AAE position: First Officer of SY Aurora, final Antarctic cruise in the summer of 1913–14.

In their own words

[Mackenzie] does nothing and seems in a dream instead of bustling about … one needs a man like Fletcher or Blair on board Discovery

— Davis BANZARE diaries

Blair was born in Scotland in 1887. For five years he served with the Loch Line of Glasgow as apprentice and third mate. As second mate he joined a Melbourne merchant, A Currie and Company, in the Australia-India trade, reaching the rank of first mate, in which capacity he acted during the final Antarctic cruise of the Aurora in the summer of 1913–14.

Much to my disappointment at the time, Fletcher had accepted a berth in one of the coastal shipping companies, but his place was taken by a young Scot, JH Blair, who had served his time in the famous Loch Line of sailing ships, and who was to become in after years Chief Executive Officer of Pangbourne Nautical College and one of my closest friends.

— JK Davis, High Latitude