Franklin Expedition Identifies Four More Victims

Why this is here: Harry Peglar’s remains were found about 80 miles from the main wreckage, making him the first identified crew member from the HMS Terror discovered away from the ships.

Researchers at the University of Waterloo in Canada identified the remains of four additional crew members from the 1845 Franklin Expedition. The expedition, led by British explorer John Franklin, aimed to find the Northwest Passage with the ships HMS Terror and HMS Erebus.

All 129 men perished during the voyage. The wrecks of both ships were discovered in recent years—Erebus in 2014 and Terror in 2016—but details about the crew’s final days remained unclear.

Scientists compared DNA from teeth and bones with samples from 31 living descendants of the expedition members. They positively identified David Young, a 17-year-old ship’s boy, and John Bridgens, an officer’s steward, both from Erebus. William Orren’s remains were also identified near a separate lifeboat.

Notably, the team identified Harry Peglar, a crew member of Terror, far from the other ships. His bones, found roughly 80 miles from the main wreckage in 1859, included personal papers and a seaman’s patent.

Determining his identity proved difficult because his clothing did not match his rank. Further research continues to piece together the events of the ill-fated expedition.