Frank Wild

Born in 1873 in Skelton-in-Cleveland, Yorkshire, and raised partly in Australia, Frank Wild went to sea as a teenager and later became closely associated with the great Antarctic expeditions of the early 20th century. He served with Robert Falcon Scott on the Discovery expedition, joined Ernest Shackleton on the Nimrod expedition, and became one of Shackleton’s most trusted companions.

Wild is especially remembered for his role in the Endurance expedition of 1914–1917. After the ship was crushed in the ice, Shackleton left Wild in charge of the stranded men on Elephant Island while he sailed for help. Wild kept morale and discipline alive through months of hardship, and his steady leadership was a major reason the entire party survived.

He later took part in the Quest expedition, during which Shackleton died in 1922. Wild spent much of his later life in South Africa and died in 1939. Today he is often celebrated not only as a brave explorer, but as one of the most dependable second-in-command figures in polar history.