Lionel Greenstreet – one of Shackleton’s Antarctic explorers

Lionel GREENSTREET (1889-1979) – was the 1st officer aboard the Endurance, which was Ernest Shackleton’s boat during the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition (1914-17), also known as the Endurance Expedition.

Lionel Greenstreet served in the merchant navy and joined the Endurance just 24 hours before it left Plymouth, England. The original first officer had resigned in order to join the war effort (1st world war).

Lionel heard of the vacancy of First Officer on the Endurance from a friend while in Scotland, and wrote to Frank Worsley, the Captain of the Endurance in this regard. Worsley invited him to Plymouth where the Endurance was at the time and Greenstreet went for what he assumed was to be an interview for the position. On arrival, he was told the job was his and he should go to get his kit, he arrived back just half an hour before the ship sailed.

 

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