Thomas "Tom" Crean Biography and Timeline

Birth of Thomas Tom Crean

Birth of Thomas "Tom" Crean

Royal Navy Enlistment

Crean joins the Royal Navy as a boy second class and begins the naval career that eventually leads him to three Antarctic expeditions.

Role range: 1893-1920

First Sea-Going Assignment

Crean receives his first sea-going assignment aboard HMS Wild Swan, gaining practical naval experience before his later polar service.

Role range: 1893-1920

HMS Royal Arthur Service

Crean serves aboard HMS Royal Arthur during a tense British naval presence at Corinto while the Pacific Station flagship confronts unrest in Nicaragua.

Role range: 1893-1920

Discovery Expedition

Discovery sails for the Antarctic

Discovery Expedition

Discovery arrives in McMurdo Sound, where she anchors at a spot designated as "Hut Point", & establish the base from which they will launch scientific and exploratory sledging journeys, Crean proves to be one of the most consistent man-haulers in the party

Discovery Expedition

Crean accompanies Lieutenant Michael Barne on three sledging trips across the Ross Ice Shelf, then known as the "Great Ice Barrier" including the 12-man party led by Barne which set out on 30 October 1902 to lay depots in support of the main southern journey undertaken by Scott, Shackleton and Edward Wilson

Discovery Expedition

The Barne party passes the previous furthest south mark,set by Carsten Borchgrevink in 1900 at 78 degrees 50S, a record which they held briefly until the southern party itself passed it on its way to an eventual 82 degrees 17S

Discovery Expedition

During the Antarctic winter of 1902 Discovery became locked in the ice, efforts to free her during the summer of 190203 failed, and although some of the expeditions members (including Ernest Shackleton) left in a relief ship, Crean and the majority of the party remained in the Antarctic until the ship was finally freed in February 1904

Polar Medal after Discovery Expedition

After returning from the Discovery expedition, Crean receives the Polar Medal and is promoted to petty officer first class for his Antarctic service.

Role range: 1901-1904

Terra Nova Expedition

After Shackleton's Nimrod Expedition fails to reach the South Pole despite setting a furthest-south record, Scott tells Crean that they should attempt the Pole themselves.

Terra Nova Crew

Joins Terra Nova as an experienced Antarctic seaman.

Role range: 1910-1913

Terra Nova Expedition Participation

Tom Crean accompanies Scott on the Terra Nova expedition, bringing experience gained during the earlier Discovery Expedition.

One Ton Depot Laying

Part of the 13-man party who laid "One Ton Depot" 130 statute miles (210 km) from Hut Point, the depot being named because of the large amount of food and equipment cached there.

One Ton Depot Laying

Crean participates in the depot-laying journey that establishes One Ton Depot for the later southern march.

Role range: 1910-1913

Sea Ice Rescue

Helps survive a dangerous sea-ice incident.

Role range: 1910-1913

Main Southern Party Departure

Crean begins the southern journey with the pony-supported groups travelling across the Barrier.

Role range: 1910-1913

Southern Journey Main Party

Crean leaves with the main southern party, contributing extensive sledging experience as the expedition advances toward the Beardmore Glacier.

Role range: 1910-1913

Barrier Stage of Southern Journey

The opening stage of the southern journey requires roughly 400 miles of travel across the Barrier before the party reaches the Beardmore Glacier.

Southern Journey Participation

Crean joins Scott's southern party. The route crosses the Barrier, climbs the crevassed Beardmore Glacier to the Polar Plateau, then continues across the plateau toward the South Pole.

Beardmore Glacier Ascent

The Beardmore Glacier stage covers about 120 miles and climbs to roughly 10,000 feet before the southbound party reaches the Polar Plateau.

One Ton Depot

Part of the 13-man party who laid "One Ton Depot" 130 statute miles (210 km) from Hut Point, the depot being named because of the large amount of food and equipment cached there

Last Supporting Party Begins Return

Crean turns north with Edward Evans and Lashly when Scott reduces the southbound group to the final five.

Role range: 1910-1913

Last Support Party Return

Begins the return journey with Evans and Lashly.

Role range: 1910-1913

Last Support Party Withdrawal

Crean helps haul the weakened Evans toward safety.

Role range: 1910-1913

Return from Polar Plateau

Turns back with Edward Evans and William Lashly.

Role range: 1910-1913

Crean Solo Rescue March

Crean begins a solitary 35-mile march to Hut Point to obtain help for the critically ill Edward Evans.

Role range: 1910-1913

Solo Rescue March

Walks alone to Hut Point to seek help for Evans.

Role range: 1910-1913

Edward Evans Rescue Journey

Crean and Lashly haul the severely ill Edward Evans north after the last supporting party turns back.

Role range: 1910-1913

Solo March to Hut Point

Crean walks the final distance alone to Hut Point to summon help for Edward Evans and Lashly.

Role range: 1910-1913

Search Party

Helps find the final camp of Scott's party.

Role range: 1910-1913

Polar Search Party

Crean joins the search that discovers the fate of Scott and companions, months after he last saw the southbound party alive.

Role range: 1910-1913

Terra Nova Returns to Britain

Crean returns to Britain with Terra Nova after surviving the Antarctic expedition and the demanding support journeys associated with Scott's polar attempt.

Role range: 1910-1913

Albert Medal for Edward Evans Rescue

Crean receives the Albert Medal for his role in saving Edward Evans after the dangerous return journey from the Polar Plateau.

Role range: 1910-1913

Endurance Expedition Appointment

Crean is appointed second officer for Shackleton's Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition aboard Endurance after the Stackhouse expedition is postponed.

Role range: 1914-1916

Endurance Departs Plymouth

Crean sails from Plymouth aboard Endurance as Shackleton's expedition begins its attempt to cross Antarctica from the Weddell Sea.

Role range: 1914-1916

Stackhouse Expedition Recruitment

Crean agrees to join Joseph Foster Stackhouse's planned Antarctic expedition, but the project is postponed before departure.

Role range: 1914-1914

Endurance Trapped in Pack Ice

Crean remains aboard Endurance after the ship becomes trapped in Weddell Sea pack ice and begins drifting with the frozen sea.

Role range: 1914-1916

Endurance Abandoned

Crean leaves Endurance with the expedition after crushing ice damages the vessel so severely that Shackleton orders the crew onto the pack.

Role range: 1914-1916

Endurance Sinks

Crean watches with the stranded expedition as Endurance finally sinks beneath the Weddell Sea after weeks of destructive ice pressure.

Role range: 1914-1916