Aurora, moored in Commonwealth Bay

The Australasian Antarctic Expedition, under the leadership of Douglas Mawson, left Hobart, Tasmania, on 2 December 1911 in SY Aurora. Members of the expedition were organised into three parties, two in bases established on the Antarctic mainland and the third on the sub-Antarctic Macquarie Island. The Main Party base, under Mawson, was established at Cape Denison in Commonwealth Bay, at 67°0'S, 142°40'E. A Far Western party, under Frank Wild, was based on the Shackleton Ice Shelf, at 66°0'S, 100°E. The Macquarie Island base under George Ainsworth, as well as carrying out meteorological and other observations, acted as a wireless relay station connecting the Antarctic to Hobart.

Aurora, the expedition's ship, conducted a series of oceanographic surveys as part of the expedition and was captained by John King Davis, who also acted as the expedition's second-in-command.

Land parties

Main Base

Name[1][2] Age[1] Image Role[1] Notes
Edward Frederick Robert (Bob) Bage 23 Robert Bage Astronomer, assistant magnetician, recorder of tides. Member of party that remained for second winter, 1913[3] Bage served with the Royal Australian Engineers in the First World War, and died at Gallipoli on 7 May 1915.[4]
Francis Howard Bickerton 22 Frank Bickerton Engineer, and motor expert, in charge of air-tractor sledge Member of party that remained for second winter, 1913[3] Bickerton was selected for Sir Ernest Shackleton's Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition as motor engineer, but on the outbreak of war in August 1914 he joined the British army, serving in the Royal Flying Corps.[5]
John Close 40 John Close General duties; assistant collector, member of several sledging parties
Percy Correll 19 Percy Correll Mechanic, assistant physicist. Member of Eastern coastal sledging party Acted as photographer on Aurora's final cruise, 1913–14[6]
Walter Henry Hannam 26 Walter Hannam Wireless telegraphist, assistant magnetician Left base February 1913, replaced by Sidney Jeffryes[7][8]
Alfred Hodgeman 26 Alfred Hodgeman Cartographer, sketch artist, assistant meteorologist Member of party that remained for second winter, 1913[3]
John George Hunter 23 John Hunter Biologist Acted as biologist on Aurora's final cruise, 1913–14[7]
John Francis (Frank) Hurley 24 Frank Hurley Official photographer and cinephotographer Hurley was the official photographer accompanying Sir Ernest Shackleton's Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition, 1914–16, and returned to Antarctica in 1930 with the British Australian and New Zealand Antarctic Research Expedition (BANZARE).[9]
Sidney Jeffryes 27 Sidney Jeffryes Wireless operator, replacement for Walter Hannam Joined base February 1913.[8] Suffered mental breakdown; after the expedition he was confined to an asylum in Ararat, Victoria.[10] Died 1942.[11]
Charles Francis Laseron 25 Charles Laseron Taxidermist, biological collector. Participated in several sledging journeys
Cecil Thomas Madigan 22 Cecil Madigan Meteorologist, in charge of dogs during second season Member of party that remained for second winter, 1913[3]
Douglas Mawson 30 Douglas Mawson Geologist, expedition leader Only survivor of party of three sledging to east of base, 1912–13, Ninnis and Mertz having died.[12] Mawson returned to the Antarctic in 1929 and 1931 as leader of BANZARE.[13]
Archibald Lang McLean 26 Archibald McLean Chief medical officer, bacteriologist Member of party that remained for second winter, 1913.[3] Editor of "Adelie Blizzard" (expedition publication) during second season[12]
Xavier Mertz 28 Xavier Mertz With Ninnis, in charge of Greenland dogs Died 7 January 1913 during sledging journey[12]
Herbert Dyce Murphy 32 Herbert Murphy In charge of expedition stores Had been designated leader of a third Antarctic base that was not established.[12]
Belgrave Edward Sutton Ninnis 23 B. E. S. Ninnis With Mertz, in charge of Greenland dogs Died 14 December 1912, falling into a crevasse during sledging journey[14]
Frank Leslie Stillwell 23 Frank Stillwell Geologist
Eric Webb 22 Eric Webb Chief magnetician Webb was the last survivor of the expedition, dying on 23 January 1984, aged 94.[15]
Leslie Hatton Whetter 29 Leslie Whetter Surgeon

Western Base

Name[1][16] Age[1] Image Role[1] Notes
Charles Dovers 21 Charles Dovers Cartographer Member of western sledging journey that reached Gaussberg.[6]
Charles Harrisson 43 Charles Harrisson Biologist and Artist Accompanied Wild on eastern sledging journey.[7]
Charles Hoadley 24 Charles Hoadley Geologist Member of western sledging journey that reached Gaussberg.[7]
Sydney Evan Jones 24 Sydney Jones Medical officer Member of western sledging journey that reached Gaussberg.[17]
Alexander Lorimer Kennedy 22 Alexander Kennedy Magnetician and assistant cartographer Accompanied Wild on eastern sledging journey.[17]
Morton Henry Moyes 25 Morton Moyes Meteorologist Remained at base during the main sledging journeys.[12] In 1916, Moyes acted as navigator on Aurora during the rescue of the marooned Ross Sea party at the end of Shackleton's Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition. Moyes also participated in BANZARE in 1929–30.[18]
Andrew Douglas Watson 24 Andrew Watson Geologist Accompanied Wild on eastern sledging journey.[14]
John Robert Francis (Frank) Wild 38 Frank Wild Leader of Western party. Veteran of the Discovery Expedition, 1901–04, and the Nimrod Expedition, 1907–09, Wild was a member of Shackleton's Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition, 1914–16 and led the Elephant Island group. He was second-in-command of Shackleton's final expedition in the Quest, 1921–22, and acted as its leader after Shackleton's death in January 1922.[19]

