Scott Polar Research Institute
Alias: None
Title: Mr
Rank: Captain (Royal Navy)
Dates: 1877-1961
Nationality: British
Awards: Polar Medal (silver); Distinguished Service Order
Michael Barne was born in England in 1877. He was brought up at Sotterley Park in Suffolk and entered the Navy in 1893. He qualified as a Royal Navy officer in 1898 and joined the British National Antarctic Expedition 1901-04 as second lieutenant on the expedition ship Discovery. During the expedition he took responsibility for magnetometry and soundings, and was involved in several sledge journeys.
After returning to the Navy Barne had hopes of forming an Antarctic expedition of his own and was involved in experiments with motor sledges, but these came to nothing. He served in the Royal Navy during World War I and was awarded the D.S.O., retiring from the Navy with the rank of captain in 1919. In World War II, he re-joined the Navy to command an anti-submarine patrol ship. He died on 31 May 1961.