Michael Barne was an officer of the 1901-04 Discovery Expedition

Discovery Expedition

The British National Antarctic Expedition, 1901–04, generally known as the Discovery Expedition, was the first official British exploration of the Antarctic regions since James Clark Ross's voyage sixty years earlier...

 and was the last survivor of the expedition.

Early life

Barne was born at Sotterley Park

Sotterley

Sotterley, originally Southern-lea from its situation south of the river, is a parish in the English county of Suffolk, located approximately south-east of Beccles and east of Willingham St Mary and Shadingfield. The parish is primarily agricultural with a dispersed population of 110...

, Suffolk

Suffolk

Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...

 the son of Frederick Barne

Frederick St John Newdigate Barne

Frederick St John Newdigate Barne was a British army officer and a Conservative politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1876 to 1885....

 and his wife Lady Constance Adelaide Seymour, daughter of Francis Seymour, 5th Marquess of Hertford

Francis Seymour, 5th Marquess of Hertford

Francis George Hugh Seymour, 5th Marquess of Hertford GCB PC , known as Francis Seymour until 1870, was a British courtier and Conservative politician...

. His father was Member of Parliament

Member of Parliament

A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...

 for East Suffolk. He was educated at Stubbington School in preparation for the Navy

Royal Navy

The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...

, which he entered the service as a Midshipman

Midshipman

A midshipman is an officer cadet, or a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Kenya...

 in 1893. In 1898 he was commissioned

Officer (armed forces)

An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...

 to serve aboard HMS Porcupine.

Selected for “Discovery”

In 1901 he was appointed by Scott

Robert Falcon Scott

Captain Robert Falcon Scott, CVO was a Royal Navy officer and explorer who led two expeditions to the Antarctic regions: the Discovery Expedition, 1901–04, and the ill-fated Terra Nova Expedition, 1910–13...

 as Second Lieutenant to the Polar Expedition. Despite suffering frostbite Barne made copious notes throughout his three years with the expedition, both about general conditions and his specialist fields( magnetronemy

Magnetometer

A magnetometer is a measuring instrument used to measure the strength or direction of a magnetic field either produced in the laboratory or existing in nature...

 and Soundings). Scott rated his ability to calm possible tensions highly.Barne Inlet,a 17 mile(28.74km) wide feature on the Western side of the Ross Ice Shelf

Ross Ice Shelf

The Ross Ice Shelf is the largest ice shelf of Antarctica . It is several hundred metres thick. The nearly vertical ice front to the open sea is more than 600 km long, and between 15 and 50 metres high above the water surface...

 he discovered is named after him. He was awarded the Polar Medal for his contribution to the expedition.

Post Antarctic career

Marrying on his return from the Antarctic Barne returned to active service with command of the Coquette,, but still corresponded with Scott about modes of transport for future expeditions. During the First World War, he was awarded the DSO

Distinguished Service Order

The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...

 while commanding Monitor M27, finally retiring in 1919 with the rank of Captain

Captain (nautical)

A sea captain is a licensed mariner in ultimate command of the vessel. The captain is responsible for its safe and efficient operation, including cargo operations, navigation, crew management and ensuring that the vessel complies with local and international laws, as well as company and flag...

. During the next

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

war Barne came out of retirement to command an anti-submarine patrol ship.