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"Erebus" by Michael Palin (of Monty Python fame) is also worth a read. The Erebus and Terror may be famous for their end, but they should be equally famous for
by beloch 2y ago
"Erebus" by Michael Palin (of Monty Python fame) is also worth a read. The Erebus and Terror may be famous for their end, but they should be equally famous for their careers leading up to that point. Palin covers their origins as bomb ships that were built for the Napoleonic wars, their service in the war of 1812 against the U.S., and their resurrection from mothballs as polar exploration vessels. They journeyed to the Antarctic as part of the Ross expedition in between trips to the far North.
It's amazing to think that such storied vessels are still so well preserved that archaeologists hope written materials may soon be recovered from them.
- photonthug 2y agoTangent, but one weird thing that stuck in my mind after reading some of the background is the connection with the resolute desk used by many US presidents, made from timber from the hms resolute which also had a legendary career, and which was ultimately lost while looking for Franklin, Erebus, and Terror. Maybe history is just one damned thing after another, as they say.. but that just makes the minutiae and coincidences more amusing.