Norwegian polar explorer Roald Amundsen (1872 – 1928) served as the first mate on a Belgian Antarctic expedition (1897—99) and commanded the Gjøa on the first successful navigation of the Northwest Passage (1903—6). His plan to use Nansen's ship to drift toward the North Pole and complete the journey by sledge was frustrated by Robert Peary in 1908. As a result, he turned his attention to Antarctica. He reached the South Pole on 14 December 1911 after a two-month dash using dog sleighs and skis. Robert Falcon Scott's ill-fated British expedition reached the same target thirty-five days later. After the First World War, Amundsen commanded a voyage through the Northeast Passage (1918—20) and flew across the North Pole in the airship Norge (1926) after an unsuccessful attempt the previous year. He disappeared while attempting to rescue the Norge's designer Umberto Nobile, whose airship Italia crashed on the way back from the North Pole. Amundsen's contribution to geological and geographical knowledge was substantial, and he published several popular accounts of his expeditions. See here for a more detailed biographical sketch.