P001408 revised AU-VU:EOAS Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation

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 English AACR2 Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules Person created 1993-10-20 human Gavan McCarthy [P004098] and Helen Cohn updated 2025-09-11 human https://www.eoas.info/biogs/P001408b.htm person Bernacchi Louis Charles OBE FRGS AACR2 8 November 1876 24 April 1942 Place of Birth Belgium Place of Death Paddington, London, England Physicist Antarctic explorer Louis Bernacchi, having become interested in Antarctica while studying terrestrial magnetism and astronomy at the Melbourne Observatory from 1895 to 1897, was in 1898 appointed physicist and astronomer to the British Antarctic Expedition (Southern Cross Expedition) under the leadership of Carl Borchgrevink. The landing party was the first to overwinter on the Antarctic continent, and reached further south than any previous expedition. His vivid account of the Expedition was published in 1901. In that year he joined the British National Antarctic Expedition (Discovery expedition) under Robert Scott. Bernacchi was physicist to the Expedition, primarily concerned with magnetic observations. He was also the only person on Discovery with any Antarctic experience, and the first Australian to work in Antarctica. Over the years he published a number of books and papers on scientific results of polar expeditions, and on terrestial magnetism, meteorology, seismology, and gravity. His attempts to mount his own expedition failed because of the difficulty of raising funds. Bernacchi's later career included exploring in Africa and Peru, and as a rubber planter in Malaya. He was heavily involved in the Royal Geographical Society, serving on council for several years. Geographic features in Antarctic named after Bernacchi include Cape Bernacchi and Bernacchi Bay, both in Victoria Land.

Burial Memorial at Brookwood Cemetery, Surrey, England.

Commemorated by a bronze statue and plaque "Self Portrait Louis and Joe" on the foreshore at Sullivans Cove, Hobart Tasmania.

1888 1888 Life event - Migrated to Tasmania with his family 1889 1891 Education - Attended Hutchins School, Hobart 1895 1897 Career position - Assistant, Melbourne Observatory 1898 1900 Career position - Astronomer and physicist, British Antarctic Expedition [II] 1901 1904 Career position - Physicist, British National Antarctic Expedition 1901 1942 Award - Fellow, Royal Geographical Society 1904 1904 Award - Polar Medal 1905 1906 Career event - Exploring in Africa and Peru 1906 1906 Award - French Cross of the Légion d'honneur 1906 1906 Award - King's Antarctic Medal 1906 1906 Award - Royal Geographical Society Medal 1907 1914 Career event - Rubber planter in Malaya 1914 1919 Career event - Served successively as Lieutenant Commander, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve; anti-submarine division, Naval Staff, Admiralty; and United States Navy 1919 1919 Award - United States Navy Cross 1919 1919 Award - Officer of the Order of the British Empire (Military) 1928 1932 Career position - Member of Council, Royal Geographical Society 1930 1930 Career event - Organised the British Polar Exhibition 1931 1932 Career position - Member, organising committee, 2nd International Polar Year 1932 1932 Career position - President, Antarctic Club 1939 1942 Career position - Lieutenant Commander, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, working on the organisation of 'Q' ships British National Antarctic Expedition (1901 - 1904)

Physicist 1901 - 1904

 British Antarctic Expedition [II] (1898 - 1900)

Physicist and astronomer 1898 - 1900

 Melbourne Observatory, Colony and State of Victoria (1863 - 1944)

Assistant 1895 - 1897

Wikidata

VIAF - Virtual International Authority File

 Bernacchi, Louis Charles (1876-1942)

Trove

 'Bernacchi, Louis Charles', in Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation, Centre for Transformative Innovation, Swinburne University of Technology Bernacchi, Louis Charles Swinburne University of Technology, Centre for Transformative Innovation Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Resource Section: Bernacchi, Louis Charles Bernacchi, Louis Charles Australian Science Archives Project 1995 Physics in Australia to 1945 R.W. Home, with the assistance of Paula J. Needham Book Section: Bernacchi, Louis Charles (1876-1942), scientist and Antarctic explorer Swan, R. A. Bernacchi, Louis Charles (1876-1942), scientist and Antarctic explorer Melbourne Melbourne University Press 1979 Australian dictionary of biography, volume 7: 1891 - 1939 A-Ch Bede Nairn and Geoffrey Serle 275-276 Journal Article: Antarctic exploration, past and present Bernacchi, L.. C. Antarctic exploration, past and present 1935 Geography 20 3 176-90 Journal Article: Topography of South Victoria Land (Antarctic) Bernacchi. L. Topography of South Victoria Land (Antarctic) 1901 Geographical journal 17 5 478-92 Book: To the South Polar regions: expedition of 1898 - 1900 Bernacchi, L. To the South Polar regions: expedition of 1898 - 1900 London Hurst and Blackett 1901 Book: Saga of the "Discovery" Bernacchi, L. C. Saga of the "Discovery" London, Glasgow Blackie and Son 1938 Book: That First Antarctic Winter: the Story of the Southern Cross Expedition of 1898-1900 as Told in the Diaries of Louis Charles Bernacchi Crawford, Janet That First Antarctic Winter: the Story of the Southern Cross Expedition of 1898-1900 as Told in the Diaries of Louis Charles Bernacchi Christchurch, NZ Southern Latitude Research in association with Peter J. Skellerup 1998 Journal Article: The First Australian Scientist to Work and Winter on the Antarctic Continent Swan, R. A. The First Australian Scientist to Work and Winter on the Antarctic Continent 1963 Victorian Historical Magazine 33 379-398 Journal Article: Louis Charles Bernacchi, Pioneer Antarctic Scientist and Explorer Atkin, Andrew Louis Charles Bernacchi, Pioneer Antarctic Scientist and Explorer 2011 Records of the Canterbury Museum 25 1-11 Journal Article: Louis Bernacchi, a pioneer Antarctic scientist Atkin, Andrew Louis Bernacchi, a pioneer Antarctic scientist 2010 Antarctic: Magazine of the New Zealand Antarctic Society 28 3/4 64-8 Book: South by Northwest: the Magnetic Crusade and the Contest for Antarctica Mawer, Granville Allen South by Northwest: the Magnetic Crusade and the Contest for Antarctica Kent Town Wakefield Press 2006 Book: Going to extremes: Project Blizzard and Australia's Antarctic heritage Chester, Jonathan Going to extremes: Project Blizzard and Australia's Antarctic heritage Sydney: Auckland Doubleday Australia 1986 Resource: Federation and Meteorology Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre Federation and Meteorology 2001