Ernest Shackleton led the 1907 expedition to Antarctica on the Nimrod. The main objective of the journey was to reach the South Pole. He had tried before, sailing with Robert Scott on the Discovery expedition in 1902. On that occasion he had come to within 480 miles of the Pole.

Shackleton was born in County Kildare on February 15th 1874. At the age of 16 he joined his first ship sailing out of Liverpool. He progressed through the ranks and by the age of 24 he was qualified to command any British ship.  In 1900, Shackleton volunteered for the Robert Falcon Scott Antarctic Expedition. He was accepted as third lieutenant and sailed on the Discovery in 1901

It was not a successful voyage for Shackleton as he contracted scurvy and had to home aboard the relief ship Morning.  Shackleton was chosen to be leader of an expedition to leave for Antarctica in 1907 aboard the Nimrod and sailed for New Zealand on August 7th 1907.

From New Zealand, the Nimrod was towed towards Antarctica by the Koonya in order to save coal that would be needed once Nimrod met pack ice. An Australian geologist, Douglas Mawson was on the expedition. On January 14th 1908 they sighted their first iceberg, the Koonya cast her tow line off and Nimrod sailed on her own.

Their intended landing place, the Bay of Whales, was full of heavy pack ice and so they entered McMurdo Sound. Nimrod anchored some 16 miles from Hut point, the base used by Discovery. Shackleton had brought ponies and a motor car especially adapted for Antarctic conditions. The ponies did not fare well on the journey and were in poor condition. The temperature was now -20°C. Nimrod left the landing party and headed back towards New Zealand on February 22nd.

Scientific reading and observations began immediately. A party of six succeeded in the first ascent of the 13,200 ft volcano Mount Erebus. The base then settled in to winter life bracing themselves against the cold and wind.

Come the spring plans for sledging parties were put into action. Shackleton along with crew members Jameson Adams, Eric Marshall and Frank Wild would head south for the Pole.

Another party led by geologist Edgeworth David, with fellow geologist Douglas Mawson and biologist Alistair Mackay would set out for the southern magnetic pole, a  1260 mile journey. This latter party had no experience of Antarctic exploration at all and did not have the help of dogs or ponies, but set out on September 25th 1908. They had to ration themselves quite strictly by early November. Snow blindness, sunburn and frostbite made travelling difficult, but by January 15th 1909 they reached the southern magnetic pole and the Union Flag hoisted.

On the return journey they had to travel 17 miles a day in order to rendezvous with Nimrod at the prearranged point on February 5^th. On their approach they heard Nimrod signalling with a gun. By that afternoon, they were aboard the ship and luxuriating in the tea, food and being able to have a bath for the first time since September. David felt that had they had dogs, they could have completed the 1260 miles in half the time.

The polar party of Ernest Shackleton, Frank Wild, Eric Marshall, Jameson Adams left on October 29th 1908. Rations were very short and their weakest pony was shot for food on November 21^st. On November 26th they passed the previous furthest south point reached by Robert Scott in 1902.

Christmas was celebrated with some held back -  plum pudding, brandy, cigars and creme de menthe. By December 27th, they were on the polar plateau at an altitude of 10,200 feet suffering from a lack of food and  frostbite. Shackleton knew they only had a limited time because of lack of rations and their physical state. On January 9th they reached their furthest south point of 88°23'S, just 97 miles from the pole. The Union flag was planted and they then turned around and headed home.

On the journey back they made up to 29 miles a day. They reached Hut Point on 28^th February to find a note saying that the Nimrod was sheltering nearby at the Glacier Tongue.   They set  a hut alight to attract Nimrods attention and they were soon safe aboard. They had walked 1700 miles.

Shackleton landed back in New Zealand on 23 March 1909 and returned to London on 14^th June. He was made a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order by King Edward who later knighted him.