Mountbatten Medallic History of Great Britain and the Sea Medal: Shackleton's Voyage in the Jam…

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Mountbatten Medallic History of Great Britain and the Sea Medal: Shackleton's Voyage in the James Caird

AssociatedAssociated with Lord Mountbatten of Burma (Frogmore House, Windsor, England, 1900 - 1979)

Medallist John Pinches, Medallists

DateMay 2004

Object NameMedal

MediumSterling Silver

ClassificationsMedals

LocationView by Appointment - Aberdeen Treasure Hub

Object numberABDMS072500.83

Keywords

Commemorative

About MeIn 1914 Sir Ernest Shackleton sailed in the Endurance in a planned attempt to cross the Antarctic continent. In fact the ship was crushed in the ice before the exploring party could he landed. In 1916 Shackleton made an incredible voyage in search of help, using the ship's boat James Caird.

When the Endurance was crushed, Shackleton found himself on the floating pack ice with three ship's boats, tents, sledges, food and other essentials for survival, and 28 men. They were in the Weddell Sea, the great Antarctic extension of the South Atlantic Ocean. The party drifted north on the floating pack ice for 600 miles in five months. In April 1916 they reached the northern limits of the pack ice. The floes on which they had been living began to break up in the Atlantic swell and they had to take to the boats. They managed to reach Elephant Island in the South Shetlands, 480 sea miles southeast of Cape Horn. Here they camped in awful conditions under the upturned boats. There was no possibility whatever of rescue in those days before portable radio sets were available to exploring parties such as this. Shackleton decided to make a voyage in search of help, accompanied by five men, in the ship's boat James Caird. She was 23 feet 4 inches long overall and was built in Poplar, London. She was equipped with a standing lug mainsail and a standing lug mizzen and decked over with a temporary decking of wood and canvas.

In this boat Shackleton succeeded in reaching South Georgia after an almost incredible journey across the stormiest and most inhospitable seas in the world. The feat of navigation represented by the finding of South Georgia alone under these conditions was quite remarkable. Given the circumstances - the conditions, the hardships already endured by the men, and the nature of the James Caird herself - this journey of 800 miles was undoubtedly one of the greatest small-boat voyages ever recorded.

After landing in South Georgia, Shackleton crossed the island on foot and in due course succeeded in rescuing the survivors on Elephant Island. Of the original party who sailed with the Endurance not a man was lost. The James Caird is now preserved as she was when she made her great voyage, displayed on a beach of stones from Cape Rosa, South Georgia (Shackleton's landing place), at the National Maritime Museum in London.

The Mountbatten Medallic History of Great Britain and the Sea, John Pinches Medallists Ltd.