STOOD BY HEROES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 227, 25 September 1930, Page 8

STOOD BY HEROES.

ANTARCTIC VETERAN PASSES.

LEFT IN CHARGE BY

SHACKLETON.

OLD DOG-EARED DIARY.

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent)

WELLINGTON, Wednesday.

One of the few persons who have taken part in two expeditions to the Antarctic, Mr. Harry McNeish, died in the Wellington Hospital to-day, at the age of 64 years. He had been .in the Ohiro Home for some years and went into hospital about a week ago. He was a meniber of the expeditions led to Antarctica by the. late Captain R. F. Scott and Sir Ernest Shacklcton. Mr.' McNpish was born in Irvine, Ayrshire, in 1860. After spending, some time at sea he joined the Navy, and was a ship's carpenter for 23 yeare. He then went to Dundee and worked on the building of the expedition ehip Discovery, 'which' Svas to go south with Captain Scott,'and joined her as.carpenter. Mr. McNeish' wae on the Discovery at Hut Point until Captain Scott returned from the Beardmore Glacier. After returning to England, Mr. Me-' Neish. served with the Royal Mail Line, when ihe was called to join.the Endurance as carpenter for another Antarctic expedition in 1914 with Sir Ernest Shackleton. Mr. McNeish shared the adventure of the crew when she was crushed in the ice in the Weddel Sea in October, 1915, and when the crew dragged three boats over the ice for about 20 miles to open water. The 28 men then set sail for Elephant Island, when, after a stay of four days, six of the men set sail for South Georgia, where they got assistance. Mr. McNeish returned to England and then went to sea with the New Zealand Shipping Company, making about five trips to the Dominion. Story of Adventure. One of Mr. McNeish's most treasured possessions was a small diary, dog-eared and stained. The first entry is dated "South Georgia,, December 5, 1914." There are some entries in a shaky hand and a final entry in the firm hand of Sir Ernest Shackleton, who gave the following order to McNeish: "May 16, South Georgia. H. McNeish. Sir,—l am about to try and reach Husvik, on the East Coast of this island, for reliet for our party. I am leaving you in charge of the party, consisting of V liicent McCarty and yourself., You will remain here until relief arrives, You have ample seal food which you can supplement with birds and fish according to vour skill. You arc left with a double-barrelled gun, 50 cartridge?, 40 to 50 Bovril sledging rations and 40 Streimers' nut food. You also have all necessary equipment to support life for an indefinite period. In the event of my non-return you had better, after the winter is' over, try and sail round to tW east coast. The course I am making toward Huevik is east magnetic. I trust to: have you relieved nV a -few daye _.Yours faithfully, E. H. Shackleton." . ;. ... Soldiers' Funeral. •• : 4t a late hour last night Mr, McNeish died, and the fact that he had neither known relatives, in New Zealand nor money -was, brought to the notice or an o-acer of the Defence Department, who said that if it was possible a gun carriage and : ring party would be supplied. It.is very probable that the, R.S.A. will also be represented. There is only a skeleton crew on board H.M.s. Dunedin at present, most of the crew being at Trentham for the annual musketry couree, but it is hoped that the ship may also be represented at the funeral in view of the fact that deceased was a naval man.