Ernest Shackleton

Anglo Irish Explorer

Ernest Shackleton

Sir Ernest Shackleton was born on February 15th, 1874, in Ireland, and died on January 5th, 1922 at Grytviken on the island of South Georgia in the South Atlantic Ocean..  Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton is best known as a polar explorer who was associated with four expeditions exploring Antarctica, particularly the British Imperial Trans-Antarctic (Endurance) Expedition (1914–16) that he led, which, although unsuccessful, became famous as a tale of remarkable perseverance and survival.

Educated at Dulwich College (1887–90), Shackleton entered the mercantile marine service in 1890 and became a sublieutenant in the Royal Naval Reserve in 1901.  He joined Capt. Robert Falcon Scott’s British National Antarctic (Discovery) Expedition (1901–04) as third lieutenant.  His health suffered, and he was removed from duty and sent home on the supply ship Morning in March 1903

Shackleton served in the British army during World War I and served as a military advisor in the multinational North Russia Expeditionary Force during the Russian Civil War. He attempted a fourth Antarctic expedition, called the Shackleton-Rowett Antarctic Expedition, aboard the Quest in 1921, which had the goal of circumnavigating the continent. His exertions in raising funds to finance his expeditions and the immense strain of the expeditions themselves were believed to have worn out his strength.  Shackleton died at Grytviken, South Georgia, however, at the outset of the journey…