Tom Crean: The Unsung Irish Hero of the Antarctic

Tom Crean: The Unsung Irish Hero of the Antarctic

He was one of the last men to see Antarctic Explorer Robert Scott alive and was Shackleton's right-hand man on the Endurance expedition. So why don't more people know the name Tom Crean? He was a steadfast and courageous Irishman whose legendary feats in Antarctica shaped the course of exploration history. Born in 1877, Crean joined the Royal Navy at 16 and his adventures took him to the perilous glaciers of the South Pole as he became an integral member of both Scott’s and Shackleton’s iconic Antarctic expeditions. Crean’s resilience shone in moments of crisis, from daring solo rescues in lethal blizzards to enduring sledge journeys that tested the limits of human endurance. Yet, despite his astonishing achievements, Crean remained grounded, returning to a quiet life in Ireland. Join Dan as he uncovers the incredible story of this unsung hero.


Written by Dan Snow, produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal Patmore.


You can discover more about the life and accomplishments of Tom Crean in Tim Foley's book 'Crean: The Extraordinary Life of an Irish Hero'.


This is the second episode in our Endurance season running through October & November to celebrate the release of the Endurance feature documentary on Disney+, Hulu and Nat Geo.


Other episodes mentioned in this show:

Was Scott's Antarctic Expedition Sabotaged?


For more Shackleton and Endurance content from History Hit, as well as AD-FREE content, sign up HERE for 50% off for 3 months using code ‘DANSNOW’.


We'd love to hear from you - what do you want to hear an episode on? You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com.


You can take part in our listener survey here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jaksot(1487)

The Kamikaze Pilots

The Kamikaze Pilots

Please note, this episode contains discussion of suicide. By October 1944, the Japanese were in real trouble. The Allies had made great strides in their Pacific island-hopping campaign and were advanc...

27 Huhti 202428min

Rwandan Genocide Explained

Rwandan Genocide Explained

Warning: This episode contains some upsetting descriptions of human suffering.The Rwandan Genocide is a dark and pivotal moment in modern history; the catastrophic consequence of ethnic division and g...

23 Huhti 202448min

Pontius Pilate

Pontius Pilate

Pontius Pilate was the Roman Prefect of Judea during the reign of Emperor Tiberius and is most famous for condemning Jesus of Nazareth to death by crucifixion in the Four Gospels. But who really was h...

22 Huhti 202446min

The Battle of Crécy

The Battle of Crécy

The English won a decisive battlefield victory over the French in the first decade of the Hundred Years' War. At the Battle of Crécy, an outnumbered English army went up against thousands of French mo...

21 Huhti 202431min

Iran & Israel: From Allies to Enemies

Iran & Israel: From Allies to Enemies

On the 1st of April, 2024, a presumed Israeli airstrike destroyed the Iranian consulate in Damascus, killing 13 people. Amongst them was a Brigadier General of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard ...

20 Huhti 202438min

Mao's China, The Berlin Wall and WWII Egypt: Witnessing History with Peter Snow

Mao's China, The Berlin Wall and WWII Egypt: Witnessing History with Peter Snow

As a foreign correspondent for ITN in the 70s, Peter Snow remembers handing tins of film to strangers on airport runways, hoping they would take it back to Britain to hand over to his colleagues on th...

16 Huhti 202422min

The Battle of El-Alamein Explained

The Battle of El-Alamein Explained

Fought in the second half of 1942, the Battles of El Alamein were a series of climactic confrontations in Egypt between British Imperial and Commonwealth forces and a combined German and Italian army....

16 Huhti 202441min

The Trial of Charles I

The Trial of Charles I

In the mid-17th century, King Charles I of England was put on trial for treason against the sovereign state. Such a process involved a singular determination by Parliament to find a way, through due l...

14 Huhti 202444min

Suosittua kategoriassa Historia

olipa-kerran-otsikko
gogin-ja-janin-maailmanhistoria
mayday-fi
huijarit
mystista
tsunami
totuus-vai-salaliitto
rss-ikiuni
konginkangas
rouva-diktaattori
rss-subjektiivinen-todistaja
rss-i-dont-like-mondays-2
sotaa-ja-historiaa-podi
rss-peter-peter
tiedetta-ja-sirkushuveja-vanhojen-aikojen-podcast
rss-kirkon-ihmeellisimmat-tarinat
rss-iltanuotiolla
maailmanpuu
romani-podcast
rss-sattuu-sita-suomessakin