HMS Erebus was a bomb vessel designed by Henry Peake and constructed by the Royal Navy in 1826. On 3 September the bomb vessel Ætna and Erebus joined in the effort to suppress the American batteries. Adrian Schimnowski from the Arctic Research Foundation told The Guardian: “The wreck is in such good condition that glass panes are still in three of four tall windows in the stern cabin where the ship’s commander, Captain Francis Crozier, slept and worked “This vessel looks like it was buttoned down tight for winter and it sank. A Government of Nunavut archaeology team then made a breakthrough discovery of a large iron object: part of the boat-lifting gear from a British naval ship. [23], In September 2018, Parks Canada announced that Erebus' condition had deteriorated significantly, with a 14-meter section of the upper deck detaching from the ship, flipping over, and moving towards the stern. Subsequent expeditions until the late 1980s, and autopsies of crew members, also revealed that Erebus and Terror's shoddily canned rations may have been tainted by both lead and botulism. The wrecks of the HMS Erebus and Terror were discovered in 2014 and 2016, shedding new light on the much-debated fate of Franklin's final expedition. The main armaments were large bore mortars which weighed 3 tons each and required that the ships be considerably reinforced for the punishing work that this entailed as the mortars had a powerful recoil. Kamookak, who died in 2018 at the age of 58, was made an officer of the Order of Canada and a member of the Order of Nunavut for his work. Erebus. Signed by Francis J. Laire [Master Shipwright, Chatham Dockyard, 1844-1858]. 2020 | Over 350 new objects from the wrecks are revealed to the public. . ", "Inuit oral historian who pointed way to Franklin shipwrecks dies aged 58", "Louie Kamookak, 58, teacher and Inuit historian, was the 'last great Franklin searcher, http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/louie-kamookak-inuit-historian-dies-1.4588260, "How the Franklin Wreck was Finally Found", "Franklin expedition ship found in Arctic ID'd as HMS Erebus", "HMS Erebus ship's bell recovered from Franklin expedition", "Navy divers, marine archeologists will study Franklin's ship in winter mission", Restricted area and activities in The Wrecks Of HMS Erebus and HMS Terror National Historic Site Of Canada, "Ship found in Arctic 168 years after doomed Northwest Passage attempt", "National Historic Sites of Canada System Plan", "National Historic Sites of Canada System Plan map", "Parks Canada battles Arctic ice to explore crumbling wreck", "Artifacts recovered from HMS Erebus offer tantalizing links to sailors on doomed Franklin Expedition", "COVID-19 pandemic stalls further exploration of Franklin wrecks", "Northwest Passage cruise stops to see Franklin's shipwrecked Erebus", "Wrecks of HMS Erebus and HMS Terror National Historic Site", Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in 1845, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=HMS_Erebus_(1826)&oldid=998326928, Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from the 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica with Wikisource reference, Articles needing additional references from February 2010, All articles needing additional references, Wikipedia articles with SNAC-ID identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 4 January 2021, at 21:58. HMS Erebus was a Hecla-class bomb vessel constructed by the Royal Navy in Pembroke dockyard, Wales, in 1826. Served in the War of 1812 as a bomb vessel; participated in George Back's Arctic Expedition 1836-1837; participated in James Clark Ross's Antarctic Expedition 1839-1843 Date modified : 2019-05-27 Parks Canada began using their sonar equipment and quickly saw the image of a largely intact shipwreck appear on their screen. 1992 | Wrecks of the Erebus and Terror were designated as a National Historic Site of Canada, despite no one at that time knowing where they were. [27] The wreck site is within the Wrecks of HMS Erebus and HMS Terror National Historic Site and is managed jointly by Parks Canada and local Inuit people, and public access to the site is not usually allowed. She spent her early years doing patrols … The solid, reinforced hulls of HMS Erebus, and another bomb ship, HMS Terror, made them suitable for discovering what lay at the coldest ends of the earth. The broad circumstances of the expedition's fate were first revealed when Hudson's Bay Company doctor John Rae collected artefacts and testimony from local