I think it's uh
welcome to Antarctica today the walking
with the wounded South Pole allied
challenge is a race like no other
led by expedition patrons Prince Harry
discourage opponents for wounded British
soldiers are taking on teams from the
Commonwealth and the USA in a race to
the South Pole
they will face extreme temperatures this
is a savage environment it's hardcore
over 200 kilometers of grueling terrain
in the world's most hostile environment
Antarctica
if we go on like this we are simply not
gonna do it
it's a story of survival and overcoming
the scars of war inside and out the coop
is when so many people comes together
you can see pretty much anything
it's the morning of the race start in
Antarctica
[Music]
Sunday morning the first I think and
we're leaving in 1300 the wind's blowing
I think probably 30 miles now bring it
to my sports pretend I don't know but
it's damn cold three teams of wounded
soldiers brothers-in-arms on the
battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan are
gearing up against the Antarctic cold
and each other are determined to be
first to the pole the British are
missing one arm and four legs between
them this is their greatest challenge
that's being wounded good days it's just
how it goes so you can't be on top of it
every single time guy Disney lost his
right leg in an ambush in Afghanistan
once we get going
we can find our no pun intended but
we'll find our feet along the way
Duncan Slater lost both his legs after
he was blown up by an AED ABI Lee's
right arm was severed by a roadside bomb
in Iraq major Kate Phil lost her left
leg in Afghanistan making her the first
British female combat amputee Duncan guy
EB Kate and Prince Harry will each be
hauling over 80 kilos of food and kit
behind them they'll be racing nine hours
a day in minus 40 degrees and below all
three teams head to the start line time
for final checks ready just donning as
the music shuffle volume paws
ready go
[Music]
they're off the race is on just eight
months earlier Prince Harry
officially launched the South Pole race
throwing down the gauntlet to the other
teams to soldier on telling the soldiers
summits from the US and soldier on
Australia welcome to the party as a
member of the British team I will have a
brew ready for you when you join us it's
a race let's be honest it's a massive
race it's not just about fitness is
about knowing exactly what you can and
can't do
I'm terrified for myself to be honest
hugely daunted so I can't even begin to
imagine what's gonna be like for them
and you need to take a double amputee to
the pole it's gonna be a really quite a
moving moment when we get that for me
it's bigger than just these guys we are
trying to raise money but also raise
awareness for the fact that the injuries
that they've sustained they can carry
this the rest their lives
two months later and Team UK is in
Iceland to train for the race hour upon
hour of skiing pulling heavy loads is
the order of the day
the for our training under the watchful
eye of polar guide conrad dickinson the
afternoon was an awful lot slower
because of the conditions he's
responsible for getting them race ready
people are learning how to cope with
their injuries and the limbs in skiing
capacity the bottom line is they're
going to hurt you cannot get to the
South Pole without suffering quite a
degree of pain he's getting them into
the polo routine two hours skiing
followed by a ten-minute stop to refuel
for 34 year-old mm beauty Duncan Slater
the short breaks are barely enough time
to tend to his stumps he got a lot of
sweat your lighter starts moving about
like a sort of like a wet welly boot
really Duncan joined the RAF regiment as
a teenager in 1998 since then he's done
four tours of Iraq and four of
Afghanistan absolutely loved it
I loved every part of it and I liked the
physical nature the job for me
Gordon operations was definitely the
pinnacle of my career in 2008
Duncan married Kim you can't help but
think like are they gonna come back oh
they're gonna come back whole and it's
like that sounds horrible doesn't it
they're gonna be the same when they come
back yeah you try and think positively
but it is really hard
Kim's fears became all too real when
Duncan's vehicle was blown up in
Afghanistan on the 31st of July 2009
[Music]
I never heard the binding but I guess it
was the biggest bargain that you don't
hear kind of thing and I just remember
being flipped about like a little toy
like a little rag doll I was blown out
of the vehicle about 30 feet into a
compound it was isolated I was on my own
I was struggling to breathe because I'd
broken on my ribs on my left-hand side
