What is there to talk about on a Trek to the South Pole (Inn)?

In April the Cass MBA Expeditionary Society will undertake its first international Expedition of 2018 - a trek conceived to honour Tom Crean, an extraordinary man of the Heroic Age of Polar Exploration, central to three Expeditions and a unique witness to the leadership styles of Sir Robert Falcon Scott and Sir Ernest Shackleton.

Tom Crean left his family farm on Ireland's Dingle Peninsula and joined the Royal Navy at the age of 15. Some years later the ship on which he served docked in New Zealand a few days before Scott's Discovery Expedition to Antarctica (1901–04) and after an able seaman deserted, he took his chance and volunteered. A fellow Irishman - although a sub lieutenant - was also aboard Discovery, Ernest Shackleton.  Ultimately the attempt to explore the route to the South Pole was unsuccessful and Shackleton - among several others - sent home unfit on a relief ship. Crean's contribution during the at times very harrowing experience was noted "an Irishman with a fund of wit and an even temper which nothing disturbed" and he was promoted on return to normal duties on Scott's recommendation.

Returning to normal naval life - and serving with Scott- he was with him when news that Shackleton's Nimrod Expedition had nearly reached the Pole (1907-1909). The rivalry between the two is well known and Scott is known to have remarked, "I think we'd better have a shot next". Crean - with a reputation for hard work and good humour - was among the first Scott recruited for the Terra Nova Expedition (1911-13). Central to the party and one of few with polar experience, during this expedition, Crean undertook a 56 km solo rescue mission across the Ross Ice Shelf to save the life of scientist Edward Evans. Scott's attempt on the Pole was unsuccessful and Crean among the search party who found their remains. He later wrote, referring to Scott in typical understated fashion, he had "lost a good friend".

Crean's third and final Antarctic adventure was as second officer on Shackleton's Imperial Trans- Antarctic Expedition. Their ship, Endurance became first trapped, then eventually crushed by ice and the entire ship's company spent 492 days adrift on sea ice before a desperate journey in open boats to Elephant Island. Crean was then chosen by Shackleton to sail on with him 1,500 km from Elephant Island seek rescue on South Georgia. It took 17 days in gales and snow squalls, a tremendous feat of navigation. They landed on the uninhabited southern coast, the boat now rudderless and decided the risk of sailing along the coast was too great. Some of the men could not travel any further. The three fittest— Shackleton, Crean, and Frank Worsley—then trekked - no sleeping bags nor tents - for 48km across the mountainous, glaciated landscape to the nearest manned whaling station. They arrived the "world's dirtiest men" according to Worsley, to the amazement of the whalers and wasted no time organizing the rescue of all their colleagues. 

After these astonishing adventures, Crean served out his time in the Royal Navy before eventually returning to Dingle. He and his wife opened a small public house. I hope you have guessed its name? He put his medals away, Throughout his life, Crean remained an extremely modest man and never again spoke about his experiences in the Antarctic.

Hence our own small Cass MBA Leadership Expedition will be trekking the Dingle Peninsula and visiting the Blasket Islands before arriving at Crean's South Pole on 18th April. Conversation will flow - success, failure, resilience, ambition, teamwork, risk, responsibility - Crean's remarkable experiences will be only the beginning. Our party will be made up of Cass MBA alumni, current students, Faculty and friends of the Programme. We'll be led by our amazing Honorary Visiting Professor Dr Rodrigo Jordan, a mountaineer and leadership expert of world renown. 

There are still a few places available - so if you are a Cass Alumnus please don't miss this unique opportunity. Let me know! #LeadingTheAdventure.

If you would like to know more about Tom Crean, I strongly recommend The Story of Tom Crean Parts 1-4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWSkrfKeMuU