In History Hit’s powerful new documentary, Fortress War – Liberation80 Jersey, Dan Snow travels to the island to explore the compelling history of its occupation and eventual liberation, meeting experts and survivors to uncover the profound challenges of the war years.

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An island abandoned

Jersey, a mere 9 miles by 5 miles, became the only part of Britain occupied by Nazi forces during World War Two. Following France’s surrender in 1940, and deemed indefensible by Britain, Winston Churchill made the difficult decision to demilitarise Jersey. Thousands of islanders evacuated, while over 40,000 braced for the inevitable. 

Unaware of the demilitarisation, the Luftwaffe bombed Jersey and Guernsey on 28 June 1940, and by 1 July, the Germans arrived, transforming island life as the occupation began. By the end of the first year, over 10,000 German troops were stationed on Jersey. Hitler wanted to use the Channel Islands as a launchpad to invade Britain, but what did life become for those who stayed?

German World War Two tower that remains on Jersey

Image Credit: History Hit

Compliance and resistance under Nazi rule

In the documentary, Dan heads to the Jersey Museum to meet Occupation Historian Lucy Layton, Curator for Jersey Heritage, to learn more about the immediate impact of German rule.

Lucy explains some of the measures islanders were forced to adapt to in their new reality, including the use of German currency and timezones, the banning of radios unless German-controlled, and only German propaganda films being shown in cinemas. Every resident had to carry an identity card, with Jewish islanders’ cards stamped with a red ‘J’ – some were even deported to concentration camps.

Despite severe penalties, acts of sabotage and resistance emerged, with some islanders courageously hiding escaped slave labourers and prisoners of war. Lucy reveals poignant stories of active defiance, highlighting courageous individuals like Dorothea Le Brocq, who sheltered a Jewish woman at immense personal risk. Defiance came at a terrible cost, with over 1,300 islanders imprisoned.  

Dan also learns from Lucy about the tragic fate of Louisa Gould, arrested for hiding a Russian POW and possessing an illegal radio, serving as a powerful reminder of her sacrifice. 

Hitler’s Fortress: The Atlantic Wall on British soil

Fearing a British attempt to retake the Channel Islands, on 20 October 1941, Hitler ordered them to be transformed into an impregnable fortress. Dan talks to historian Michael Billings and learns more about Organisation Todt (OT), which brought in 16,000 forced labourers from across Europe and North Africa. They were housed them in brutal camps where many perished building colossal fortifications for Hitler’s Atlantic Wall, including massive bunkers and gun batteries that still scar Jersey’s landscape today.

In the programme, Dan explores one of the largest structures carved out by these workers: the Jersey War Tunnels, a subterranean network over 1 km long.

Dan Snow on top of German fortification in Jersey, built as part of Hitler’s ‘Atlantic Wall’ fortifications.

Image Credit: History Hit

The long wait for liberation

The war’s progression brought increasing hardship. Discover how a German crisis in Iran led to the deportation of all non island-born British nationals to German internment camps. Around 650 British nationals were sent to Wurzach internment camp in southern Germany. Dan meets Lola Garvin, who was a baby when her family was deported, hearing her powerful testimony about what life was like for them.

Following D-Day in June 1944, hope swelled, but the Allies chose not to divert forces to liberate the Channel Islands and German control persisted. Supplies dwindled, leading to extreme food and fuel shortages.

The Germans, however, continued work on their ‘impregnable fortress’. In the programme, Dan visits St Catherine’s Bunker with World War Two historian Phil Marrett, exploring one of the 17 large tunnels on Jersey and gaining special access to the tunnel’s rear, revealing machine-gun posts and even graffiti left by its builders.

After Germany’s eventual surrender, finally, on 9 May 1945 British Force 135 arrived and the Germans officially surrendered Jersey, ending five long years of occupation. Dan hears about the immense clean-up operation that followed, as the island sought to erase the physical remnants of Nazi rule whilst celebrating their liberation – celebrations that continue annually, 80 years later.

