MEMBERS of Lapford Over 60’s were enthralled by the recent illustrated talk given by John Dike of Coldridge, about Sir Ernest Shackleton’s Antarctic Adventure.

John explained that he had enhanced some of the photographs taken by a well-known photographer of the time, Frank Hurley, who got some amazing shots, at the start of their journey in December 1914, on the Endurance, with Captain Worsley.

Shackleton had advertised for a crew and from hundreds of replies he selected 27, plus there was one stowaway on board without suitable clothing.

Also on board were 70 Canadian sled dogs who were in kennels. It was the arctic winter and eventually they were completely snowed up and ice bound.

This was when to keep fit they played football on the ice and the dogs could also have fun and games as well, and were fed on seals and penguins, of which there was an abundance.

Eventually the Endurance broke up after 326 days and they formed a dump camp on the ice. Then they took to the lifeboats, through the ice, to Elephant Island where they were all on the point of death.

At minus 30 degrees they ate penguins to survive, but 25 miles away over the mountains was a whaling station, and Shackleton and several others climbed over the mountains to get help at the whaling station, at Stromness.

The men there could not believe their eyes when Shackleton staggered into the station. They then sent a whaling boat to rescue the others.

After returning home, Shackleton enlisted in the Army, but sadly died of a heart attack in 1922, aged 48. He had smoked and drank and also ate a lot of blubber, after they ran out of food.

He was buried on St Georgia. A truly wonderful talk.

Margaret Tucker