author
Frank Wild
1874–1939
A veteran of five Antarctic expeditions, this tough, steady explorer became one of Ernest Shackleton’s most trusted companions and a key figure in the dramatic survival story of the Endurance expedition. His polar career made him one of the most experienced men of the Heroic Age of Antarctic exploration.
1 Audiobook
Shackleton's Last Voyage: The Story of the Quest
by Frank Wild, A. H. (Alexander Hepburn) Macklin
About the author
Born John Robert Francis Wild in Yorkshire in 1873, Frank Wild was an English sailor and polar explorer who took part in five Antarctic expeditions between 1901 and 1922. He served with Robert Falcon Scott, Ernest Shackleton, and Douglas Mawson, building a reputation for endurance, leadership, and calm under pressure.
Wild is especially remembered as Shackleton’s second-in-command on the Endurance expedition. After the ship was crushed by ice, he led the stranded men on Elephant Island while Shackleton sailed for help, helping keep morale and discipline alive during months of extreme hardship. He was also one of only two men awarded the Polar Medal with four bars for repeated Antarctic service.
Later in life, Wild continued to be associated with the great age of polar exploration, and his name remained closely tied to Shackleton’s legacy. He died in 1939, but he is still remembered as one of the most dependable and experienced explorers of Antarctica’s heroic era.