Company Engineers, First Division, Australian Imperial Force
February 1915
Award - Polar Medal (Silver)
6 May 1915
Award - Special Mention for acts of conspicuous Gallantry or valuable service

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Related Events

Related People

Published resources

Books

  • Mawson, Douglas, The Home of the Blizzard: the Story of the Australasian Antarctic Expedition, 1911-1914 (Kent Town, SA: Wakefield Press, 1996), 534 pp. Contributed the Book Chapter "The Quest for the Southern Magnetic Pole". Details

Resources

See also

  • Chester, Jonathan, Going to extremes: Project Blizzard and Australia's Antarctic heritage (Sydney: Auckland: Doubleday Australia, 1986), 308 pp. Details
  • Jensen, David, Mawson's remarkable men: the personal stories of the epic 1911-14 Australasian Antarctic Expediton (Sydeny: Allen and Unwin, 2015), 183 pp. Details
  • Mawer, Granville Allen, South by Northwest: the Magnetic Crusade and the Contest for Antarctica (Kent Town: Wakefield Press, 2006), 319 pp. Details

Ken McInnes

Created: 12 April 2018, Last modified: 13 December 2022

EOAS ID: biogs/P006031b.htm

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