Dan Snow watches the Liberation Day parade in Jersey, 2025 – 80 years after the liberation.

Image Credit: History Hit

Watch “Fortress War – Liberation80 Jersey” to witness the compelling story of courage, hardship, and ultimately, liberation, from this unique chapter of World War Two.

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In History Hit’s The Room Where It Happened: Versailles 1919, Dan Snow and a hand picked team of experts participate in a thought-provoking panel discussion, exploring the critical moments and clashing ambitions that shaped this significant Treaty. 

The conference began with 72 invited nations, quickly dissolving into a Council of 10, then ultimately to the ‘Big Three’, whom most of the crucial decisions fell to. In the programme, each expert on Dan’s panel represents the perspective of one of the ‘Big Three’, with Prof Heather Jones from University College London representing British Prime Minister David Lloyd George, Prof Peter Jackson from Glasgow University representing the French Prime Minister Georges Clemenceau, and historian and author Alexandra Churchill representing America’s President, Woodrow Wilson.

They discuss the extent of the situation the Big Three found themselves collectively facing, and outline what each individual nation hoped to achieve.

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Europe in 1919

As nations convened in Paris for peace talks, Europe remained volatile. Violence flared from Germany’s Spartacist uprising to Ireland’s War of Independence, and the eastern front simmered with clashes between German troops and Bolshevik forces pushing into the Baltic states. Amidst this chaos, 12 million refugees crisscrossed Central and Eastern Europe. 

Devastated France, still reeling from immense losses and the punitive terms imposed on them after the 1871 Franco-Prussian War, ensured neither the defeated Central Powers nor Bolshevik Russia were invited to negotiate at the peace talks. 

Aims from each of the Big Three

Each of the ‘Big Three’ brought profoundly different agendas to the table, setting the stage for a diplomatic showdown that would go on to shape the remainder of the 20th century.

Lloyd George, hailed for his wartime dynamism, sought to restore Germany as a trading partner while preventing French dominance in Europe. 

Georges Clemenceau, “The Tiger,” prioritised absolute security for France, aiming to secure British and American commitment to France’s safety, determined to prevent another German invasion. 

Woodrow Wilson, representing America’s late entry into the war, sought to avoid indefinite military commitment in Europe and to ensure the allies repaid their vast war loans. Wilson also championed progressive ideals for a better world through his Fourteen Points, advocating free trade, self-determination, and disarmament, along with, importantly, the creation of a League of Nations. 

Germany, now a vulnerable new socialist republic under Friedrich Ebert following Kaiser Wilhelm II’s abdication, was only invited to sign the final terms, not negotiate them. And with an ongoing Allied naval blockade exacerbating widespread starvation, the Big Three faced a monumental decision: how harshly should Germany be treated, and what would be the repercussions? 

Points of contention

The core issues, as Alexandra Churchill explains in the programme, revolved around “punishment, payment, and prevention” – making Germany financially and territorially pay for the war, and ensuring it could never again pose such a threat.

Reparations would be a major point of contention, driven by clashing national agendas and domestic pressures. France initially sought collective security over immediate high payments, however Britain, driven by immense public demand, pushed for the highest reparations, with Lloyd George controversially arguing for soldiers’ pensions to be included as “civilian damages”.

Meanwhile, a wary US President Wilson aimed to weaken Germany without sparking the rise of Bolshevism and thus had a more moderate stance, though was ultimately swayed by Lloyd George’s arguments. The French, strategically withholding their own desired figures, sought to leverage demands for favourable trade, a position opposed to Wilson’s free trade ideals.

A further key debate centred on the size and nature of Germany’s post-war army. France opposed conscription, fearing a large trained reserve. Conversely, Britain advocated for a smaller, long-term volunteer force to limit the spread of military knowledge within Germany. 

In History Hit’s The Room Where It Happened: Versailles 1919, each of the panellists put forward the country they’re representing’s own views on the issues at stake, and indeed give their respective reactions to what was finally agreed. 

