In January 1914 Sir Ernest Shackleton's expedition started with the intention of crossing Antarctica - 'the last great journey on earth'. In December the ship Endurance entered the pack ice and edged southwards. By January 1915,his ship was trapped in the ice and her position became steadily worse until the 27th October when she was abandoned and sank. Shackleton and his men were forced to make a 600 mile treck across ice and ocean to solid land and then a 700 journey in an open boat to South Georgia, followed by an epic crossing of the uncharted mountains of that Island.
Though the expedition failed in its objectives, the heroic achievements resulting from its various disasters have deservedly been writ large in the history of Antarctica. Shackleton is seen inspecting the dogs to whom he was keenly attached. When, owing to the shortage of food, he had to order them to be shot he stated "it was the worst job we had throughout the expedition and we felt their loss keenly".