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Re: Searches for the Shackleton expedition

From: Paul Ward, webmaster
Date: 24 Apr 2003
Time: 13:11:42
Remote Name: 62.253.48.235

Comments

Hi Glenn,

A very good question. There were plans being made to send out a rescue party when Shackleton arrived at South Georgia after the voyage on the James Caird.

The first meeting of the "Transantarctic Relief Committee" at the Royal Geographic Society in London had just taken place when news was received of Shackleton's arrival at a South Georgia whaling station. The result was that Shackleton himself led the rescue of the men on Elephant Island rather than a ship being sent from England.

You have to bear in mind that it was not unusual in those days to go for long periods without hearing from an expedition. Also war was raging in Europe and the fate of about 30 well equipped and supplied men at the other end of the world who were NOT being shot at or gassed was not as pressing an issue as if it had happened at some other time.