Chill out time for Harry’s heroes
TWO Australian soldiers wounded in Afghanistan have completed the trek to the South Pole as part of an international expedition accompanied by Prince Harry.
Corporal Seamus Donaghue, from Brisbane, and Private Heath Jamieson, from Sydney, completed the twoweek 335km trek, along with wounded soldiers from the UK, US and Canada.
Initially a race to the pole, the competition was abandoned because of concerns for the welfare of participants, who all towed 75kg equipment sledges. They finished as a single group.
The expedition was organised by the British group Walking With the Wounded, with Australian partner charity Soldier On, created to care for wounded soldiers.
‘‘It’s an amazing feeling, it really is,’’ Harry, 29, said in a statement issued by Walking With the Wounded after the group reached the pole.
The fourth-in-line to the throne added: ‘‘ What an amazing journey for every single one of them. I’m so proud, I’m so chuffed and I’m so privileged to be here with all these guys and girls.
‘‘I think we’ll be having a few whiskies tonight and then everyone’s looking forward to getting home.’’
The veterans have endured temperatures as low as -35C and wind speeds of around 80km/ h. Harry joined the charity for part of a trek to the North Pole in 2011, but had to come home early to be best man at his brother Prince William’s wedding.