True Life Tuesday: The Franklin Expedition

Another story that shows just how dangerous the expeditions our forefathers and foremothers took.

The Franklin Expedition was led by Sir John Franklin from 1845 to 1848. They were trying to find the Northwest Passage through Canada. All 129 crew members along with the two ships - the Erebus and the Terror - were lost. After the British Navy launched the most extensive search effort in its history.  Few bodies were recovered and the ships would not be found for many years.

James Franklin along with his senior officers - Francis Crozier and James Fitzjames - had years of polar exploration experience. The ships were also reinforced against the extreme elements they would face. The expedition left Britain on May 19, 1845. Franklin helmed the Erebus and Crozier helmed the Terror. They stopped in western Greenland for supplies and then continued on towards Canada. The ships were seen by two whaling ships in Late July 1845 in Baffin Bay, Canada. This is the last time they were seen by Europeans.

After 2 years of no word from the expedition Franklin's wife, Lady Jane Franklin, convinced the government to launch a search expedition. Both overland and sea expeditions were made but only a few artifacts and remains were located. Forensic work eventually determined that the men died of starvation, scurvy and lead poisoning. There were also marks on the bones indicating cannibalism. Eventually there were some notes from the ships found. The documents stated that Franklin died on June 11, 1847. Crozier, Fitzjames and the remaining crew abandoned the ships and were heading to Back River over 248 miles away. The Inuit people told the search expedition that they saw the men and where to locate them but the British dismissed them. In 2014 the remains or the Erebus were found in Queen Kaul Gulf and the Terror was found in Terror Bay. Both of these locations are off of King William Island. Exactly what happened to the crew is still unknown.