The final communication from Percy Fawcett reached civilization on 29 May 1925, marking the last confirmed movement of the British explorer before his disappearance in the Brazilian Mato Grosso. A veteran of numerous jungle surveys, he vanished alongside his son Jack and companion Raleigh Rimmel while searching for an ancient civilization he theorized existed within the Amazon rainforest.
Military Career and Early Mapping
Born in Torquay in 1867, Fawcett attended the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, and secured a commission in the Royal Artillery in 1886. His early service took him to Hong Kong, Malta, and Ceylon. By 1901, he joined the Royal Geographical Society to master surveying techniques. His proficiency in cartography led to significant military promotions, eventually reaching the rank of lieutenant colonel. During the First World War, he served in Flanders, commanding an artillery brigade and receiving the Distinguished Service Order in 1917.
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Fawcett began his exploration career in 1906 when the Royal Geographical Society tasked him with mapping the Brazil-Bolivia border. Between 1906 and 1924, he completed seven distinct expeditions. He documented the sources of the Rio Verde and Heath River, often relying on patience and gift-giving to navigate indigenous territories. Beyond cartography, his field reports included claims of spotting large, unusual fauna, including a reported 62-foot anaconda and giant spiders, which attracted both public interest and scientific skepticism.
The Search for City Z
By 1914, Fawcett focused his efforts on discovering a location he dubbed City Z. Influenced by research into Manuscript 512, which described 18th-century reports of a ruined city in the state of Bahia, he believed complex structures remained hidden in the Mato Grosso. Despite failing in a 1920 attempt due to illness, he organized a final, smaller party in 1924. He sought to maintain high mobility, selecting only his eldest son Jack and friend Raleigh Rimmel for the final, fatal push into unexplored territory.
Fast facts
- Born: 1867, Torquay
- Died: 1925, Mato Grosso
- Military Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
- Key Award: Founder’s Medal (1916)
- Marital Status: Married Nina Agnes Paterson (1901)
- Last Expedition Start: 20 April 1925
- Nationality: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
Questions readers ask
What was the purpose of the 1925 expedition?
The team intended to locate an ancient, lost civilization Fawcett theorized was hidden in the Amazon jungle, referred to as City Z.
Did Fawcett survive the 1925 mission?
No. The expedition disappeared in the Mato Grosso, and Fawcett left instructions that no rescue attempts should be made if they failed to return.
Achievements
- Founder’s Medal
- Distinguished Service Order
- Inter-Allied Victory Medals
- Victory Medal (United Kingdom)
- Recorded as explorer, anthropologist and archaeologist
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