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Ernest Shackleton
Factfile |
 Ernest Shackleton and HMS
Endurance |
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Introduction
From the Expedition Prospectus of Sir Ernest Shackleton
"From the sentimental point of view, it is the last great Polar journey that can be made."
The Royal Navy’s Ice Patrol Vessel HMS Endurance is named after the ship in which the explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton sailed for the Antarctic in 1914. Although Shackleton’s adventure was a failure – some 90 years later it is still remembered as one of the greatest expeditions of modern times.
Shackleton was born on February 15, 1874 in Kilkea, 30 miles from Dublin. Like a number of other explorers at the beginning of the 20th Century, Shackleton had ambitions to explore the South Pole. Indeed, Shackleton first accompanied Scott on his 1901-4 expedition which was unsuccessful, as well as his own expedition in 1908, which failed. Although these early expeditions were for scientific discovery, the South Pole was the grand prize as it was unclaimed territory. In 1911, a Norwegian, Roald Amundsen, finally became the first person to reach the South Pole. This did not deter Shackleton as he was planning a new expedition – to cross Antarctic on foot, roughly some 1800 miles.
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