I immediately went on board and mustered all hands and told them that
I proposed to send a telegram to the Admiralty offering the ships,
stores, and, if they agreed, our own services to the country in the
event of war breaking out. All hands immediately agreed, and I sent
off a telegram in which everything was placed at the disposal of the
Admiralty. We only asked that, in the event of the declaration of war,
the Expedition might be considered as a single unit, so as to preserve
its homogeneity. There were enough trained and experienced men amongst
us to man a destroyer. Within an hour I received a laconic wire from
the Admiralty saying "Proceed." Within two hours a longer wire came
from Mr. Winston Churchill, in which we were thanked for our offer, and
saying that the authorities desired that the Expedition, which had the
full sanction and support of the Scientific and Geographical Societies,
should go on.

So, according to these definite instructions, the 'Endurance' sailed
to Plymouth. On Tuesday the King sent for me and handed me the Union
Jack to carry on the Expedition. That night, at midnight, war broke
out. On the following Saturday, August 8, the 'Endurance' sailed from
Plymouth, obeying the direct order of the Admiralty. I make particular
reference to this phase of the Expedition as I am aware that there was
a certain amount of criticism of the Expedition having left the
country, and regarding this I wish further to add that the preparation
of the Expedition had been proceeding for over a year, and large sums
of money had been spent. We offered to give the Expedition up without
even consulting the donors of this money, and but few thought that the
war would last through these five years and involve the whole world.
The Expedition was not going on a peaceful cruise to the South Sea
Islands, but to a most dangerous, difficult, and strenuous work that