MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Uruguay and Chile Praised at Shackleton Exhibition good wishes from the Falkland Islands.

The Ambassadors of Uruguay and Chile were distinguished guests at the opening of a major exhibition commemorating the famous Antarctic explorer, Sir Ernest Shackleton , at Dulwich College in London, where their countries' help and support in rescuing some of his men from his 1914 Endurance expedition came in for praise.

The exhibition was opened by Ernest Shackleton's grand-daughter, the Honourable Alexandra Shackleton, President of the James Caird Society, named after the explorer's famous lifeboat. This is on permanent show at Dulwich College, where he had been a pupil.

The opening ceremony began with a message of congratulation from the Governor of the Falkland Islands, Donald Lamont, read out by former Falklands Governor, David Tatham, London Chairman of the Shackleton Scholarship Fund.

Governor Lamont, who is also Commissioner for South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, sent good wishes from the Shackleton Scholarship Committee in the Falkland Islands. He paid tribute to Shackleton's courage, true heroism, unparalleled determination, and deep commitment to his men which had earned him a very special place in history. Recalling his recent visit to Ernest Shackleton's grave in South Georgia, Mr Lamont said: "No one who stands there can remain unmoved by the astonishing majesty of the place or the memory of all that Shackleton experienced".

Alexandra Shackleton spoke of the four essential qualities her grandfather had listed for a polar explorer: "Optimism, Patience, Imagination with which he linked idealism, and Courage". Shackleton related these qualities to those any man might need in the journey through life. These qualities, she said, had been splendidly demonstrated by the Master of Dulwich College, Dr. Graham Able, and the main exhibition organiser, Dulwich College Curator, Dr Jan Piggott,

Welcoming the Ambassador of Uruguay, His Excellency Dr Agustin Espinosa-Lloveras and the Ambassador of Chile, Dr Christian Barros, Alexandra Shackleton declared: "The story of Ernest Shackleton and the Endurance Epedition would have been very different without Uruguay and Chile.

"Both were very supportive of the expedition. And both countries took part in the four hazardous journeys to rescue Shackleton's men left behind on Elephant Island, finally successful with the Chilean ship, Yelcho, manned by volunteers from the Chilean Navy, whose officers and men rejoiced at the rescue of Shackleton's men.... Years later Uruguay gave Ernest Shackleton a magnificent, moving State funeral, attended by the President of U