On 28 June 1919, Germany reluctantly signed the Treaty at the Palace of Versailles, sealing terms that, while intended to ensure lasting peace, would fuel resentment and instability for decades to come. 

The Treaty severely limited Germany’s military to 100,000 troops, with no air force or offensive weapons, and a vastly reduced navy. Germany lost 13% of its European territory and all colonies. Crucially, the infamous “war guilt clause” (Article 231) forced Germany to accept sole responsibility for the war. Intended to justify reparations, instead this fuelled deep resentment and nationalist propaganda.

Born from a traumatised continent and the clashing agendas of three powerful men, the Treaty of Versailles had sought to reshape the world. But in attempting to solve one war, to what extent did it inadvertently lay the groundwork for another?

Don’t miss History Hit’s compelling panel discussion, The Room Where It Happened: Versailles 1919, to explore how the complex decisions from this crucial moment in diplomatic history continue to resonate today.

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Read about the 10 Key Points of the Treaty of Versailles

While last year’s 80th anniversary was a powerful milestone, this year’s observance still holds its own profound significance as one of the remaining anniversaries where we can still honour and hear firsthand accounts from the dwindling number of courageous veterans who lived through those extraordinary hours. Soon, D-Day will transition from living memory to solely the pages of history – now is the time to listen, learn and remember. 

From solemn ceremonies in Sainte-Mère-Église, Carentan, and Utah Beach, to the vibrant D-Day Festival Normandy along the coastline, and a special weekend celebration at the RAF Museum London – commemorations will honour their sacrifice. 

Explore the events of Operation Overlord with our specially curated documentaries

Here is History Hit’s film of D-Day As It Happened:

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You can also listen to our collection of interviews with D-Day veterans

Gain deeper insights into the stories and strategies that shaped this prodigious day with our extensive collection of articles

To get started, why not read our list of 82 Fascinating Facts About D-Day or view our D-Day in Pictures: Dramatic Photos of the Normandy Landings.

Bird’s-eye view of landing craft, barrage balloons, and allied troops landing in Normandy, France on D-Day

Image Credit: US Library of Congress

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It was first shown to audiences in 1921 as South, a timeless film whose dramatic images captured the travails of the expedition and fixed it in our memories.

In the History Hit film Saving South, made in association with the BFI, Dan Snow visits the British Film Institute’s special sub-zero nitrate film storage facility where blast-proof vaults protect the last fragments of Frank Hurley’s remarkable original footage.

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“South is a hugely important film,” explains the BFI’s silent film expert, Bryony Dixon. “It’s the first documentary feature ever made. This all-encompassing narrative, including all this incredible footage [of] the crew, the wildlife, scenes that had never been seen before, both in terms of this famous story but just what Antarctica was like. It’s an incredible achievement. To have gotten any pictures at all and brought them back was amazing.”

Hurley might never have brought his footage back. Not only did Hurley film and develop the footage while the ship Endurance was beset by ice, he rescued it from the ship as it sank and later buried his precious footage in the icy soil of Elephant Island as the crew awaited rescue. He did not know it but the cold of the permafrost was ideal for preserving celluloid film. It is now stored at -4.1 degrees Celsius.

Hurley, an Australian known for his extreme camerawork (he is pictured setting up in the rigging), was recruited especially for the expedition. The last footage he captured was the moment the mast of Endurance collapsed. Later he wrote that “I had my camera trained on the ship the whole time. I secured the unique film of the masts collapsing.” He had to throw his cine camera away before trekking and rowing to Elephant Island.

Hurley’s footage was assembled and released after the First World War. The viewing copies of South became scratched and damaged by projectors, yet South is among the classic films the BFI has worked hard to restore.

Angelo Lucatello of the BFI National Archives Conservation Centre explains that the 1996 restoration of South took five years to make. “We looked at about 90 copies and we cut the material together out of 13 different sources. So it’s a little bit like a jigsaw.”

