In Enduring Memory

The NZ Antarctic Society has bestowed a belated but heartfelt honour on Scotsman Harry McNeish, who was the carpenter aboard Ernest Shackleton’s Endurance on its ill-fated Antarctic voyage. A life-size sculpture of McNeish’s pet cat – Mrs Chippy – by NZ artist Chris Elliot was placed upon his grave at Karori Cemetery in a ceremony designed to acknowledge the important, and frequently forgotten, part he played in the expedition. McNeish was one of the only Endurance crew members not to receive the prestigious Polar Medal, despite ongoing attempts by friends and family to have him so honoured.