Ирландская полярная ассоциация присвоила Гарри Макнишу первую в истории полярную медаль

WHAT a pleasure it was at the weekend to receive a letter from New Zealand telling me that Harry McNish had been awarded the first ever Polar medal by the Irish Polar Association, a relatively new organisation. Note that the award was from Ireland and not from Britain, which has steadfastly refused to overturn Shackleton’s act of refusing the medal for McNish. So what has caused the difference in the two countries’ approaches, and which do I support? Some background. Harry McNish was appointed carpenter on Shackleton’s ship, the Endurance, in 1914. The ship carried sailors and a group of scientists charged with examining and reporting on the flora and fauna of Antarctica from the Weddell Sea to the Ross peninsula by way of the South Pole. READ MORE: Prospect raises fears over 'shortsighted' Bannockburn revamp Prospects were not good. Shackleton was told by whalers that there was only a 50/50 chance of getting up the Weddell sea because of it being almost blocked by ice floes, and that then there was only a 50/50 chance of getting back down. Nevertheless, Shackleton went ahead with his plans. The ship sank but the men managed onto an ice floe with three lifeboats, provisions and some equipment. From there, life became unbearable. Shackleton’s plan was for the men to haul the three loaded boats over rough icy terrain: the dogs meant for haulage had all been killed to preserve the food supply for the men. One man stood out and declared: “Enough, no further. Our only means of survival are the boats, and they are being ruined.” And that man was Harry McNish. The other men agreed with him and Shackleton faced a full-scale revolt. To bring them onside, Shackleton offered improved conditions and benefits when they got back to civilisation, which the men accepted, leaving Harry alone. Two days later Shackleton appreciated that he was wrong and McNish was right. He called a halt to the march. The men made their way to the sea and over to Elephant Island. READ MORE: Fury as historic cast-iron metalwork 'smashed to pieces' in Glasgow It was decided that the only option open to them was to sail a boat over to South Georgia, where there was a manned whaling station and help could be found. Here Harry came into his own, not only repairing but remodelling the largest boat, the James Caird. One important change he made was to raise the sides of the boat by several inches to cope with the violent seas off Antarctica. The work was carried out in freezing cold water. He had few tools and made his own sealant. All in all, it took ten days and nights to complete the job. The boat sailed successfully to South Georgia and three men then made their way across the island to the whaling station. All men were then rescued. The work and effort of Harry McNish were well beyond what might be expected from most people, and the working conditions were abominable. These factors would sway most people into approving a polar medal from Britain to Harry McNish. Shackleton’s rejection of McNish is completely unacceptable. He might well have felt a working-class man had no right to question his decisions. But his decisions had already been shown to be disastrous: ignoring the advice of the whalers and getting the men to haul the boats over rough, icy ground. The fact that a British unelected group can determine whether Harry McNish should be awarded a polar medal or not is more worrying. What makes them tick? Margaret Cuthbert Edinburgh