Personnel of the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition


The Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition was an attempt to cross the Antarctic continent led by Ernest Shackleton. The personnel were divided into two groups: the Weddell Sea party consisting of the men who would attempt the crossing and their support, and the Ross Sea party whose job it was to lay stores on the far side of the Pole for the members of the Weddell Sea party who would make the crossing. Both arms of the expedition had a final complement of 28 men. The Weddell Sea party's ship Endurance was crushed in pack ice and the crossing attempt was never made. All the Weddell Sea party were rescued, but several members of the Ross Sea party perished after their support ship Aurora broke free from its mooring and drifted, leaving the shore party stranded.
Names and dates of birth are included where known. After Endurance was lost, the Weddell Sea party spent some months camped on the ice before making for Elephant Island in the three lifeboats salvaged from the vessel, the James Caird, the Dudley Docker and the Stancomb Wills. The boat each man was assigned to for the crossing is listed.
Some of the original crew left the expedition to sign up when war was declared with Germany, and others returned to England after the ship put in at Buenos Aires.

Weddell Sea party

Ross Sea party

NameBornDiedPositionAdditional information

Aeneas Mackintosh		18791916CommanderDied during the expedition
Ernest Joyce18751940Sledging Equipment and Dogs
Ernest Wild18791918Storekeeper

Reverend Arnold Spencer-Smith		18831916Chaplain and PhotographerDied during the expedition
John Lachlan Cope18931947Biologist and Surgeon
Alexander Stevens18861965Chief Scientist
Richard W Richards18931985PhysicistWould become the last member of the Expedition to pass away
Andrew Keith Jack18851966Physicist
Irvine Gaze18901978General Assistant
Victor Hayward18871916General AssistantDied during the expedition