you know it sounds dramatic but I
thought it was died I couldn't move my
back was in so much pain I looked down
and my legs are all that right angles or
bent and twisted I'm a left arm can
really sort of move it I thought I'll be
honest I was totally scared I didn't
know what the hell was going on I think
it's just one the worst sort helpless
feelings that I've ever had in my life
Duncan was CAHSEE back back to the UK
when my father he was injured I was at
work actually my family and I picked up
and I just heard this it's me it's
Duncan and my heart just sank and I
thought a bit but Blair really I can't
remember sorry I was placed in intensive
care my wife came up to the hospital and
nothing can ever pay for that because
you don't expect to come to the next
time that you're gonna see your husband
that he's gonna be like that five months
after Duncan was blown up Lilly was born
I don't think she realizes how much she
gave me she was a reason that I want to
get my wheelchair and get walking
[Music]
Duncan's legs were so badly damaged that
12 months after his injury he chose to
have them amputated I remember coming
round once it had them off and one thing
to try and get you to do is like so
syrup and have a loop I remember just
feeling so glad that they were gone I've
grown to hate hate my legs you didn't
even know he didn't have any legs
anymore it just looked like the old dunk
on him he was laughing again and cheery
yes
from then on I just decided not to be
back it just changed me a little bit on
Solan you know I'm you know I've got to
put my legs on in the morning but hey
that's that's fine I'm still here
point of view just proving that someone
can do it on a good pair of prosthetics
is is a big deal you know it all be
great for my family to see my little one
when she grows up to see that started
just about when you got injured you
actually went and did something and it
was an easy thing to do but you did the
team press on even when the Icelandic
weather turns in Antarctica it will be
colder windier and much much harder bed
tonight is under canvas in a snowstorm
later that evening
Prince Harry arrives to join the team
he's missed a vital couple of days and
needs to catch up with training if he's
to make it to the South Pole what do you
think unforeseen buoyancy the
predictions were the weather definitely
wasn't supposed to be this hard fight
easy
horses three years ago
Harris spent three days in the Arctic
this time in Antarctica he'll be four
weeks on the ice as well as jokes Conrad
has a serious agenda a good night's
sleep
has kept spirits high what I suggest you
do you from Yorkshire know so it's
really how he's in a bit of a bit of
trouble yet the a he thinks I come from
the wrong County and become understand
what I say so we're gonna have a serious
falling out I think you did it one extra
translator so they can understand the
weather is closed in and they are tent
bound for the day
I've just picked up a rub over the last
couple of days which looks like nothing
but it's really
they're gonna take you kate Philp stump
is so saw it could bring her Icelandic
training to an early end pretty hard so
you've got that you know digging into
your skin
Kate joined the Army in 2002 and is
still serving with the Royal Artillery
I've always preferred sort of being
outside playing were brothers and making
dens rather than sort of inside with
dolls
Kate was commanding an armored vehicle
in Afghanistan in 2008 when it clipped a
roadside bomb
and I never smoke and the smell of
chemicals coming up from the back the
situation was serious
sadly Nicola sergeant was killed and the
other two Gurkha soldiers were both
badly injured I then realized that
something was wrong with my leg I felt
down the shin and I could feel a broken
bone
I can remember sitting on the top of my
vehicle working out on my head how long
it would take to fix and would I make
out the end of the talk
Kate's left leg was shattered by the
explosion back in the UK the outlook
wasn't good my consultant described my
heel and ankle as a jigsaw of fractures
and said that I might not even walk
properly again and would almost
certainly be in pain on a daily basis
they could try fusing the ankle and that
it's not like a great option I asked
them what the alternative wars and they
explained it would be to have the leg
amputated below the knee I just asked ok
with a prosthetic will I be able to run
play tennis and ski and my consultant
said yes and I said well then that's
fine I absolutely had to have the leg
amputated because otherwise I just
wouldn't have a have a life I think when
you make the decision to have that sort
