Per the Press Association:

The Duke of Cambridge has spoken of his pride after a British Army expedition completed a gruelling recreation of the Scott-Amundsen race to the South Pole on the anniversary of Captain Scott’s arrival there.

The Duke of Cambridge, who is an RAF search and rescue pilot, sent a message of congratulations to the five servicemen working in two teams who retraced the steps of the famous adventurers to help raise money for the work of the Royal British Legion.

The expedition members braved temperatures as low as minus 51C, dragging food and fuel on sledges over ice to cover a combined distance of 1,500 nautical miles reading diary extracts from the original expeditions to give them encouragement.

The Scott team, made up of Warrant Officer Mark Langridge and Staff Sergeants Kev Johnson and Vic Vicary also paid homage to the original expedition by marking the point where each member of Scott’s team had died on their return journey.

The Amundsen team of Lt Col Henry Worsley and Warrant Officer Lou Rudd, retraced the route of the Norwegian adventurer and arrived at the geographical South pole last week. The Scott team arrived on Tuesday.

The Duke of Cambridge, who is patron of the Scott Amundsen centenary race 2011/2012, said in his message: “As a serving officer, it makes me so proud that, with the staunch support of The Royal British Legion, it is British soldiers who have achieved this great feat.

“Four out of the five men who went forward as Scott’s final party were servicemen too.

“How proud they would be too of what you have achieved in their memory.”

The expedition aims to raise £500,000 for The Royal British Legion’s work providing support to serving and ex-service people and their families.

The money raised from the expedition will go towards The Royal British Legion’s £50 million funding commitment supporting the MoD’s program of recovery for wounded, sick and injured Armed Forces personnel.