83yo reveals secret about Hillary's trans-Antarctic expedition

83yo reveals secret about Hillary's trans-Antarctic expedition

If you were the first New Zealander to visit the South Pole you'd be shouting it from the rooftops, wouldn't you?

Well, not 83 year-old Bill Cranfield.

It turns out Mr Cranfield and two other Kiwis were the first to raise a flag at the pole in December 1957 - a fortnight before Sir Edmund Hillary and his tractors rolled in.

Mr Cranfield was a member of Sir Ed's trans-Antarctic expedition but it wasn't the 'done thing' to steal the explorer's thunder, so he hasn't spoken about that first flying visit until now.

Story took Mr Cranfield to meet up with the Antarctica tractor expedition, which is currently touring the country.

Watch the video for the full Story report.