Macquarie Island

Name[1] Age[1] Image Role[1] Notes
George Ainsworth 30 Leader, meteorologist Visited Antarctica during the final cruise of the Aurora, 1913–14.[20]
Leslie Blake 21 Cartographer and geologist Visited Antarctica during the final cruise of the Aurora, 1913–14.[21]
Harold Hamilton 26 Biologist Visited Antarctica during the final cruise of the Aurora, 1913–14.[7]
Charles Sandell 25 Wireless operator and mechanic Visited Antarctica during the final cruise of the Aurora, 1913–14.[14]
Arthur Sawyer 26 Wireless operator Left expedition in August 1913 due to illness.[14]

Aurora

Officers

Name[1] Age[1] Image Role[1] Notes
John Hamilton Blair 24 Chief officer, final Antarctic voyage
John King Davis 28 Master of Aurora and second-in-command of the expedition Davis had been chief officer, and later captain, of Nimrod during Shackleton's 1907–09 expedition. In 1916 he captained Aurora again, during the Ross Sea party rescue mission. In 1929–30 he captained Discovery during the first BANZARE year.[22]
Frank D. Fletcher Chief officer, second and third Aurora voyages, replacing Toutcher.[23]
F. J. Gillies 35 Chief engineer In 1916 Gillies served as chief engineer of Aurora during the Ross Sea party rescue mission.[24]
Percival Gray 22 Second and navigating officer
Clarence Petersen de la Motte 19 Third officer In 1916, served as Aurora's first officer during the Ross Sea party rescue mission.[25]
Norman Toutcher Chief officer, first Antarctic voyage, succeeded by Fletcher.[23]

Crew

More than 90 persons are listed by the Australian government's Antarctic Division as serving on Aurora during the duration of the expedition, including the crew that brought the ship from London to Australia in 1911. In general, the crews changed for each of the Antarctic cruises, but a few served on more than one cruise.[26]

Others

Mawson names several others who took part in one or more of the Aurora cruises, but were not members of the landing parties: Captain James Davis, a whaling authority; C.C. Eitel, the expedition's secretary; T.T. Flynn, biologist; E.R. Waite, biologist; J. van Waterschoot, marine artist.[20]

References

Citations

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Mawson 2008, pp. 514–521.
  2. ^ Expedition personnel, Denison.
  3. ^ a b c d e Riffenburgh 2009, p. 149.
  4. ^ Expedition personnel, Bage.
  5. ^ Expedition personnel, Bickerton.
  6. ^ a b Mawson 2008, p. 516.
  7. ^ a b c d e Mawson 2008, p. 517.
  8. ^ a b Riffenburgh 2009, p. 146.
  9. ^ Expedition personnel, Denison, p. (Hurley).
  10. ^ Riffenburgh 2009, p. 179.
  11. ^ Cansdale 19 October 2018.
  12. ^ a b c d e Mawson 2008, p. 519.
  13. ^ Jacka 1986.
  14. ^ a b c d Mawson 2008, p. 520.
  15. ^ Expedition personnel, Webb.
  16. ^ Expedition personnel, Western Party.
  17. ^ a b Mawson 2008, p. 518.
  18. ^ Expedition personnel, Western Party, p. (Moyes).
  19. ^ Expedition personnel, Western Party, p. (Wild).
  20. ^ a b Mawson 2008, p. 514.
  21. ^ Mawson 2008, p. 515.
  22. ^ Béchervaise 1986.
  23. ^ a b Aurora officers, p. (Fletcher).
  24. ^ Aurora officers, p. (Gillies).
  25. ^ Aurora officers, p. (de la Motte).
  26. ^ Aurora crew 1911–14.

Sources

  • Béchervaise, John (1986). "Davis, John King (1884–1967)". Australian Dictionary of National Biography Vol. 10. Australian National University. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
  • Cansdale, Dominic (19 October 2018). "Douglas Mawson's colleague with schizophrenia remembered in sad footnote to epic Antarctic expedition". ABC Ballarat. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
  • "Home of the Blizzard: the People (Bage)". Australian Government: Dept. of the Environment and Energy, Australian Antarctic Division. 26 October 2011. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
  • "Home of the Blizzard: the People (Bickerton)". Australian Government: Dept. of the Environment and Energy, Australian Antarctic Division. 26 October 2011. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
  • "Home of the Blizzard: the People (Denison)". Australian Government: Dept. of the Environment and Energy, Australian Antarctic Division. 26 October 2011. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
  • "Home of the Blizzard: the People (Webb)". Australian Government: Dept. of the Environment and Energy, Australian Antarctic Division. 26 October 2011. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  • "Home of the Blizzard: the People (Western Party)". Australian Government: Dept. of the Environment and Energy, Australian Antarctic Division. 30 October 2011. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
  • "Home of the Blizzard: People of the Aurora". Australian Government: Dept. of the Environment and Energy, Australian Antarctic Division. 30 October 2011. Archived from the original on 31 May 2011. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
  • "Home of the Blizzard: Men of the Aurora". Australian Government: Dept. of the Environment and Energy, Australian Antarctic Division. 30 October 2011. Archived from the original on 31 May 2011. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  • Jacka, F.J. (1986). "Mawson, Sir Douglas (1882–1958)". Australian Dictionary of National Biography Vol. 10. Australian National University. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
  • Mawson, Douglas (2008) [1915]. The Home of the Blizzard: being the story of the Australasian Antarctic Expedition, 1911-1914. Oxford: Benediction Classic. ISBN 978-1-84902-172-2.
  • Riffenburgh, Beau (2009) [2008]. Racing with death: Douglas Mawson—Antarctic Explorer. London, New York and Berlin: Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7475-9671-4.

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