Lt Irvine Owen Gaze

Irvine Owen Gaze was born on the 5th July 1890. He was educated at Scotch College, West Australia.

Irvine was working in Melbourne when he went down to the port to see his cousin, the Reverend Arnold Spencer Smith, off who was serving as Chaplin/Photographer for the Ross Sea Party of Ernest Shackleton’s Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition. At the last minute one if the party withdrew and so because they were now one person short Irvine volunteered to join the Expedition as a General Hand. On the 15th December 1914 Irvine and the rest of the party set sail from Sydney aboard the Aurora and set sail for the Antarctic. Irvine was described by his companions as:

“a sporty Australian – eager to join the expedition and lead a ‘real life’. His enthusiasm and easy-going humour won him the job and helped keep spirits up on the trail.”

The expedition was split into two groups, the Weddell Sea Party, led by Shackleton, which would attempt to cross the Antarctic while the Ross Sea Party would lay supplies on the other side of the Continent for the other party’s arrival. There orders from Shackleton were

"Proceed to the Ross Sea, make a base at some convenient point in or near McMurdo Sound, land stores and equipment, and lay depots on the Great Ice Barrier, in the direction of the Beardmore Glacier for the use of the party that I expected to bring overland from the Weddell Sea coast"

The expedition failed when the Wendell Sea Party’s ship, Endurance, was crushed by pack ice before the crossing was even attempted. The Rose Sea Party’s support ship, Aurora slipped its mooring, drifting away stranding 10 men. 3 members of the party died including Irvine’s cousin Arnold.

Rescued members of Ross Sea Party and Shackleton. Irvine is standing in the middle at the back

On the return to Australia the men were updated on the news from Europe and felt compelled to do their bit and enlist. Irvine wanted to join the Royal Flying Corp and so Shackleton arranged for him passage on a ship to England. Irvine moved to London staying briefly with his Aunt, Mrs C Spencer Smith of 51 Palace St, Westminster, London before he joined the Royal Flying Corp as a cadet on the 29th August 1917 and began training to become a pilot. He eventually joined 48 Squadron.

On the 4th November 1918, just 7 days before the Armistice, Irvine was shot down and captured by the Germans.

When they interrogated him, they noticed the white ribbon on his uniform. And he said, "Oh, well, that's the Polar Medal. I've just come back from the Antarctic." And everyone was happy to have a drink with him and everything else, except Goering, who was apparently was a bit sulky about it. But anyway, they had a nice dinner and then, of course, he went to the prisoner-of-war camp.(Tony Gaze)

Hermann Goring became the Commander in Chief of the Luftwaffe during the Second World War.

Irvine left the RAF on the 26th August 1919. Between the two World Wars held an executive position with the Clifton Shoe Company at Clifton Hill Victoria.

During World War Two Irvine served as an instructor with the RAAF and became a Squadron Leader. His two sons Tony and Scott both enlisted in the RAF. Tony became a Spitfire Flying Ace who was decorated three times for galentry. Unfortunately Scott died in a flying accident.

After the war he returned to Australia and farmed sheep.

Irvine died in 1988.

Tony Gaze went on to be Australia's first Formula One racing Car taking part in 5 races.

Further Information

Culture Victoria - The Ross Sea Party
Talking Heads - Tony Gaze