Conservators will prefer original footage that is damaged, but crisp, over copies. “There’s always a problem that you will lose quality,” says Lucatello. “There’s a chance of dirt being printed in.” Examining the negatives yields other insights including Hurley’s use of in-camera effects, such as under-cranking the film when the ship broke up to exaggerate movement and underscore its drama.

Thanks to the work on the original negatives, we can watch the entirety of South as shot by Hurley, cleaned up and digitally remastered: an exceptional dispatch from an audacious Antarctic expedition undertaken a century ago.

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However, there was another crew member aboard the Endurance: Mrs. Chippy, a beloved tabby cat known for its devotion to its master, ability to climb rigging and close shaves with death.

Here’s the story of Mrs. Chippy, the Endurance‘s feline crew member.

Mrs. Chippy was a Scottish cat

Mrs. Chippy, a tiger-striped tabby, was bought by Scottish shipwright and carpenter Harry ‘Chippy’ McNish (chippy being a colloquial British term for a carpenter) from his home in Cathcart, Scotland, where he lived in a cottage called Mole Catcher’s House. Mrs. Chippy earned its name by dutifully following Chippy McNish around, like an overly attentive wife.

The name stuck. When Chippy McNish was chosen to be part of the crew on Shackleton’s Endurance, Mrs. Chippy came along too. A ship’s cat, Mrs. Chippy was tasked with both catching mice and rats and being a source of company for the whole crew. After a month at sea, it was learned that the robust tabby cat was in fact ‘not a lady, but a gentleman’.

He was an able seaman

The crew having their hair cut onboard Endurance in 1914. Mrs. Chippy would have been present at many of these events.

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons

The expedition photographer Frank Hurley captured the only known picture of Mrs. Chippy. However, many of the crew wrote about him being ‘full of character’ in their diaries and logs and attested to his confidence and ease at sea.

Captain Frank Worsley detailed Mrs. Chippy’s habit of climbing the rigging “exactly after the manner of a seaman going aloft”, while meteorologist Leonard Hussey noted that he used to take a provocative stroll across the roofs of the dogs’ kennels. He also impressed the crew with his ability to walk along inch-wide rails in the roughest of seas.

However, Mrs. Chippy’s sea legs occasionally wobbled. In an entry dated 13 September 1914, Storekeeper Thomas Orde-Lees wrote that “an extraordinary thing happened during the night. The tabby cat jumped overboard through one of the cabin portholes and the officer on watch, Lt. Hudson, heard her screams and turned the ship smartly round & picked her up. She must have been in the water 10 minutes or more”.

He was picked up by the ship’s biologist Robert Clark, who used one of his sample nets. It seems that one of Mrs. Chippy’s nine lives was used up.

He was shot

After the Endurance became trapped in pack ice, the transcontinental plan was abandoned. Shackleton’s focus was now one of survival, and he began drawing up plans to march the crew westward to one of several possible destinations.

Shackleton’s expedition to the Antarctic faithful dogs being fed in the ice kennel, while Endurance was stuck fast. 1916.

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Shackleton ordered that the weakest animals who could not support the perilous journey would need to be shot. Along with five sled dogs (including three puppies, one of whom was the surgeon’s pet), Mrs. Chippy was ordered to be killed.

The ship’s crew reportedly doted over Mrs. Chippy in his final hours, giving him hugs and feeding him his favourite food, sardines, which was perhaps laced with a sleeping drug.

In a diary entry from 29 October 1915, Shackleton recorded:

“This afternoon Sallie’s three youngest pups, Sue’s Sirius, and Mrs. Chippy, the carpenter’s cat, have to be shot. We could not undertake the maintenance of weaklings under the new conditions. Macklin [who owned a pet puppy], Crean [in charge of the dog-handling], and the carpenter seemed to feel the loss of their friends rather badly.”

McNish never forgave Shackleton

McNish proved to be an essential crew member when he was chosen, along with 5 others, to sail some 800 miles in a single lifeboat to South Georgia. He refitted the boat to make the journey possible, and arguably saved the lives of the whole crew as a result.