of enormity of you know to have a
limitation yes it hits home at times
that this is for life
you know because you don't look the same
no we don't feel the same I've been
through some periods of emotion where
it's frustrated me I've got fed up or
you things like putting on weight it
sounds a really vain thing but I
basically lost a little bit of my left
leg as opposed to guys who have lost
both legs
we've lost arms triple amputees people
with brain injuries the fallout from
kata battlefield injury hit her parents
hard I think dad found it more difficult
because I'm his only daughter and I'm
the youngest so here as much as I would
fight against it I'm his little girl in
Iceland as the team prepare for another
day on the ice Kate's not with them I
think you made the right decision
exactly yes I think it's pretty gutting
seeing the team move off without you
Conrad's worried that no one will make
it at all I'd be incredibly lucky to win
this race none of them are fit enough
yet
the UK team are in Iceland training for
the South Pole challenge that lies ahead
in smiled on here like a can't wait to
get good wake up this morning to no wind
and just sunbathing through is beautiful
are we did the cooking by breakfast on
the veranda yeah very nice
today's the dream ticket this is why we
do what we do the team need to speak at
least 30 kilometres today to see if
they're anywhere near race ready but not
all of them are up to it it's a shower
think eight and a half days it's came
today she decided not to because of the
saw on her neck it is a boy of the
competing teams only the British are
missing limbs with just four legs
between them they need to train hard but
Kate stump is too painful for her to ski
today I think you made the right
decision you prefer four guys I think
because it's annoying
but it's better that it heals quickly
and then have you out of the equation
for five weeks and hoping of your
training
hey don't worry right cool guys
as the team set up capes left behind
[Music]
it's pretty gutting seeing the team move
off without you I've got a blister on my
knee which I know from prior experience
can take about three weeks to heal it's
better to have a day off than put myself
out for three four weeks
rubs and blisters are a real concern for
Team UK and could seriously affect their
chances in the race we're fully aware
that pays for pace we're not going to be
able to match the Aussie and Canadian
team guy Disney's the only wounded Brit
with optic experience three years ago he
skied to the North Pole
he knows the South will be just as hard
getting into the psychology knowing this
is gonna hurt sounds pretty pathetic end
of the day if it happens in the actual
challenge them I just grit on and go
through the team fall into the polar
routine two hours on ten minutes off for
nine hours a day
we are very much thinking about the race
stuff about how we can shave off time
with me a lot of discussions about that
because it is very much the forefront of
our minds
captain guy Disney joined the Light
Dragoons in 2008 a year later he was in
Afghanistan at the wrong end of an enemy
attack he felt
Asli Asli immortal until all this you
know sucker punch comes out of nowhere
rocket-propelled grenade got fired at my
vehicle it releases a jet of molten
metal and say that came through the side
of the vehicle straight through my leg
and killed one of my soldiers in the
back of the vehicle
a moment that lives with you to the day
you die
I've deeply swap positions in a
heartbeat if I could you know fire are
that it's me than him definitely
I look down remember just smelling an
incredibly acrid smoke I mean the the
smell of burning flesh is something
we'll never ever leave me it's
effectively a smell of death I remember
when it happening looking down and
seeing what was left of my Legos just
seen you hanging on to us
charred and burnt firt I remember
thinking don't want to die here I want
to live a lie hiss hey flea back in the
green fields of England at Camp Bastion
guys leg was amputated he was airlifted
back to Selly Oak Hospital in the UK you
guys Cecilia can have beds filled with
double amputees trouble amputees news of
lads being killed I think it's pretty
sobering
after three operations and many months
of rehabilitation guy served a second
tour of Afghanistan I don't feel any
different walking down the high street
not overly keen on wearing a pair of
shorts on the beach not because I'm that
fuss about people staring I'd bothers me
a bit but I probably does bother me
actually four denies it out of me
watching so like Duncan speed with no
legs I thought there's no way double
amputee will do this the thing his
