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The Guardian
11-08-2025
- Science
- The Guardian
Melting Antarctic glacier reveals remains of Briton who died in 1959 accident
The remains of a British man who died in an accident in Antarctica 66 years ago have been discovered in a melting glacier alongside ski poles, a pipe and a watch. Dennis 'Tink' Bell fell into a crevasse in 1959 while working for the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey (Fids), now the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), a few weeks after his 25th birthday. His body was not found until January, when a Polish expedition encountered bones near their base. More than 200 personal effects were also found nearby, including radio equipment, a torch, ski poles, an inscribed Erguel wristwatch, a Swedish Mora knife, ski poles and an ebonite pipe stem. The human remains were shipped to the Falkland Islands before being brought to London by the Royal Air Force. DNA testing at King's College London identified a match with samples from Bell's brother and sister. His brother David, who lives in Australia, said: 'When my sister Valerie and I were notified that our brother Dennis had been found after 66 years we were shocked and amazed. 'The British Antarctic Survey and British Antarctic Monument Trust have been a tremendous support and together with the sensitivity of the Polish team in bringing him home have helped us come to terms with the tragic loss of our brilliant brother.' The family are still to decide how to mark their brother's memory. Bell was conducting a survey and geological work in 1959 as part of a two-year assignment, alongside three other researchers who were stationed at Admiralty Bay, a small UK base on King George island. He went ahead of his colleagues without his skis on an excursion to Ecology glacier before falling almost100 feet through a crevasse bridge. Vivian Fuchs, a previous director of the BAS, tried to rescue him by lowering a rope, which Bell attached to his belt. But as the stranded man reached the top, his belt broke and he fell again and stopped replying. His companions later tried to return to the crevasse, but the weather began to deteriorate rapidly before they could reach the scene of Bell's fall. Ken Gibson, who was half an hour behind Bell, remembers: 'It was probably 12 hours before we found the site and there was no way he could have survived.' Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion Bell had joined Fids as a meteorologist in 1958 after working as a radio operator for the Royal Air Force as part of national service. He was brought up in Harrow, north-west London. His brother said 'Dennis was the oldest of three siblings and was my hero' because of his ability to 'turn his hand to anything'. 'He built a radio from scratch, spending hours taking down morse code,' he said. 'Other interests included scouting, theatre and eating. Dennis loathed organised sport, he just could not see the point. He would rather have a social drink with his family and friends with plenty of laughter.' The director of the BAS, Prof Jane Francis, said: 'The confirmation of the remains found on Ecology glacier as those of Dennis 'Tink' Bell is both a poignant and profound moment. Dennis was one of the many brave Fids personnel who contributed to the early science and exploration of Antarctica under extraordinarily harsh conditions.' ' The chair of the British Antarctic Monument Trust, Rod Rhys Jones, said: 'The discovery of Dennis Bell brings sharply into focus the cost of scientific endeavour in Antarctica in the years before the benefits of improved transportation and communication. Many of those lost were never found which makes this discovery the more remarkable.'
Telegraph
11-08-2025
- Science
- Telegraph
British man's bones found in glacier 65 years after Antarctica fall
A British man's bones have been found in an Antarctic glacier 65 years after he died. Dennis Bell was 25 years old when he fell through a crevice while working for what became the British Antarctic Survey in 1959. His remains were never recovered and his mother 'never got over it', according to his brother David Bell. He told the BBC: 'She couldn't handle photographs of him and couldn't talk about him.' Dennis's bones were found by a Polish Antarctic expedition in January, along with a wristwatch, radio and pipe. Mr Bell, who now lives in Australia, said: 'I had long given up on finding my brother. It is just remarkable, astonishing. I can't get over it.' The family lived in Harrow, London, when they received a Telegram informing them Dennis had died. 'The telegram boy said, 'I'm sorry to tell you, but this is bad news,'' he added. 'Dennis was fantastic company. He was very amusing. The life and soul of wherever he happened to be.' Dennis, known as 'Tink', worked in the RAF and trained as a meteorologist before joining the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey to work in Antarctica. He went to Antarctica in 1958, where he was known for his 'mischievous sense of humour'. Records described him as the best cook in the hut, where he was in charge of sending up meteorological weather balloons and radioing the reports to the UK every three hours. Professor Dame Jane Francis, director of the British Antarctic Survey, said: 'Dennis was one of the many brave personnel who contributed to the early science and exploration of Antarctica under extraordinarily harsh conditions. 'Even though he was lost in 1959, his memory lived on among colleagues and in the legacy of polar research.' Mr Bell thought he had got as close to his brother as he could, after going on an expedition organised by the British Antarctic Monument Trust in 2015. 'It was very, very moving,' he said, 'it lifted the pressure, a weight off my head, as it I thought that would be it.' He was told earlier this year his brother's remains had been found. 'I'm just sad my parents never got to see this day,' he said. 'It's wonderful; I'm going to meet my brother. You might say we shouldn't be thrilled, but we are. He's been found – he's come home now.'