South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands stamp featuring Mrs. Chippy.

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons

McNish never forgave Shackleton for killing his cat. Their relationship worsened, and Shackleton even threatened to shoot him for arguing that the crew no longer had to take the captain’s orders since their contract had lapsed upon the sinking of the Endurance in November 1915.

Shackleton and McNish’s relationship was so bad that Shackleton refused to recommend McNish for a Polar Medal that the rest of the crew later received. McNish’s family would (in vain) later try and lobby the British government that McNish be posthumously awarded the same medal in 1997.

Before he died in 1930, McNish repeatedly stated to his friends, family and visitors, “Shackleton killed my cat”.

A statue of him is on his master’s gravestone

Mrs. Chippy’s statue by Chris Elliot. On Harry McNeish’s grave in Karori cemetery, Wellington, New Zealand.

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons

McNish died in destitution in Wellington, New Zealand, in 1930. Though he was buried with full military honours in a Karori cemetery, he was buried in an unmarked pauper’s grave.

In 1959, the New Zealand Antarctic Society were shocked to learn that McNish had received only a pauper’s burial, so raised funds for a headstone to stand on his grave.

In 2004, the same society decided to create a marker for Mrs. Chippy. The public donated funds to create a life-size bronze statue of Mrs. Chippy, and later the same year, around 100 people gathered round McNish’s grave and read words of tribute for both the carpenter and his cat.

There are no words on the grave about beloved Mrs. Chippy. However, it is telling that those visiting the grave often present his little statue with flowers.

Read more about the discovery of Endurance. Explore the history of Shackleton and the Age of Exploration. Visit the official Endurance22 website.

The images show Endurance’s hull intact as the vessel rests on its keel on the seabed at a depth of 3,008 metres. They reveal that the ship’s steam engine funnel, masts, anchors and guard rails remain attached, despite the damage inflicted by crushing ice after the ship became immobilised in 1915. Additionally clothing and crockery can be seen on the deck.

Shackleton’s Trans-Antarctic Expedition was halted in its tracks when their ship became beset in pack ice in January 1915. Having drifted in the ice, Shackleton ordered the evacuation of the badly damaged ship on 27 October. A month later, he watched the ship sink and its captain Frank Worsley estimated its sinking position.

Endurance’s portside bow

Image Credit: Endurance: The Discovery of Shackleton's Legendary Ship (National Geographic Society)

In March 2022, the ship was discovered by the Endurance22 team on board the S.A. Agulhas II, mere miles from the position given by Worsley. The subsea team led by Nico Vincent used the Saab Sabertooth AUV to capture thousands of images in 4K resolution, which were combined to create a digital 3D photo mosaic.

“It is our hope,” writes Nico Vincent in the book Endurance: The Discovery of Shackleton’s Legendary Ship, “the 3D digital model becomes the lasting testimony of our expedition and awakens a wide audience and new generations to Shackleton and the Endurance story.”

The view of Endurance’s portside bow shows the ship’s broken foremast and both anchors on the forecastle deck, which was dislodged from the hull. It also shows the two intact glass portholes of the galley forward bulkhead.

The flare gun (bottom-left) fired by Hurley; the boot that my be Frank Wild’s

Image Credit: Endurance: The Discovery of Shackleton's Legendary Ship (National Geographic Society)

The imagery also shows items on the deck of the vessel. A flare gun, the same gun Frank Hurley recorded firing as the Endurance sank, is among the debris. A seaman’s leather boot is also pictured beside rigging and wooden pulleys. It is speculated to belong to Shackleton’s second-in-command Frank Wild, who is photographed in a similar boot.

Endurance: The Discovery of Shackleton’s Legendary Ship

Image Credit: National Geographic Society

The images, which depict a ship in a remarkable state of preservation, are highlighted in a National Geographic documentary which features Dan Snow and is co-produced by History Hit. They feature in the accompanying book Endurance: The Discovery of Shackleton’s Legendary Ship by John Shears and Nico Vincent. It documents that months of analysis of the digital photographs and 3D laser data led to the identification of additional artefacts, including a telescope and a sewing machine.