attitude and Steve for all the teams
this challenge is about inspiring others
raising awareness and funds to help the
wounded back into work if that
encourages one person to just do
something that they weren't thinking day
that day that they thought was beyond
them then it's brilliant it's mission
achieved
the stop is a chance to rest attend to
walls and refuel just put on extra
merino wool air although it's quite mild
at the moment it can be quite
susceptible to cold captain a bruh he'd
be Halle lost his right arm while
serving with the Yorkshire Regiment on
his first tour of Iraq in 2007 we were
on a vehicle patrol outside Basra when
we were hit by three roadside bombs
there was a huge explosion a huge
fireball actually
and I look down at my hands cuz I
couldn't feel either of them my right
hand was sort of holding on by a gristle
and bone so yeah I think I was
reasonably badly injured one of selves
in the back of my vehicle lost a leg
young driver Herbert and the other
soldier private Davey was quite badly
injured by fragmentation as well in the
back of the vehicle the most haunting
thing is that unfortunate our private
Simpson was killed at the scene despite
the tragic circumstances and his own
serious injuries he remained in command
on that fateful day people say that you
can feel your life force a being away
and slowly I I think I could actually
feel that as a be fought for his life
one of his soldiers spotted someone
filming nearby
[Music]
that's my vehicle than the poor driver
that boys didn't make it private Simpson
[Music]
it's quite difficult to watch actually
it's quite sad when you realize the
circumstances that had taken place
you just think this is this is a local
person that's recording recording death
it took two hours for backup to arrive
it was only then that IB was prepared to
relinquish command and because Eve act
himself that's me being walked to the
helicopter I remember thinking there's
no way I was gonna go on a stretcher and
it's like man I just thought see fingers
to their insurgents had a field hospital
in Basra what remained of his right arm
was amputated I went to scratch my nose
with my right hand and it had my stump
I suddenly realized actually I don't
have a right hand
for his act of exemplary gallantry
despite his own grave injuries he was
awarded the Military Cross for his
conduct that day it's one of Britain's
highest battlefield honors the guys they
were phenomenal I can hand on heart say
that they ensured that I stayed alive
and the two of the guys injured
seriously with me were kept alive by by
the rest of the team and I'll be forever
grateful Gibby and the team ski on down
south when they're racing they'll have
to do this day in day out all the way to
the pole so there's been a tough day
just getting all of us knowing the
mindset but that's the sort of day that
we can expect in the South Pole by late
afternoon they clocked up an impressive
33 kilometers but they're exhausted and
Conrad's worried how they'll cope when
they do it for real the team's been
really good to do but none of them are
fit enough yet to spend 11 12 hours on
the feet it was a bit disappointing with
Kidd this morning I don't want to see
you know cuz of fact early on in the
race really really hot rubbish watching
the guys ski off this morning but I know
that with another sort of four months
training in my belts that I'll be in a
much much better position to take on the
race I think we sure say the feeling
we're a bit franked yeah there's no way
to replicate scheme for hours on end I
think it's good to get a bit sort of
psychological strength oh boy you knock
out 810 hours a day you sort of think
well I can do that now bearing in mind
it's a race and with injuries my more
worries are that we push ourselves as a
group too hard too quickly we'd never
forgive ourselves if someone dropped out
I'd say the big thing so fear of failure
you know if you want everyone to get
there and we genuinely feel that but we
want to be the first ones to get there
Conrad's not so sure we'd be in cor to
be lucky to win this race we're the
underdogs but
I've got the team spirit we have got the
most injuries there's no question about
that we're missing four legs and an arm
and some other bits and pieces Iceland
has been a challenge and now Team UK is
heading for more trouble in a giant deep
freeze and Harry Thais himself in knots
on the tree the walking with the wounded
UK South Pole race team have come to a
giant deep freeze in the East Midlands
normally used to test supercars and
military vehicles the guys are here to
experience firsthand the extremes that
