Shackleton's Heroes (38 page)

T
HE EARLY 1900S
is known as the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration, and if we look at the British expeditions at this time we see many facets of heroism. The first was Scott's
Discovery
Expedition of 1901–04. In late 1902, Scott, Wilson and Shackleton set out, bravely and without fear, across the unknown of the Great Ice Barrier. On some days they managed to cover 15 miles, but on others only 5. Occasionally blizzards held them stationary for one or two days. They reached 82° 15´S and then turned back, but their return journey was grim as they were showing signs of scurvy and they struggled to reach each food depot that they had put down on their trip south. Scott and Wilson were left to haul the sledge as Shackleton weakened. An ill Shackleton returned home a year before Scott and was hailed as a hero, as were Scott and his men when they returned. Scott, Wilson and Shackleton had walked where no man had walked before, out
across the unwelcoming Great Ice Barrier, and their exploits entranced the British public.

The second British expedition in the Heroic Age was Shackleton's
Nimrod
Expedition of 1907–09. Up on the polar plateau Shackleton and his men had reached a point 88° 23´S before they turned back. Their return trek to Hut Point had been left dangerously late and they encountered blizzards and near escapes searching for food depots before two of the four men reached their hut. Two men had been left out on the Barrier, but were rescued a few days later. On his return to England in 1909 the newspapers hailed Shackleton with headlines such as: ‘The Hero of the Farthest South Expedition Reaches England' and ‘The Return of the Heroic Explorer Who Went Furthest South'.
1
Shackleton was knighted, the Royal Geographical Society awarded him a Gold Medal and all men of his shore party received silver Polar Medals.

Scott's
Terra Nova
Expedition of 1910–12 was the third expedition of the time and Scott is remembered not so much for his achievements but for his heroic death. To the British nation Scott was the symbol of heroism and courage. ‘Captain Scott's Four Heroic Comrades Who Died on Their Way Back from the Pole', and ‘Heroes at the South Pole, The Terra Nova Returns to New Zealand with the Tragic News', ran the 1913 newspaper headlines.
2

The final expedition of the Heroic Age was Shackleton's 1914–17 expedition. It is incontestable that the actions of Shackleton and his small party of men were heroic. They risked their own lives by sailing across 800 miles of the Southern Ocean, and then walking across South Georgia, so their colleagues on Elephant Island could be saved.

A number of aspects of heroism are evident in these earlier expeditions. First of all, the men were not only courageous and strong willed, but they worked under extreme physical conditions, in a hostile environment. It was precisely the same for the men of the Mount Hope Party, who travelled not simply the 360 miles out to Mount Hope and back but another seven or eight hundred miles as they placed provisions at various depot points and then returned to base for more.

A second feature of the men of earlier expeditions, which also gave rise
to their heroic status, is that they apparently knew no fear, as did the men of the Mount Hope Party. Mackintosh and his men had no one to turn to if a catastrophe struck or if insurmountable difficulties arose. There were four men at Cape Evans but they were in no position to help. The six men of the Mount Hope Party, with four dogs, were completely alone on the Great Ice Barrier. In their diaries there is nothing written about trepidation or panic as they encounter crevasses, whiteout conditions, severe food shortages and a seemingly never-ending blizzard. Even when circumstances demanded that men be left behind, firstly Spencer-Smith alone, then Mackintosh, Spencer-Smith and Wild, and then Mackintosh alone, there is only angst and concern for their well-being.

The return journey of the Mount Hope Party had remarkable similarities to that of Scott's fateful final days. However, when they were stopped by a prolonged blizzard they refused to give in and wait in their tents for death to take hold. Close to starvation, three of the men, with the dogs, gallantly went out in the blizzard to search for a food depot.

