DON'T LEAVE OUR POLAR HERO OUT IN THE COLD; Campaign to honour Scot.

A FORGOTTEN polar hero is being commemorated 100 years after his first Antarctic venture.

And campaigners hope to have Scot William Spiers Bruce awarded the highest honour for polar explorers.

Bruce, who was born in London to Scots parents and brought up north of the Border, led the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition which sailed out of Troon in Ayrshire on November 2, 1902, and returned in the summer of 1904.

Now, as a series of events are held to mark the centenary, the Royal Scottish Geographical Society are renewing their efforts to have Scotland's forgotten polar hero honoured with the Polar Medal.

The award is governed by the Polar Medals Advisory Committee, who were branded daft last night by SNP culture spokesman Mike Russell.

Russell said: "The Polar Medal - a non-political honour - exists to mark the contribution of those who risk life and limb for science and exploration.

"Bruce certainly did so, but also led an expedition that was so well- managed he lost not a single member."

"The committee claims that it cannot make an award after such a long time, but this secretive body needs a breath of fresh democratic air blown through it.

"I hope its members - whose names, unbelievably, are kept secret - will realise how daft their stance has been and ensure that this great but forgotten Scottish hero is given the public recognition he deserves."

The Cabinet Office, who oversee the committee, declined to comment.

The RSGS has played a key role in organising events to mark the centenary, including a dinner in Glasgow City Chambers which was addressed by Princess Anne, patron of the commemorations.

Bruce's achievements are due to be celebrated this year during an exhibition at the Royal Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh. A book is also expected to be published.

The explorer, who was born in 1867, became interested in oceanography while serving as a ship's surgeon on a Dundee whaling fleet which sailed to the Falkland Islands in 1892.

Having refused Robert Scott's offer to join him in the Discovery expedition to reach the South Pole, Bruce decided he wanted to lead his own voyage.

During the 1902-04 expedition on board a converted whaler he named the Scotia, Bruce discovered many new species and mapped much uncharted coastline along Antarctica.

He named one area Coates Land after the Paisley family who sponsored the voyage.

Bruce died in 1921 after a long illness and his ashes were strewn over the Antarctic waters.