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Frank Wild biography by Leif
Mills
USA
UK
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John Robert Francis Wild (Frank)
Able seaman
Discovery 1901-04
In charge of provisions Nimrod
1907-09
Sledge-master
Australasian Antarctic
Expedition 1911-13
Second in command
Endurance 1914-17
Second in command
Quest- Ernest
Shackleton 1921 - 1922
Frank Wild is the unknown giant of the "Heroic Age"
of Antarctic Exploration. He played a significant role in several of
the most important expeditions, being on board when the Discovery sailed
for McMurdo Sound in 1901 so heralding the start of 20 years of epic
exploration and adventure. No one else was so involved and no other
explorer spent so long in Antarctica.
He is frequently referred to as Shackleton's "right
hand man" or the "loyal lieutenant" though he was much more than this.
In 1901, he volunteered to join Scott's "British national
Antarctic Expedition" 1901-04 on board the Discovery, being involved
in the sledging programme.
By Mawson's description, the first time he met
Wild in New Zealand on the Nimrod expedition was when Wild was being
carried out of a hotel while drunk.
It was on this Nimrod expedition 1907-09 led by Shackleton,
that he was
chosen as one of the men who would manhaul up the Beardmore glacier
to the South Pole, coming within 97 miles of the goal. Discretion became
the better part of valour and the party returned while they thought
they could return alive, rather than pressing on to the pole, when they
were unlikely to make it back safely to McMurdo Sound and their base.
He joined Douglas Mawson's 1911-13 "Australian Antarctic
Expedition" as a sledging expert and was in command of the Western Base
experiencing very difficult snow and sledging conditions. Nonetheless,
he succeeded in opening up a new tract of country in Antarctica - Queen
Mary Land.
Shackleton selected him again for the 1914-17 "Imperial
Trans-Antarctic Expedition" when he was second in command to Shackleton
himself. His sure handling and steady support proved invaluable when
the expedition ship, the Endurance sank in mid-ocean and the party had
to make it across initially solid, but increasingly broken-up sea-ice
to Elephant Island. Wild remained on Elephant Island for nearly 4 months
with the majority of the crew while Shackleton set off with a small
party to fetch help.
Frank Wild was born in Skelton, Yorkshire. At the
age of 16 in 1889, he joined the merchant navy, transferring to the
Royal Navy in 1900.
He saw service in Russia in the First World War with
the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve on return to England.
After the war, he went to South Africa where he farmed
with Francis Bickerton
(ex. Mawson expedition) and
Dr. James McIlroy. They farmed in British
Nyasaland in the neighbourhood of Lake Nyasa (South
Africa) between the end of the First World War and Wild
and McIlroy leaving to join the "Quest" expedition in
1921. They cleared the then virgin forest and planted
cotton. They loved the life though suffering
intermittently from bouts of malaria. According to Frank
Wild, in a letter written in 1920 to his cousin
Margaret #, they "would have been there still if
Shackleton had not called for us to come on this
expedition". They had the full intention to return to
their farm in Africa after the expedition; whether they
did or not, I do not know.
Information from Rhona Schmitz great niece of Dr. James
McIlroy.#
Letter
sent by Frank Wild from South Africa to his Cousin
Margaret, 4th August 1920 |
Shackleton once again requested him to take part in
the 1921-1922 Shackleton-Rowett expedition on the Quest which was cut
short due to Shackleton's death from a heart attack on South Georgia
before the expedition had reached Antarctica proper. Wild took over
as leader and brought the adventure to a conclusion. He returned to South Africa to continue to farm.
Frank Wild died on the 19th of August 1939 in
Klerksdorp, where he was employed as a storeman at the Bobrasco
Mine. He was cremated on the 23rd of August 1939 in the Braamfontein
Cemetry in Johannesburg.#
He was the recipient of a number of awards for his
contributions to exploration and advancing geography, in 1923, he was
made a Freeman of the City of London.
# Frank Wild
is widely reported as dying in Johannesburg, SA. I am indebted to
Luigi Casaleggio from
Bloemfontein, South Africa for correcting this error after much
personal research.
