Ernest Shackleton

Lieutenant Charles Hare was a young British naval officer who made an extraordinarily elaborate escape from a French prisoner-of-war camp during the Napoleonic Wars... with the help of his English Terrier dog. Captured at just 14, Hare spent years in captivity before devising an audacious plan to flee dressed in the uniform of a French customs officer. He took a convoluted 'trains, planes and automobiles' style journey up the Rhine, through Germany, to the Netherlands and finally back home to England, deceiving both locals and officials of his true identity. This tale of ingenuity and bravery was recently uncovered thanks to Hare's descendants, who recently handed over his disguise and firsthand account to the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich. Curator Dr Katherine Gazzard regales Dan with the story in a world-exclusive story when he visited the museum to see the uniform for himself. You can see Hare's disguise and discover more about his story at a new exhibition at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, and see it in our new History Hit documentary. Sign up HERE for 50% off for 3 months using code ‘DANSNOW’ to watch it. Produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal Patmore Other episodes mentioned in this episode: Thomas Cochrane: The Real Master and Commander We'd love to hear from you - what do you want to hear an episode on? You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com. You can take part in our listener survey here.

In 2022 Dan was part of the international expedition that went in search of Shackleton's lost shipwreck Endurance in the Weddell Sea in Antarctica; what they discovered on the sea floor was more extraordinary than anything they could have imagined. It was no easy task, the Weddell Sea is one of the most remote and inhospitable places on earth and the crew found themselves facing the same dangers as Shackleton and his men. Dan tells the behind-the-scenes story of the Endurance22 expedition- the perilous storms and sea ice, the agonising close calls, the penguins, and the international incident Dan nearly caused... Written by Dan Snow, produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal Patmore. This is the third episode in our Endurance season running through October & November to celebrate the release of the Endurance feature documentary on Disney+, Hulu and Nat Geo. For more Shackleton and Endurance content from History Hit, as well as AD-FREE content, sign up HERE for 50% off for 3 months using code ‘DANSNOW’. We'd love to hear from you - what do you want to hear an episode on? You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com. You can take part in our listener survey here. You can watch the behind the scenes story of the expedition on History Hit. 

He was one of the last men to see Antarctic Explorer Robert Scott alive and was Shackleton's right-hand man on the Endurance expedition. So why don't more people know the name Tom Crean? He was a steadfast and courageous Irishman whose legendary feats in Antarctica shaped the course of exploration history. Born in 1877, Crean joined the Royal Navy at 16 and his adventures took him to the perilous glaciers of the South Pole as he became an integral member of both Scott’s and Shackleton’s iconic Antarctic expeditions. Crean’s resilience shone in moments of crisis, from daring solo rescues in lethal blizzards to enduring sledge journeys that tested the limits of human endurance. Yet, despite his astonishing achievements, Crean remained grounded, returning to a quiet life in Ireland. Join Dan as he uncovers the incredible story of this unsung hero. Written by Dan Snow, produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal Patmore. You can discover more about the life and accomplishments of Tom Crean in Tim Foley's book 'Crean: The Extraordinary Life of an Irish Hero'. This is the second episode in our Endurance season running through October & November to celebrate the release of the Endurance feature documentary on Disney+, Hulu and Nat Geo. Other episodes mentioned in this show: Was Scott's Antarctic Expedition Sabotaged? For more Shackleton and Endurance content from History Hit, as well as AD-FREE content, sign up HERE for 50% off for 3 months using code ‘DANSNOW’. We'd love to hear from you - what do you want to hear an episode on? You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com. You can take part in our listener survey here.

The union between the nations of Great Britain goes back to 1707. On each side of the border, statesmen started to realise that a closer relationship offered solutions to problems both countries were facing: Scotland needed economic security and England needed political safeguards against French attacks. In this episode, Scottish historian Professor Murray Pittock talks Dan through the benefits and cracks in this 300-year-old union. Produced by Hannah Ward and edited by Dougal Patmore Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign up HERE for 50% off for 3 months using code ‘DANSNOW’. We'd love to hear from you - what do you want to hear an episode on? You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com. You can take part in our listener survey here.

In the late 17th century, Scotland tried to establish a colony in Panama - and it all went horribly wrong. In July 1698, a fleet of five ships departed from the Firth of Forth with some 1,200 people onboard. They were bound for the Isthmus of Panama, a paradise in Central America, and their goal was to establish Scotland's first colony - New Caledonia. It was a bold, desperate gamble, intended to save Scotland from financial ruin. But only one year later, most of the settlers were dead, and the colony had been abandoned. To tell us about the Darien scheme and how it all went wrong, we're joined by Douglas Watt, author of 'The Price of Scotland'. He explains what happened when the settlers arrived in Panama and the consequences for Scotland as a whole. Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore. Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign up HERE for 50% off for 3 months using code ‘DANSNOW’. We'd love to hear from you - what do you want to hear an episode on? You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com. You can take part in our listener survey here.