Ernest Shackleton
Born in Kilkea, KildareBorn on 15th of February 1874
Died on 5th of January 1922
Quotes from Ernest Shackleton
'Superhuman effort isn't worth '... More
The renowned polar explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton led his entire crew to safety when his ship Endurance was trapped and crushed in the frozen seas of Antarctica. This epic feat has gone down as the greatest example of leadership and survival in the history of exploration.
Ernest Shackleton was born in Kilkee, County Kildare, Ireland on February 15, 1874. In 1884 his family moved to Sydenham in London where Ernest attended Dulwich College. Aged 16 he was allowed to leave and join the Merchant Navy, and by1898 Shackleton was certified as a Master Mariner. Ambitious for adventure he accompanied Robert Falcon Scott on his 1901 expedition to the South Pole. Unfortunately Shackleton became ill and was forced to abandon the expedition. Back in England he worked as a journalist and stood unsuccessfully for Parliament. However he was still determined to conquer Antarctica and in 1908 his expedition succeeded in getting closer to the South Pole than any previous attempt. On his triumphant return to England Shackleton was knighted.
In 1914 Shackleton’s most famous expedition set off to cross Antarctica. His aptly named ship Endurance became trapped in the polar ice. To save his crew which had reached the precarious safety of Elephant Island Shackleton sailed 800 miles to South Georgia in an open boat with five companions. He then returned across Antarctica to save the rest of his crew. Shackleton finally reached safety in South America two years after setting off. In spite of his success he remained restless and his various business ventures did not prosper. He set off on his final expedition in 1921 intending to carry out scientific surveys in the Antarctic. Before the expedition truly began Shackleton died of a heart attack in South Georgia on June 5, 1922, and he was buried there, the scene of his greatest triumph and his end.
Links:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/shackleton_ernest. BBC Profile
http://www.south-pole.com/p0000097.htm South Pole Site
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