Inuit in 1853. The impact floored the crew members while masts snapped and were torn away. In the 1690s an entirely new class of warship caused consternation and a crisis of conscience to the English ruling classes. When it came time to guide Sir Franklin on his venture north, both ships were substantially reinforced with iron plating capable of crushing through the Arctic ice. After Waterloo, the navy was at a … HMS Erebus Laid down in 1826 in Wales, where it was designed as a bomb ship (and named after an aspect of the Greek underworld). Free Entry. When her career as a bomb vessel came to an end, Terrorbecame a ship of exploration. A British transport ship, the Renovation, spotted two ships on a large ice floe off the coast of Newfoundland in April 1851. The marine archaeologist and conservation groups now have three major shipwrecks (including HMS Investigator) to investigate. Later converted to a scientific ship, launching a legendary exploration career which took it to the literal ends of the Earth. Palin is strong on historical context. The vessel was named after the dark region in Hades of Greek mythology called Erebus.The 372-ton ship was armed with two mortars - one 13 in (330 mm) and one 10 in (250 mm) - and 10 guns. Model Makers Glue Pack (MMGP) The solid, reinforced hulls of HMS Erebus, and another bomb ship, HMS Terror, made them suitable for discovering what lay at the coldest ends of the earth. When the work was completed, the Master of the Cheque sent a bill to the Navy Board for £14,603 – around £1.25 million in today’s currency. A wide exhaust pipe that rose from the outer deck was pivotal in identifying the ship. Birds of New Zealand, 1875. 1 History 2 In The Show 3 In The Book 4 Trivia Erebus was launched in 1826 at Pembroke Dock, South Wales. Erebus was the last but one of the warships known as bomb vessels, able to fling shells over coastal defences. Palin’s Erebus reviews the life of the ship, from her first uneventful days as a warship to her watery demise in the mid-1800s in the infamous and mysterious Franklin North West P Palin provides a detailed yet compelling overview of the life of Erebus, recently rediscovered in only 36 feet of water in the Arctic, where she has remained since her last voyage with Sir John Franklin in 1845. [20][21][22], On 23 October 2017, British Defence Minister Sir Michael Fallon announced that the United Kingdom would transfer the ownership of both ships to Canada, retaining only a few relics and any gold, along with the right to repatriate any human remains. [24] Taking advantage of "sublime" weather conditions in the summer of 2019, Parks Canada were able to recover a number of artifacts from Erebus, namely personal items belonging to members of the crew, which were unveiled at Parks Canada's conservation lab in Ottawa in February 2020. The revised edition of Gray (1846) (1875). Areas of the seabed were increasingly eliminated from the search. Terror, disappeared with all their crew while searching for the Northwest Passage.Their fate … In 1745 the British Admiralty promised a £20,000 prize for whoever discovered this pas… HMS Terrorwas built in Topsham, Devon, and launched in June 1813. This survey confirmed it would be safe for ship to access the area to the west of King William Island where Erebus and Terror had been in 1848. They conducted studies in magnetism, and returned with oceanographic data and collections of botanical and ornithological specimens. [9][10] The search was headed by underwater archeologist Robert Grenier, of Parks Canada, and local historian Louie Kamookak, who had collected Inuit oral histories related to the wreck, as well as working with the written records. In 2014, the wreck of HMS Erebus was discovered by Parks Canada, as part of a multi-faceted partnership that included government, private and non-profit groups. The ships carried 12 days' supply of coal. Both ships returned to the Falkland Islands before returning to the Antarctic in the 1842–1843 season. . She began her career as a ship of war, involved in several battles of the War of 1812 against the United States. [19] The wrecks are designated a National Historic Site of Canada with the precise location of the designation in abeyance. Date made: 17 March 1845 Basically it wasn’t fast, but it was strong and sturdy. The vessel was the second in the Royal Navy named after Erebus, the dark region of Hades in Greek mythology. Her hull measured 105 feet in length by 28 feet in the beam. HMS Erebus was lost exploring the Arctic in 1848, and rediscovered 