Antarctica can throw at them in the deep
freeze the temperatures been set to
minus 35 more than 30 degrees colder
than Iceland the deep freeze will push
prosthetic limbs polar kit and human
bodies to the limit as in Antarctica
expedition medic dr. Dan Royce - sir is
trying to make sure they're not injured
in the bitter cold this is this is a
very dangerous environment these people
into before they enter the Deep Freeze
Dan issues biometric sensors to monitor
their temperatures for Harry he's
tracking core temperature they do rappel
to check for hypothermia the team are
ready to enter the freezer they're
stepping from a warm summer's day into
minus 35 you're not full starts to
freeze up all the hairs within your nose
breathe together hold this which you
like take a big breath in and you visa
there's nothing to look at it's not
pretty
we're the first people to spend a night
in here
hunger Conrad's leadership hairy guy
Kate Duncan and Abby will spend 16 hours
in here living out an Antarctic day of
racing storms and camping out
that's the drill dry cold by God I'd
rather get you sit now they get down
there into shock so I don't get cold
feet
haven't seen some of the guys faces it
seems that I like to go throws in and I
might just mind half as well
after nearly two hours of exercise guy
is feeling the effects of the deep chill
in Antarctica a storm can hit at any
time in the control-room the wind is
turned up and the temperature down to
minus 45 the only way to keep warm
is to keep moving
but for a bee that's not enough he has
to warm up what's left of his arm very
cold stay here and you warm up before
you give up thinking okay that's all
temperature you can get damaged very
quickly there amputated limbs are much
more prone to cold injury because of
their reduced circulation and muscle
mass losing more of a stump is not an
option we're in a safe place here this
is not Antarctica so we've got safety
tall we can come out from all misty
another it's a great lesson when we hit
the south I was prepped first thing in
the morning using heat pads and the
layering system as IB rejoins the team
it's Duncan's turn to be taken out
it's just is very blue and dusty and
obviously cold they've never been this
called Duncan's metal prosthetic legs
are sucking the warmth out of his stumps
and putting him at risk
we really do to have more layers on this
definitely if it's called like that for
very little amount of time you're gonna
get an injury and very very quickly it's
very tough in the team scenario to emit
a slight fragility it's difficult to
admit isn't it when you know it is
because there's a certain pressure you
don't want to be the first one set to
break and you never want the you know
call it getting on the jackwagon like
you know you're going to be the first
one you get on the vehicle or say I've
had enough you don't want that imagine a
stadium for a number on behalf an hour
get yourself a cold whoever injury and
that's not gonna fix it anytime soon but
before you know it you've got to be
replaced on the expedition it's just
they're not gonna happen
[Music]
with the team warmed up and back in the
chamber an Antarctic storm with blue
there is no respite in the control room
the wind is cranked up to 75 km/h the
temperature lowered to minus 58 they're
very likely to face conditions like this
down south exposed skin freezes in
seconds the risks are all too real
[Music]
in the Antarctic there is no escape in
this giant freezer they can turn it off
if it gets the team settled down for a
long cold night it's minus 35
[Music]
morning hooding
as everyone just got to stages of being
unbelievably cold whether it be your
hand face nose wherever that's good to
be able to feel this temperature
especially for the poor for the guys
with no limbs walk with some limbs it's
it's so much it's it's great for them
because now they know 16 hours in the
deep freeze has been a sobering
experience with only a few weeks left
until departure all three teams have
gathered in an army base in Norfolk for
their final kick back Parra has met the
US team before Ivan Castro was blinded
in a mortar attack in Iraq in 2006
they've been pretty busy since we last
saw each other
really busy and how does it feel it's
Harry's first sight of the Commonwealth
team to Canadians and to Australians at
first glance they seem to have an
advantage it doesn't take long for
friendly rivalries to surface everyone
has to pack all they'll need for 28 days
on the ice with departure looming the
pressure is mounting
anxious nervous all those what about one
well just cuz it's it's a big deal isn't
it
I don't wanna I don't let don't let her
slide down through fitness or injuries
so it's there's a lot of pressure on
everybody involved just going to get it
right each team member will need to take
on six and a half thousand calories a
day to keep them going during the race
it's let the rubbish rub it around no
good becomes how they go around the tree
back in the hole
that's what everyone knows that I know
when he asked this because it's not fair
I'm not good to do around the tree hole
here's how I think it is
that looks good
he's gonna change
the next time they see this kit we'll be
at the race stop line in Antarctica
before they depart there's a royal
appointment at fuse and emotional
goodbyes as they set off for the
Antarctic
[Music]
with just days left until the walking
with the wounded South Pole race team
depart for Antarctica there's a
whirlwind of activity
starting with a press call in Trafalgar
Square
[Music]
former US service members are on a race
to the south pole I'm Alfonso van Marsh
in London I'll tell you more coming up
the next day the team's head off to
Buckingham Palace the US team members
Margo and Therese it's a big deal
I was excited the first time I was able
just see Buckingham Palace now I'm gonna
go inside booking if else I want to be
the queen of England I don't think I
mean her face is on money that's huge
[Music]
Harry's arranged a private visit to meet
his grandparents the Queen and the Duke
of Edinburgh Prince Philip it's a
special honor and a chance to share
their stories with the commander in
chief of the UK's Armed Forces
[Music]
okay everybody and
the South Pole race teams are at
Heathrow Airport about to leave for
Antarctica there's a mix of excitement
and nerves
honestly it's also a moment for goodbyes
it's gonna be horrible mate yet really
horrible I get really lucky since I've
been injured because about so much time
and now unfortunately this the first
time of spend any time apart
it's not a six-month tour in Helmand so
you know Elaine is a war boy Godwin's
about not not a thing
so it's all good
right now take easy
[Music]
enroute to Antarctica there's a stopover
in South Africa for Duncan it's a chance
to reflect on the very personal
challenge that lies ahead I think when
we get down there everyone's gonna have
a very individual experience but an
individual battle as well I know that
I'm gonna have some bad days I know you
and I've kind of left a lot of things
for thinking about then there if that
makes sense I think the hardest thing
that I've thought about is I'll let
people down the day I got blown up or
let me unit down family friends and all
the rest of it I didn't feel like I was
adding value to my wife's life my child
I didn't think I was been a particularly
good dad one night I had a really really
terrible turn and I thought right I
don't like the way I'm anymore
so I took myself away to quite a spot
and I just sat in a field about two
hours and it's not a very nice feeling
to hit rock-bottom say right I'm gonna
finish myself off it's not a nicer thing
to hear but I'm not the only person
that's done that from then on err so I
said enough is enough and I kind of
tried to inch brains dig yourself out
like a get get on with it so when I got
picked for the South Pole in my head I
said you know what this is it this is
the new you start for me this is the the
sort of beginning that I need to to sort
of find out if there's the old me in
there you know I'm me again I can do
something extraordinary
pant Arctica is a six hour flight away
on a Russian cargo plane across the
southern ocean
[Music]
the team's arrived on the Bleak
Antarctic Plateau
it's the world's largest Ice Sheet 3000
meters above sea level
it's minus 40
[Music]
you spill it straightaway the nostril
hair freezing one thing I noticed as
soon as graph is the altitude you
immediately short of breath and apart
from that the view is absolutely
spectacular but clearly not meant for
mankind just look how cool it is it's
amazing it's ridiculous that a place
like this should exist one of the few
places on earth that hasn't been screwed
up by humans
it's just nice VI here not inside
yes I've time to think about stuff
without being hassled if you can't be
free here where can you be free
[Music]
at the bottom of the world the race is
about to begin for the wounded years of
rehabilitation and months of training
have led to this point they're off
ahead lies unforgiving ice and brutal
cold for soldiers already wounded in war
this will be a journey that tests them
in mind and body
next time battered bodies risk further
damage in the extreme cold
[Music]
we fill this 200 kilometres 12 wounded
soldiers and one prince
heading for the pole
[Music]
you