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Sir Robert John McClure 1807-1873 commanded HMS Investigator prior to it’s abandonment on the ice June, 1853 -Baring Island, NWT. Rescued by HMS Resolute after a long sojourn over the ice by sledge, John McClure and his crew are credited with the first navigation of the North West Passage (1850) as well as circumnavigating the American Continent. McClure, an Irishman was court-martialed for his loss of the Investigator, but was exonerated. Subsequently knighted and honored for his exploration, his account of the voyage suffers a few Irish omissions. Historians tend to rely on an objective account written by Alexander Armstrong the ship’s physician --- also an Irishman.
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