Explorers 
Mankind's desire to 'map' the four corners of the World reached its apogee in the late 19th and early 20th Century. The race was on to 'plant the flag' on the highest mountain and the furthest, most desolate reaches of the fabled South Pole.
George Mallory and Andrew Irvine. Captain Robert Falcon Scott and Ernest Shackleton.
Names that have become immortalised in the History books.
Mallory and Irvine well understood the potential consequences of failure in so harsh an environment when they put on an extra vest under their tweed jackets, tied the laces on their hob nailed boots and set out on their Everest summit attempt in June 1924.
Did they really stand 'on top of the World' after last being seen 'going strong for the top'?
Does it really matter?
I can only admire them and all climbers who risk their lives when they venture into the 'Death zone'.
As with the Everest legends so with the South Pole.
Shackleton got close and brought his men back. Roald Amundsen got there first.
For Captain Scott and his companions to complete, on foot, 99% of a 1,500 Mile return journey to the South Pole and back after realising halfway that someone has beaten you there, in some of the worst weather conditions seen for decades, and to get within 10 Miles of safety on their return journey at 'One Ton dump' is indeed tragic.
If heroism and glory can be achieved in the act of the journey rather than the destination itself then Mallory and Irvine, and Scott and Shackleton and their companions truly deserve their place in History.