News

‘We quite expected our ship to sink, so we spent the night in the lifeboats in a very rough sea. Fortunately our ship did not sink, so we went back to her and got her here after a struggle. I shall never forget it I assure you.’

John Henry Colley, 3rd Engineer, S.S. Tanfield

James McIlroy was the Quest expedition’s surgeon and long-time friend and comrade of Ernest Shackleton. He was with Shackleton when he died suddenly at Grytviken harbour off South Georgia in the early hours of 5th January 1922.

James McILroy and Ernest Shackleton

The 'K2' compass – made by Henry Barrow (1790-1870), one of the finest scientific instrument makers of the 19th century. The connection to the second highest mountain in the world is to be found in the name engraved on the brass case - 'T. G. Montgomerie'. . .

Captain Montgomerie and the K2 Compass

'Orders have just arrived saying we are to go into the trenches for Xmas-Day which from my point of view is very disappointing, I had been hoping to spend it in billets. I should hate to be killed on Xmas-day it would not be right at all. It is freezing hard now’.

Lieutenant Charles Brockbank, Christmas 1914

"No need for me to look askance,
Since no regret my prospect mars,
My day was happy—and perchance
The coming night is full of stars."

Richard Dennys, The Somme, 1916

"The most dangerous two minutes I shall live to see" 

Winston Churchill, Omdurman, September 1898