Published:
February 25, 2021 at 6:04 am
In May 1845, two British warships carrying more than 130 men set off from London for the Canadian Arctic, where they entered the fabled North-West Passage. Neither ship returned; nor did any of the men.
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The fate of the expedition became the greatest maritime mystery of the 19th century, sparking many search-and-rescue missions and inspiring a library of theories about what had happened to the ships and their crews. A highly effective public-relations exercise preserved the heroic reputation of expedition leader Captain Sir John Franklin, modifying the stated purpose of the voyage: rather than cutting-edge scientific research, it was redefined as geographical curiosity.
The Terror, coming to BBC Two in March, is a must-watch historical epic with a supernatural twist.
Starring Jared Harris, Tobias Menzies and Ciaran Hinds, the critically acclaimed drama blends the true story of Sir John Franklin’s doomed expedition with Dan Simmons novel The Terror and brings to life the last days of the two famous ships – HMS Terror and HMS Erebus - and their crews.
But what really happened in 1845 and where does the true story end and the TV series begin? Here’s our guide to the real story of the HMS Terror.
HMS Terror and HMS Erebus before 1845
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