Nicholas French gave us a very interesting talk about the our two most famous Antarctic explorers Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton (1874-1922) and Captain Robert Falcon Scott (1868-1912). Shackleton never reached the South Pole having decided 97 miles away in January 1909 that while he might get there he and his 3 companions would almost certainly perish on the return journey. Scott did make it to the South Pole in January 1912 but on arrival he found Amundsen's Norwegian Flag and tent. Scott perished on his return journey and was knighted posthumously. Amundsen had arrived at the Pole 14th December 1911. Shackleton went on a further expedition in 1914 and his ship The endurance was stuck in the ice. The story of all 28 on board surviving and how they survived is much more compelling and showed Shackletons leadership qualities. On his return Shackleton often said of his decision to stop 97 miles from the South Pole.

It is better to be a live Donkey than a dead Lion

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