Editing Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition (section)

{{Short description|1955–58 expedition to Antarctica}}
{{Distinguish|text = the [[Kaspersky Commonwealth Antarctic Expedition]], an all-women expedition in 2009}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{more citations needed|date=October 2019}}
[[File:Tractors in Antarctica (1957).JPG|thumb|upright=1.2|Converted [[Ferguson TE20]] tractors used by Edmund Hillary's team]]
The '''Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition''' ('''CTAE''') of 1955–1958 was a [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]]-sponsored expedition that successfully completed the first overland crossing of [[Antarctica]], via the [[South Pole]]. It was the first expedition to reach the South Pole overland for 46&nbsp;years, preceded only by [[Amundsen's South Pole expedition|Amundsen's expedition]] and [[Terra Nova Expedition|Scott's expedition]] in 1911 and 1912.<ref name="Cool Antarctica">{{cite web | url=https://www.coolantarctica.com/Community/commonwealth-trans-antarctic-expedition.php | title=The Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition - 1955-58, Vivian Fuchs and Sir Edmund Hillary | publisher=Paul Ward | work=Cool Antarctica | access-date=November 6, 2019}}</ref>

In keeping with the tradition of polar expeditions of the [[Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration]], the CTAE was a private venture, though it was supported by the governments of the United Kingdom, New Zealand, United States, Australia and South Africa, as well as many corporate and individual donations, under the patronage of Queen [[Elizabeth II]].

It was headed by British explorer [[Vivian Fuchs]], with New Zealander Sir [[Edmund Hillary]] leading the New Zealand [[Ross Sea]] Support team. The New Zealand party included scientists participating in [[International Geophysical Year]] research while the British team were separately based at [[Halley Bay]].

Fuchs was knighted for his accomplishment. The second overland crossing of the continent did not occur until 1981, during the [[Transglobe Expedition]] led by [[Ranulph Fiennes]].