An unsung hero

the long version

"Exploration in Antarctica has produced many epic stories of endurance and survival, and Tom Crean was a central figure in some of the most incredible of them. Having run away from home as a youth, he went on to become one of the most indestructible heroes in Antarctic exploration. He played a key role in the dramatic events on three out of the four British expeditions in the heroic age of Polar exploration. He served Scott and Shackleton - bitter rivals - and outlived them both." "Tom Crean's is the great untold story of his era; now, his tale of adventure, heroism and survival against the odds is vividly brought to life. An Unsung Hero reveals how he volunteered for Polar exploration in 1901, was one of the last to see Scott alive before his ill-fated expedition reached the South Pole and returned to bury him in the snow a month later. It recounts the leading role Crean played in Shackleton's legendary Endurance expedition, during which he sailed the small open James Caird across the violent Southern Ocean, and his involvement in the historic crossing of South Georgia's glaciers to summon a rescue party."--Book jacket.