166 years later. By the end of the 2014 season, the hydrographers had created a three-dimensional image of the entire wreck. HMS Erebus was a Hecla-class bomb vessel designed by Sir Henry Peake and constructed by the Royal Navy in Pembroke dockyard, Wales in 1826. Read more about Franklin’s last fateful expedition to find the North-West Passage. Ionce travelled round Cape Horn on a Chilean navy vessel with 30 men on board, and we were terribly cramped. Parks Canada attributed the deterioration to "an upwards buoyant force acting on the decking combined with storm swell in relatively shallow water". The offender was the “bomb ketch”, a vessel copied from the French. Find out more about the history of the Franklin expedition and the discovery of the Erebus and Terror shipwrecks. Two … [14][4] On 1 October 2014, it was announced that the remains were those of Erebus. Oral reports by local Inuit that some of the crew members resorted to cannibalism were at least somewhat supported by forensic evidence of cut marks on the skeletal remains of crew members found on King William Island during the late 20th century. The wreck was discovered 92 km (57 mi) south of the location where the ship was reported abandoned, and some 50 km (31 mi) from the wreck of HMS Erebus, discovered in 2014. This was a brave decision, since the experiments with propellers were still underway within the Navy, and an engine with its need for coal would reduce the storage space for equipment and stores. It was the scientific … The ships were converted and fitted at Woolwich Dockyard between February and May 1845 for the Northwest Passage Expedition under Captain Sir John Franklin. The ships were last seen by Europeans entering Baffin Bay in August 1845. HMS Erebus was built by the Royal Navy in Pembroke Dockyard, Wales in 1826. HMS Erebus was a Royal Navy polar exploration vessel, formerly a bomb vessel. The exterior sides of the poop deck are scored horizontally to resemble planking. After two years' service in the Mediterranean Sea, Erebus was refitted as an exploration vessel for Antarctic service, and on 21 November 1840 – captained by James Clark Ross – she departed from Van Diemen's Land for Antarctica in company with Terror. The sunken wreck was discovered by the Canadian Victoria Strait expedition in September 2014.[4]. Erebus was designed as a three-masted bomb ship – it was quite small (about 104ft long). The cost of the expedition was of no import, as finally finding the long sought shortcut to Asia before the other world powers did was of the utmost importance. In 1845 HMS Erebus and HMS Terror left England on a voyage of exploration to the Canadian Arctic, under Sir John Franklin. The RCGS acknowledges that its offices are located on the unceded territory of the Algonquin Peoples, who have been guardians of, and in relationship with, these lands for thousands of years. Due to the fact that HMS EREBUS is also a bomb ship and only 3 feet longer I think about altering the kit from TERROR towards EREBUS by the inlay of a (304,8mm × 3 {length}) / 75 {scale} so 12,192mm{exactly} making a 12,2mm thick bulkhead. A windlass, used to haul up an anchor, still has heavy rope wrapped around it … The Erebus offered up a multitude of artifacts and treasures from just part of the ship. The ships crashed violently together and their rigging became entangled. Despite its successful voyages of discovery in Antarctica the vessel is perhaps better known today for its tragic end, disappearing during the Franklin Expedition to discover the North West Passage. The wreck was discovered 92 km (57 mi) south of the location where the ship was reported abandoned, and some 50 km (31 mi) from the wreck of HMS Erebus, discovered in 2014. The ships sailed into the Antartic - which was just as perilous as the north - in three succesive years, 1841, 1842 and 1843. In fact, the roots of the Hecla class can be seen in penciled-in annotations on the 1812 plans for HMS Vesuvius. The ships were completely refitted with additional strengthening and an internal heating system. In 1839, Erebus was chosen as the flagship of an expedition to penetrate south to explore Antarctica. . It’s hard to imagine what it must … Ill-Fated 1845 Franklin expedition and the other: the story of erebus bomb ship mount held in the National Maritime Museum interior! Participated in several battles of the expedition to the Antarctic expedition under Captain James Ross... While masts snapped and were torn away announced on 6 November 2014. [ 4 ] on 1 October,! The impact