Another feature that is evident in both Scott's and Shackleton's earlier expeditions was the camaraderie of the men. Similarly, the six men of the Mount Hope Party could not have achieved what they did, and performed so heroically, if they had not worked well together. And it is easy to imagine there could be disharmony in the group given that they were men of such different characters and backgrounds. However, through their diaries, we see that for the majority of the time, they thought positively of each other. Mackintosh often praised the men, adding special notes on Wild and Spencer-Smith, the two men usually in his three-man sledging team. Richards echoed Mackintosh's praise of Wild, particularly in relation to Wild's untiring efforts when looking after an incapacitated Spencer-Smith.
3
All the Mount Hope men had kind words to say about Spencer-Smith, particularly his fortitude and cheerfulness. He was known affectionately as ‘Smith' or ‘Smithy' and to Richards those names were as useful an appreciation of his character as he could give. They saw him as a ‘good' man in the best sense of the word. His Christianity was not obtrusive but it was there all the time and he was always ready to help anyone in difficulty.
4
There is little comment on Hayward through their diaries but Richards tells us he got
on well with people although seldom advanced any opinions of his own. He was even-tempered but not an unduly intellectual type, in Richards's opinion.
5
In his book Joyce mentioned his friendship with Richards, when Richards collapsed at Cape Evans in late 1916. Joyce wrote: ‘He had been my constant companion for ten months, and a better pal amidst toil and trouble never existed.'
6
Richards in later years also gave his opinion on Joyce. He tells us he was bombastic, a bit of a swashbuckler and a rather flamboyant character.
7
8
However, there was a strong bond between them. They shared a tent for six months and Richards stressed that ‘you learn a man inside out in that period'.
9
He admitted to having a very soft spot in his heart for the man he called ‘old Joycey'.
10

Heroically, they channelled their energies into ensuring they carried out their goal. Differences in experience, age, upbringing and education all seem to have been put aside for the common good. In all their time of sledging and being confined to a hut over the dark months of winter, there are few diary entries of the Mount Hope Party that mention any serious disagreements or conflict. Even at Hut Point at the end of their trek back from Mount Hope Joyce noted that everything was going along harmoniously.
11
In later years Richards remembered that the spirits of the whole party were quite normal and personal relationships were usually very good. He believed that the long polar nights had not affected their spirits or created any particular psychological problems among the men.
12
All the men had empathy with each other's injuries and ailments and particularly with Spencer-Smith, Mackintosh and Hayward as they succumbed to scurvy. Even Joyce's hard-nosed attitude towards Mackintosh appeared to soften when Mackintosh's health was failing. Joyce and Richards were critical of Mackintosh's logistical decisions but the only significant negative diary comments on anyone's personal behaviour are in Wild's diary where he made notes on Mackintosh being selfish.
13
14
Only in later correspondence and interviews was Richards critical of Mackintosh as the leader. At one interview he stated that in his opinion Mackintosh was a weak character, with no personality and no judgement. He was brave, ‘as game as Ned Kelly', but not the man to lead.
15
These criticisms were not published in Richards's book
The Ross Sea Shore Party
.

Finally, if a definition of heroism is to risk one's own life to save the life of another, then it is self-evident that the efforts of the Mount Hope Party were heroic. Their mission was not for glory. All their efforts were geared towards placing provisions they believed were crucial for Shackleton's survival. In their minds the men coming across from the Weddell Sea side would be dependent on the depots, so they simply had to be laid, at all costs. Undeterred by the loss of the
Aurora
and most of their dogs they set about that task. Wearing boots made from old sleeping bags, trousers made from a canvas tent and using old equipment, they succeeded. If Shackleton's party had crossed Antarctica, the depots would have most likely saved their lives.

It appears undeniable that the Mount Hope Party was as heroic as other British expeditions of the era, possibly even more so. The six men were not only strong willed and gallant but they were never daunted by the work to be done. They were not simply men who performed with an indomitable spirit in the most challenging of times. They were men who risked their own lives so other men would survive.

