Tom Crean (explorer)

Thomas (Tom) Crean, Irish Tomás Ó Croidheáin ( born July 20, 1877 in Annascaul, County Kerry, Ireland, † July 27, 1938 in Cork, County Cork, Ireland) was an Irish polar explorer, the 1901-1916 three expeditions the so-called " golden age of Antarctic Research " participated.

Life

From 1901 to 1904 Crean was a member of the Discovery Expedition led by Robert Falcon Scott and was appointed from that for the Terra Nova Expedition ( 1910-1913 ) to the conquest of the geographic South Pole. However, he was then not to Polbezwingern. 150 miles from the finish sent Scott another three people back, namely Crean, William Lashly and Edward "Teddy" Evans, who survived the over 750 miles exhausting march back. Crean completed the last 35 miles alone to get help and was also a member of the expedition team that was looking for Scott and his men, and ultimately found.

Crean was considered as a simple man; without much education, but physically and mentally strong. Along with Frank Wild Frank Worsley and he was one of the pillars on the Endurance Expedition ( 1914-1916 ) under the leadership of Ernest Shackleton. He belonged to the six-member team, which dared the legendary crossing from Elephant Iceland to South Georgia in the James Caird to rescue the remaining members of the expedition, and subsequently undertook together with Shackleton and Worsley forced march of King Haakon Bay to Stromness.

He should then also take part in Shackleton's Quest expedition ( 1921-1922 ), but abandoned and settled in Ireland. Later he ran in his birthplace a pub named " The South Pole Inn ", which is available today. He died in 1938 of a ruptured appendix.