Michael Barne

Born in Suffolk, Barne was the son of Frederick Barne, Member of Parliament for East Suffolk and Lady Constance Adelaide Seymour, the daughter of the 5th Marquess of Hertford. He entered the Navy as a Midshipman in 1893,he later served with Scott aboard the Majestic where he impressed his future commander.

Barne was appointed Second Lieutenant on the Discovery, a rank to which he had only just been promoted on his previous vessel. He took responsibility for magnetometry and depth soundings, also participating in several sledge journeys making copious notes throughout his three years with the expedition.

On return from the Antarctic Brane returned to active service in the Royal Navy with the command of the Coquette. In the First World War he was awarded the DSO (Distinguished Service Order) following service in the Dardanelles and Dover patrol.In 1914 he was awarded the Royal Humane Society’s silver medal for diving overboard and attempting to rescue a sailor during a gale in the Atlantic.While he retired from the Navy in 1919 with the rank of Captain, he returned during the Second World War to take command of an anti-submarine patrol ship. He died in May 1961 at the age of 84.