In his book
South
, Shackleton singled out only three men, Joyce, Wild, and Richards. They were Shackleton's heroes: ‘Mackintosh and Hayward owed their lives on that journey to the unremitting care and strenuous endeavours of Joyce, Wild, and Richards, who, also scurvy-stricken but fitter than their comrades, dragged them through the deep snow and blizzards on the sledges.'
16

It is arguable that Mackintosh, Spencer-Smith and Hayward should be added to Shackleton's list.

Mackintosh was the leader of the party, the man who planned the
depot-laying
programme. Without his leadership in the early stages, the depots may have never been laid. He managed his men to work cohesively over the winter of 1915 to prepare for the final sledging season. He helped with the sledge-hauling all the way to Mount Hope and ensured the last depot
position was located correctly as instructed to him by Shackleton. Even though he was starting to falter on the way out to Mount Hope, he refused to give in. After his health failed he made every effort to help the others by hobbling along next to the sledge rather than sitting on it. He accepted being left behind with Spencer-Smith and Wild, and then later on his own. He made no diary reference of any pain or discomfort for having only one eye. Losing his life, in recklessly making a dash to Cape Evans in May 1916, unfortunately cast a long shadow over his achievements.

Spencer-Smith too was a man of stature and through all the diaries he comes across as a dedicated, hard-working member of the party. In November 1915 he knew he was unwell but he continued to assist in man-hauling supplies onto the Great Ice Barrier until late January 1916. After breaking down he was carried on the sledge for over 300 miles, lying in a wet and frozen sleeping bag, being jolted continuously day after day as the sledge bounced over the rough surface. The others had nothing but admiration for the way he accepted his condition, and how he remained cheerful and pleasant throughout.

There is also no reason for Hayward not to be recognised in the same light as Joyce, Wild and Richards. He was certainly seen by others as a hero, being awarded the British civilian medal for bravery, the Albert Medal, for his efforts to save the lives of Mackintosh and Spencer-Smith. From diary entries he was obviously an active member of the team that man-hauled provisions out to Mount Hope. He helped lay all the depots, battled with Joyce and Richards to reach the Bluff depot in the long blizzard and then returned to pick up Mackintosh, Spencer-Smith and Wild. It was only after this time that he became so stricken with scurvy that he was unable to help the others.

Joyce was undeniably a true hero. His willingness and dedication to lay the depots out to Mount Hope at all costs is apparent. He accepted every situation as it was and worked tirelessly. He was the front man on a rope leading the party the majority of the time, suffering snow-blindness and frostbite. He was the only man at Mount Hope to help locate the correct depot position and to place the provisions for Shackleton. He made the decision (with Richards and Hayward) to try to make the Bluff depot rather
than die in their tent. He helped drag the sick men to safety and worked tirelessly to help others when they did reach Hut Point.

Wild certainly comes across as a quiet hero. He seemed to accept the situation in which he was placed, whatever that may be. He looked after the ailing and bed-ridden Spencer-Smith for weeks on end. He shared a tent with Mackintosh, whose actions at times he clearly found hard to fathom, but he did not upset the harmony of the team. He was the one to wait with two sick men while Joyce, Richards and Hayward searched for the Bluff depot, and then he helped these three to bring in the sledge when they did return. He was one of three men able to help Hayward and Mackintosh to reach Hut Point. He seemed to be always longing for a smoke and a drink, and made diary entries with humour even at the most critical of times.

To Shackleton, and from the diaries, Richards was certainly a hero. As a 22-year-old he shouldered a share of the leadership when Mackintosh started to falter, and when critical decisions had to be made. It was he and Joyce who pushed Mackintosh to use the dogs. He and Joyce were the two men to pull the party through at the most life-threatening times. They steered the party in blizzard conditions. Richards made the decision to take bearings on the back cairns to give them a direction to steer by on their return journey. It was he (with Joyce and Hayward) who had the strength of mind to make a move after being tent bound for six days, to find the Bluff depot and return to rescue Mackintosh, Spencer-Smith and Wild. He was one of the three men with the will-power to drag Mackintosh and Hayward to the safety of Hut Point.