Belgrave Edward Sutton Ninnis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Belgrave Ninnis
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| Born |
Belgrave Edward Sutton Ninnis
22 June 1887 |
| Died | 14 December 1912 (aged 25) Ninnis Glacier, George V Land
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| Known for | Australasian Antarctic expedition |
Belgrave Edward Sutton Ninnis (born June 22, 1887 – died December 14, 1912) was an English officer. He served in the Royal Fusiliers, a British army regiment. Ninnis was also an Antarctic explorer. He joined Douglas Mawson's 1911 Australasian Antarctic expedition.
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A Family of Explorers
Belgrave Ninnis came from a family of explorers. His father, also named Belgrave Ninnis, was a surgeon in the Royal Navy. He was part of the British Arctic Expedition in 1875–1876.
Ninnis's cousin, Aubrey Howard Ninnis, was also an Antarctic explorer. He sailed on the ship Terra Nova. This shows that exploring cold places ran in their family!
Journey to Antarctica (1911-1912)
Douglas Mawson, a famous explorer, planned a scientific trip to Antarctica. He bought a ship called the SY Aurora. In London, he gathered special equipment and 48 sledging dogs from Greenland.
Ninnis joined the expedition in London. His job was to look after the Greenland dogs. He sailed with the Aurora from London to Sydney.
A Special Friendship
On the voyage, Ninnis became good friends with Dr. Xavier Mertz. Mertz was a Swiss mountaineer. He also helped care for the dogs.
Ninnis wrote in his diary how much he admired Mertz. He called Mertz "the hardest and strongest man amongst us." He felt Mertz was "one of the finest... fellows I have ever met."
Another expedition member, Charles Laseron, noticed their bond. He said Mertz and Ninnis were always together. They were like "a composite entity," meaning they were a perfect team.
Life at the Base Camp
On December 2, 1911, Ninnis sailed from Hobart, Australia. The team set up a base at Macquarie Island. Then, on January 8, 1912, Ninnis landed in Antarctica. This was at Commonwealth Bay.
The team built a hut at Cape Denison. This was their main base for the winter. Ninnis and Mertz continued caring for the dogs. They also took turns cooking and being watchmen.
Ninnis helped design new harnesses for the dogs. He wanted to write about them in a special appendix. Sadly, he never finished it.
The Far Eastern Party
Ninnis was chosen for a three-person sledging team. This team was called the Far Eastern Party. The other members were Mawson and Mertz.
They left Cape Denison on November 10, 1912. Their goal was to explore King George V Land. Ninnis wrote in his last diary entry: "I must close my writing for now... for who know[s] what may happen."
A Tragic Accident
After three weeks, the party was crossing the Ninnis Glacier. Suddenly, Ninnis fell into a hidden crevasse. A crevasse is a deep crack in the ice.
Six dogs, most of their food, their tent, and other supplies fell with him. Mawson and Mertz saw two dogs on a ledge far below. But Ninnis was not seen again.
Mawson and Mertz called his name for three hours. They then held a short memorial service for their friend. They were heartbroken by the loss.
Mertz wrote in his diary: "We were standing, helplessly, next to a friend's grave." He called Ninnis "my best friend of the whole expedition."
Without Ninnis and their supplies, Mawson and Mertz faced a very difficult journey back.
Remembering Belgrave Ninnis
Belgrave Ninnis and Xavier Mertz are remembered with two memorials.
- A wooden cross stands at Cape Denison. It was put there by the expedition members.
- A second memorial was unveiled in 2021 in Hobart, Tasmania. This memorial honors both Ninnis and Mertz.
Ninnis's army sword was sold at auction in 2022. It was an Edward VII 1897 infantry officer's sword.
Images for kids
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Belgrave Ninnis, a brave explorer.
