The Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition was an attempt to cross the Antarctic continent led by Ernest Shackleton.
The personnel were divided into two groups: the Weddell Sea party consisting of the men who would attempt the crossing and their support, and the Ross Sea party whose job it was to lay stores on the far side of the Pole for the members of the Weddell Sea party who would make the crossing.
The Weddell Sea party's ship Endurance was crushed in pack ice and the crossing attempt was never made.
After Endurance was lost, the Weddell Sea party spent some months camped on the ice before making for Elephant Island in the three lifeboats salvaged from the vessel, the James Caird, the Dudley Docker and the Stancomb Wills.
Some of the original crew left the expedition to sign up when war was declared with Germany,[a] and others returned to England after the ship put in at Buenos Aires.