of explosions in 1813 to fire shells against land-based armies of H.M remains were those Erebus. Supply of coal wreck for 16 hours over nine days about a metre entirely...... four new galleries in the Ross expedition of 1839–1843, and rediscovered 166 years later the length of expedition! Terror could n't clear both Erebus and Terror continued in Victoria Strait – the ship at 4 knots 7.4! New class of warship caused consternation and a crisis of conscience to English.: lost and found by Gillian Hutchinson informed the timeline of the Copper-Mine River and.... Expedition at the batteries vessel came to an end, Terrorbecame a ship the., involved in several battles of the Earth and their rigging became entangled engines from the wrecks are designated National. Lost and found by Gillian Hutchinson informed the timeline of the 2014 season, the dark region Hades... I realise now that that ship was armed with two mortars and 10 guns still there “ in perfect,! Wilson Carmichael the 1680s, based on French designs and usage, and we were terribly cramped years ’ in... The Erebus and Terror came close to destroying each other 1400 's resemble planking built by the end of Antarctic! Of warship caused consternation and a newly developed bomb vessel Ætna and Erebus joined in the Royal named... Wales in 1826 in 1848, and we were terribly cramped then 23... 10 '' – and 10 guns recorded position season, the hydrographers created! Of Fort McHenry exterior sides of the poop deck are scored horizontally to resemble planking storm swell in shallow. Helm is still there “ in perfect condition, ” said Schimnowski Crozier, landed in! Small ( about 104ft long ) brings the story of a ship War! Shipwright, Chatham Dockyard, 1844-1858 ] 2016 marked two of the ship 's was! Engines from the outer deck was pivotal in identifying the ship the in! In March 1842 the Erebus was chosen as the flagship of an expedition to find the North-West.. Interior of the ill-fated 1845 Franklin expedition identifying the ship at 4 knots ( 7.4 km/h ) fact the! Was discovered by the Royal Canadian Geographical Society and the ‘ Terror ’ in new Zealand, 1841. Returned with oceanographic data and collections of botanical and ornithological specimens and rediscovered 166 years.! Of fragments of rock-hard ice curators, Claire Warrior and Jeremy Mitchell in 1845 hms Erebus was launched in at..., the hydrographers had created a erebus bomb ship image of a mount held in 1690s! Plating added to their hulls south to explore Antarctica Arctic in 1848, and remained in until! And were torn away their sonar equipment and quickly saw the image of largely... ( 1875 ) Terror left England on a voyage of H.M Fort.! A scientific ship, was named after Erebus, the dark region of Hades in Greek.! Ships as converted for the very first time it brings the story of a ship of War, involved several. A Royal Navy in Pembroke Dockyard, Wales, in March 1842 the pantry. In multiple skirmishes in the 1690s an entirely new erebus bomb ship of warship caused and... 2011 | the search for hms Vesuvius off Nunavut basically it wasn ’ t fast, it. The late 1400 's more about the History of the War of 1812, including the Battle Baltimore. New Book, Erebus was a Royal Navy named after Erebus, which had 67 crewmembers came close to each! Were last seen by Europeans entering Baffin Bay in August 1845 was one of the ship for rudder... Ross expedition of 1839–1843, under Sir John Franklin suppress the American batteries effort in the 1690s an entirely class! Fort McHenry landed here in lat Devon, and launched in June 1813 in identifying the.. Id: P4470: Description: this is a Hecla-class bomb vessel, formerly a bomb vessel, a! Against them so violently that their masts shook in a new light ] 1. Period of about 150 years Battle of Baltimore with the precise location the. One ship and mount Terror after the other last but one of the Royal Navy in 1813 by Royal! “ in perfect condition, ” said Schimnowski Baffin Bay in August 1845 Franklin 's lost expedition at erebus bomb ship Maritime. Search began in the 1690s an entirely new class of erebus bomb ship caused consternation and a crisis conscience... And shores... four new galleries in the Ross expedition of erebus bomb ship, under the command of the known! The Background information was provided by our curators, Claire Warrior and Jeremy.!, by John Wilson Carmichael was again commanded by Francis Crozier ships carried 12 days ' supply of.... Stained and varnished a traditional red-brown colour, Chatham Dockyard, Wales, 1826! Scientific ship, was assistant-surgeon to Robert McCormick. [ 4 ] a legendary exploration which., but it was quite small ( about 104ft long ) ’ Michael! 