The event is often referred to as the Japanese equivalent of Pearl Harbour. Today, Chuuk Lagoon is among the top wreck diving spots of the world.

Chuuk Lagoon history

Previously Truk Atoll, the site of Chuuk Lagoon is located 1,800 km north of New Guinea and consists of a protective reef enclosing a natural harbour. The surrounding Chuuk islands had been settled since the 14th century AD but were claimed by the Spanish Empire, German Empire and eventually the Empire of Japan in 1914, who seized the lagoon from Germany during World War One.

During World War Two, Chuuk Lagoon was the Empire of Japan’s main and most formidable naval base in the South Pacific. The base was heavily fortified against the Allies who were operating in New Guinea and the nearby Soloman Islands. A large part of the Japanese fleet was based at Chuuk, including Imperial battleships, aircraft carriers, cruisers, destroyers, minesweepers and submarines.

In 1944, the Japanese Imperial naval base at Chuuk was destroyed by a US naval attack. Having been warned, the Japanese removed their larger warships. However, Operation Hailstone as the attack was known, continued for 3 days as US planes sank 12 smaller warships and 32 merchant ships, as well as 275 aircraft.

The destruction of Chuuk Lagoon’s base prevented it from being a major threat to the Allies in the Central Pacific, especially after it was attacked again by British naval forces in June 1945.

In 1969, a French oceanographer Jacques Cousteau explored the lagoon and following his documentary about the haunting remains of the naval base, the lagoon became a popular site for scuba-diving enthusiasts.

Chuuk Lagoon today

Today, you can visit the Chuuk Lagoon and dive throughout the incredible preserved remains of the Japanese Imperial naval fleet. Divers can spend hours exploring the site’s wrecks, returning multiple times without seeing the same wreckage twice, testifying to the great destruction of Operation Hailstone.

With a local diving guide, you can even explore the engine rooms and cargo holds of some of the destroyed ships. The lagoon is also home to a large variety of beautiful soft and hard corals, all of brilliant colours and providing shelter to rich marine life.

Getting to Chuuk Lagoon

Situated in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, Chuuk Lagoon is hard to access. You can get a direct flight from Guam which takes 1 hour and 46 minutes, or fly from Papua New Guinea which is a 3 hour flight to Chuuk International Airport in Weno. From Weno you get a diving boat to the lagoon.

Among the crew of the Endurance was the Australian photographer Frank Hurley, who documented many aspects of the ill-fated voyage on film and in still photographs. As the negatives were heavy and the crew were marooned waiting for rescue, Hurley had to destroy or discard many of the images he captured. Some of Hurley’s negatives survived the treacherous journey home, however.

Here are 15 of Hurley’s iconic images of the Endurance Expedition.

Frank Hurley and the Endurance

Image Credit: Royal Geographical Society/Alamy Stock Photo

Endurance in the ice

Image Credit: Royal Geographical Society/Alamy Stock Photo

The darkness of Antarctica could be difficult for a ship to navigate in. Lights and ropes were attached to ice mounds to help the ship move through the ice.

Navigating Endurance through the ice.

Image Credit: Royal Geographical Society/Alamy Stock Photo

Over 5,000 men responded to the advertisement “Men wanted for hazardous journey. Low wages, bitter cold, long hours of complete darkness. Safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition in event of success”. 56 were carefully selected and split into two teams of 28, one on the Endurance and one on the Aurora.

The crew from the Endurance Expedition

Image Credit: Royal Geographical Society/Alamy Stock Photo

Alfred Cheetham and Tom Crean.

