An expedition in the footsteps of Sir Ernest Shackleton's daring rescue from his 1914 endurance expedition to Antartica. Taking 2 wounded soldiers from the British Army, celebrating the 100th anniversary.

On 9 October 2014 Justin Packshaw, David Hempleman-Adams, Corporal Ollie Bainbridge MC and Lance Corporal Keith Harbridge will set off on this extraordinary challenge sailing 2000 miles through the southern ocean to South Georgia and then climb/walk across it.

Packshaw and Hempleman-Adams are keen to use the expedition to highlight how inspirational our wounded soldiers are and to raise awareness for wounded soldiers and conservation.

Cpl Ollie Bainbridge MC has completed 2 tours of Afghanistan.  During his second tour, whilst deployed with the Brigade Reconnaissance Force he won the Military Cross.  This was awarded to Cpl Bainbridge MC for “a display of personal courage, selfless commitment and inspired leadership. Cpl Bainbridge MC was the commander of an armoured Jackal vehicle that was leading a convoy in Helmand Province, Afghanistan when it hit an Improvised Explosive Device.  In the ensuing fire-fight Cpl Bainbridge MC controlled the situation, personally shielded injured an injured colleague and organised a casualty evacuation.  The following month he was blown up by a grenade as he fought insurgents in a compound, shattering his elbow and hitting his leg with shrapnel.

LCpl Keith Harbridge joined the Royal Dragoon Guards in 2008 and was allocated to C Sqn where he served as a CVR(T) driver, completing BATUS and other major exercises.  In 2010 he deployed with C Sqn on Op Herrick 12 to Afghanistan serving in a dismounted ground holding role in Nad-E-Ali in several patrol bases before being assigned to B Sqn to assist with mobility Troop.  It was whilst with B Sqn he was wounded by a grenade attack that left him with a long term ear and balance injury.  He returned back with C Sqn and was moved to the SQMS Department due to injury.   He has since completed numerous armoured and dismounted exercises and has trained for UK support operations, specifically Op Escalin.

The team embark on this historical expedition in the hope that funds can be raised to create what will be a world leading clinical rehabilitation centre for the armed forces and for civilians here in the UK.

The Defence and National Rehabilitation Centre (DNRC) as it’s known will build on the remarkable achievements of the existing military establishment, Headley Court in Surrey.  Headley Court has served the nation well for over 65 years, but is now reaching the limit of its ability to exploit the latest advances in technology and science that promise to revolutionize rehabilitative medicine.  The site is the Stanford Hall Estate in Nottinghamshire.  Set in 145 hectares, the estate has the potential over the coming decade to accommodate extensive and high-quality facilities for the delivery of military and civilian rehabilitation.

A DNRC will build on the remarkable achievements of Headley Court by offering substantial improvement in virtually all areas.  It will combine neurological, complex trauma and a full suite of rehabilitative facilities together on one site, bringing benefits that could make the establishment unique in the world in many respects.  Such excellence in rehabilitation medicine would provide a significant platform for practical application, research and development in what is now a fast moving field of science and technology. When completed in 2017 the DNRC will have a dramatic impact on the lives of armed forces people and could be game-changing in the rehabilitation medicine field world wide.