James Wordie, geologist and head of scientific staff, who gave Shackleton his own money for fuel when the expedition’s finances ran short. Leonard Hussey, meteorologist and banjo player. Reginald James, physicist. Robert Clark, biologist, who lost all his scientific specimens when the ship went down. Frank Hurley, official photographer, the only member of the crew Shackleton had hired without an interview.
George Marston, official artist, who gave up his oil paints to help caulk the James Caird. Thomas Orde-Lees, motor expert and storekeeper, whose diary is one of the most valuable first-hand records of the ordeal and who was, by most accounts, widely disliked by the other crew members — which suggests the diary is probably more honest than some of the others.
Henry McNish, carpenter. Charles Green, the cook who kept 28 men fed through conditions that would have defeated almost any improvised kitchen. Walter How, able seaman. William Bakewell, able seaman, an American who had been passing as Canadian to avoid complications with British crew regulations. Timothy McCarthy, able seaman. Thomas McLeod, able seaman, who had been at sea since age 14 and had served on Scott’s Terra Nova.
John Vincent, able seaman, frostbitten and incapacitated on the James Caird crossing. Ernest Holness, stoker, who nearly drowned when the ice cracked beneath him and was saved by Shackleton in the dark. William Stephenson, stoker, whose job ended the day the ship’s engines became useless. And Percy Blackborow, stowaway, steward, first to land on Elephant Island, and the man who lost his toes.