British Sledge Party, Arctic, 1850

Western division of sledges from the Austin expedition of 1850-1851. Sledge teams from the Resolute hauling their sledges across the ice, with the assistance of sails and kites. In 1850 Captain Austin was sent, with HMS Resolute and HMS Assistance, to the Arctic to search for signs of Sir John Franklin's ill-fated Arctic expedition of 1845. In 1845 the British Admiralty sent two polar exploration ships, HMS Erebus and HMS Terror, to look for the Northwest passage round the northern coast of Canada. The expedition, commanded by Sir John Franklin, disappeared from view late in 1845 and none of the men were ever seen again. In fact the ships made it to the King William Island region, then got stuck in the ice. With supplies running out the surviving crew abandoned ship and headed south. However, none made it to safety and it is assumed all died from disease, exposure or starvation. From 1848 onwards a number of relief expeditions were sent to find Franklin, but it was only in 1859 that Francis Leopold McClintock was able to confirm Franklin's fate

Admiralty Assistance Assumed Commanded Confirm Disappeared Erebus Expeditions Exposure Fact Fate Fated Franklins Hauling Kites Mcclintock None Northwest Onwards Resolute Sails Sledge Sledges Starvation Stuck Surviving Teams

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