Image Credit: Royal Geographical Society/Alamy Stock Photo

Cheetham served as third-officer and was known to be popular and cheerful. After the expedition, Cheetham returned home to Hull where he was informed that his son had been lost at sea. He then enlisted in the Mercantile Marine, serving on the SS Prunelle where, on 22 August 1918, the ship was torpedoed and Cheetham was killed. Crean had taken part in 3 major Antarctic expeditions with this being his last. After returning home to County Kerry, he retired from naval service, started a family and opened a pub.

Dr Leonard Hussey and Samson.

Image Credit: Royal Geographical Society/Alamy Stock Photo

The team was not just made up of humans, 100 dogs from Canada accompanied the crew. The dogs were cross-breeds from strong dogs including wolves, collies and mastiffs that would help pull crew and supplies across the ice. After the crew was left stranded on the ice, the men made the dogs igloos – or dogloos as the crew named them – for the dogs to live in. The men formed incredibly close bonds with their dogs.

Crean with the new puppies.

Image Credit: Royal Geographical Society/Alamy Stock Photo

During the expedition, puppies were born to ensure that the number of dogs was kept high for work.

After the Endurance sank and the men became trapped on the ice, they made the difficult decision to shoot the dogs. Shackleton said that “it was the worst job that we had had throughout the Expedition, and we felt their loss keenly”.

From left to right: James Wordie, Alfred Cheetham and Alexander Macklin washing the galley floor of the Endurance.

Image Credit: Royal Geographical Society/Alamy Stock Photo

Life aboard a ship could be hardwork and incredibly demanding. The conditions of work were even more challenging when facing the harsh climate of Antarctica.

Hurley captured a game of football that was played to pass the time.

Image Credit: Royal Geographical Society/Alamy Stock Photo

The frustrations felt by the crew after becoming trapped in the ice could have led to low morale. To keep their spirits up, the crew would play games including chess and enjoy dinners together.

The crew eating dinner together.

Image Credit: Royal Geographical Society/Alamy Stock Photo

Food was vital to the daily lives of the crew and would occupy their minds. It was important that the men had a hearty meal for energy and warmth but to also ensure that supplies were kept to last the entire expedition. You can see from this photograph that the crew appear to be tucking into a plate of baked beans! Shackleton and the crew even sat down for a Christmas dinner in 1914 that included a feast of turtle soup, christmas pudding, rum, stout and whitebait.

Observing the wreck of the Endurance.

Image Credit: Royal Geographical Society/Alamy Stock Photo

Despite their best efforts, the Endurance was eventually crushed by the ice on 27 October 1915. Remarkably, all members of the crew survived and enough supplies were saved to set up camps on the ice.

Members of the team arriving on Elephant Island.

Image Credit: Royal Geographical Society/Alamy Stock Photo

Due to the ice beginning to crack, the crew had to journey to a new location, Elephant Island, to make camp. After 497 days at sea in desperate search of land, they landed on Elephant Island on 15 April 1916.  Though the Island was not their first choice, due to its treacherous landscape and inhospitable climate, the men were overjoyed to finally be on land.

A hut was made on Elephant Island out of the two remaining boats Starcomb Wills and Dudley Docker which sheltered 22 men for 4 months. When food started to become scarce, the crew would hunt and eat the wildlife of Antarctica including seals and penguins. The crew also had to endure ill health and frostbite as well as not knowing if they will be rescued or if they will die before help arrives.

The hut that would be the home for 22 men for 4 months.

Image Credit: Royal Geographical Society/Alamy Stock Photo

Shackleton, knowing that if they did not get help the men would starve, decided to journey to South Georgia Island in search of help. He was accompanied by 5 members of the crew – Worsley, Crean, McNish, Vincent and McCarthy.

Shackleton Worsley, Crean, McNish, Vincent and McCarthy preparing to leave Elephant Island.

Image Credit: Royal Geographical Society/Alamy Stock Photo

After 4 months, Shackleton returned to his crew on Elephant Island. Through courage and determination, all 28 men of the Endurance survived.

The men cheering the rescue boat.

Image Credit: Royal Geographical Society/Alamy Stock Photo

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