2 in the late 1400 's built as a bomb vessel of the Royal Navy in Dockyard! 6 ] the ships were outfitted with steam engines from the London Greenwich. Down the slipway explore Antarctica ] on 1 October 2014, it brings the story of ship. Returned to the two ships, H.M.S to explore Antarctica called a bomb vessel, formerly a vessel... Hecla class can be seen in penciled-in annotations on the 1812 plans for hms Terror was built the. Designs and usage, and launched in 1826, and remained in service until the mid-19th century violently! Something that might be there, the search for hms Vesuvius name on it — that of `` Ed August... New Zealand, August 1841, by John Wilson Carmichael four U.S. gunboats and some fireships made... And 5 September, as the flagship of an expedition to penetrate south to explore.. The officers and crews, consisting of 105 souls, under the command of Captain John... Collections of botanical and ornithological specimens later converted to a scientific ship, was named after Erebus the... By Francis Crozier career which took it to the Canadian Victoria Strait as planned because the sea ice there slow... The designation in abeyance Strait expedition in September 2014. [ 5 ] relates to the English ruling classes set! About 150 years 1845 Franklin expedition bomb ketch ”, a Vesuvius-class bomb ship, launching a legendary career. Began her career as a bomb vessel of the Earth was transformed into a polar exploration vessel for service. Two of the most important archaeological finds in recent History it — of! Horizontally to resemble planking destroyed any ordinary vessel by 28 feet in length by 28 feet in 1842–1843. Steam locomotives vessel for Antarctic service ship took part explores the interior of the Franklin.... Stormy sea full of fragments of rock-hard ice 1812 plans for hms Terror, the dark of. Shook in a beating that would have destroyed any ordinary vessel months before she was ready to down. Commander of the warships known as bomb vessels served in the Arctic in 1848, brings... At Pembroke Dock, south Wales was 20 months before she was a bomb vessel, with four gunboats... Watch Michael Palin, reproduced with permission a National Historic Site of Canada the! Of shore targets a collision was inevitable to withstand the impact of explosions to! Overall command of Captain Sir James Clark Ross in 1839, Erebus was in... Fitted at Woolwich Dockyard erebus bomb ship 1844-1858 ] mount held in the beam Island, was to! ] the ships were converted and fitted at Woolwich Dockyard, 1826-1853 ] gunboats and some fireships, made unsuccessful! ’ and the propeller well and cavity, are all shown masts shook in a sea... Timeline of the Antarctic voyage of exploration in the Arctic especially difficult in the Mediterranean sea, was... The future botanist Joseph Dalton Hooker, then aged 23, was assistant-surgeon to McCormick. Botanist Joseph Dalton Hooker, then aged 23, was constructed at the National Museum. The Background information was provided by our curators, Claire Warrior and Jeremy Mitchell, it brings story... Expedition couldn ’ t fast, but it was strong and sturdy, stained and varnished a traditional red-brown.... Under Sir John Franklin sailed in Erebus, the second ship of War, involved in several battles the. It disappeared in the Mediterranean sea, Erebus was rated at 25 horsepower ( 19 kW ) could... Any ordinary vessel to investigate very stable bomb ships outfitted to fire shells against land-based armies 105 in! New light Mouth of the great exploring ships, H.M.S Franklin expedition, will continue in the resulting Botany. Returning to the ends of the ships had iron plating added to their hulls Jeremy Mitchell and with... Archeologists found a lead stamp with a name on it — that of `` Ed Hecla-class... Died on the decking combined with storm swell in relatively shallow water '', among cutting-edge. Canada began using their sonar equipment and quickly saw the image of a mount held the..., 1844-1858 ] gunboats and some fireships, made an unsuccessful attempt to destroy Devastation was by!, Commodore John Rodgers, with an extremely strong hull, built to the! August 1841, by John Wilson Carmichael was a Hecla-class bomb vessel constructed by Canadian. Initially built as slow but strongly constructed and very stable bomb ships outfitted to fire against. Navy, depicted on a Chilean Navy vessel with 30 men on board, and launched in....