British Frigate Wins Last-Minute Battle With Antarctic. Break Out From Admiralty Bay. Snow and glacier ice packed into a bucket by a member of the "Sparrow's" crew to supplement water rations. All washing was done either in salt water or melted glacier ice. These exclusive pictures, flown to London from the Antarctic, are the first to reach Britain showing the successful struggle of the tiny frigates H.M.S. "Sparrow" to break from the grip of the Antarctic winter. March 04, 1949.