Shackleton's Heroes : The Epic Story of the Men Who Kept the Endurance Expedition Alive

Shackleton's Heroes is a genuine treasure of Antarctic history, and an almost unbelievable tale of real heroes who risked themselves for the lives of others. It tells the extraordinary story of how a small party of men, against almost insurmountable obstacles, put down vital food depots on the Great Ice Barrier for Sir Ernest Shackleton's 1914 - 1917 Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition. Their efforts to help each other survive comprise some of the most incredible feats of heroism in the history of polar exploration, which until now have been entirely overshadowed by the legendary feat of Shackleton on the other side of the continent after the sinking of the Endurance. The complete story is revealed here for the first time, through the diaries of these forgotten men, written out on the ice and at their base camp. We can experience their pain and suffering through their own words, 100 years after the original expedition began. With a foreword by Sir Ranulph Fiennes, Shackleton's Heroes is an adventure story of the highest calibre, told through the voices of the men who completed an almost impossible task in horrific conditions The fabled figure of Sir Ernest Shackleton truly personifies the heroic age of Antarctic exploration. But, while the story of his ill-fated 1914–18 Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition and his crew's narrow escape from death is legendary, less well known is the staggering tale of the six members of the Mount Hope Party who risked their lives to ensure the safety of his. Sent to the opposite side of the polar continent to lay life-saving food deposits for his journey, theirs was a vital mission: without it, Shackleton was destined for failure. Here, Wilson McOrist stitches together diary accounts to trace the tribulations of these men, painting a chilling picture of the everyday hardships of life on the ice, alongside the camaraderie and emotional strength necessary for survival. Bound by duty to Shackleton, the polar adventurers struggled on through Antarctica, convinced they were critical to his success. This is their remarkable story. The figure of Sir Ernest Shackleton, inflated by time and celebrity, has come to personify the heroic age of Antarctic exploration. Whilst the story of his ill-fated 1914#x96;18 Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition and his crew's narrow escape from death is legendary, less well known, and told here in its entirety for the first time, is the staggering tale of the men who worked in Shackleton's shadow #x96; the six members of the Mount Hope Party who risked their lives to ensure the safety of his. Sent to the opposite side of the Polar continent to lay life-saving food depots for his journey across the "One hundred years ago, Sir Ernest Shackleton embarked on the legendary Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition (1914-1917), accomplishing one of history's most remarkable feats of endurance, even though his crew failed in their mission to cross Antarctica...Less well known, however, is the incredible but often forgotten tale of the Mount Hope party (also known as the Ross Sea party)--six men who worked in the shadow of Shackleton's great cause."