The Heroic Antarctic Explorers and the South African (2nd Anglo-Boer) War

ABSTRACT / SAMEVATTTING

As the Anglo-Boer (South African) War (ABW) – 1899 to 1902 – took place in the middle of what is known as the Heroic Era of Antarctic Exploration – 1895 to 1922- it is not surprising that many men (about 20) took part in both events. Less well known, however, is that for several of the prominent Antarctic explorers, it was the ABW that, either directly or indirectly, was responsible for their subsequent careers as explorers. They are
Sir Ernest Shackleton – nowadays considered the most famous of the Antarctic explorers. He was only able to join Scott’s first Antarctic expedition on Discovery as a result of meeting a young lieutenant when his ship, Tintagel Castle, was commandeered as a troopship during the ABW.
Frank Wild, Shackleton’s 2-i-C and most experienced of all the Antarctic explorers. He was only able to be selected for Discovery as he had enlisted in the Royal Navy. This was due to a threat that Germany would join the war on the Boer’s side and his younger brother has died in Kroonstad during the War.
Ernest Joyce – the only person, other than Frank Wild, to have four bars on his Polar Medal. He was serving on HMS Gibraltar in Simons Town during the ABW when selected by Scott to replace seamen from Discovery who had been sent back to the UK for disciplinary reasons.
John King Davis – the most celebrated of the sailing skippers of the Heroic Era. When in Cape Town during the ABW he was afforded the opportunity to “run away to sea” that led to his signing on to a sailing ship.
Lawrence Oates – a member of Scott’s fateful Polar Party who famously left their tent in a blizzard to increase the chances of his companions’ survival. He was selected by Scott be in charge of the horses on his Terra Nova expedition as he was a member of an elite cavalry regiment- and he had only been able to join that regiment as a result of a shortage of officers during the ABW.
As the South African or 2nd Anglo- Boer War (1899-1902) occurred during what is known as the Heroic Era of Antarctic Exploration (1895-1922), it is not surprising that many men took part in both. (Table 1)

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