AS the life of a true but forgotten hero was at last commemorated half a world away yesterday, a campaign has started for his name to be cast in iron in his home village.

The recently rediscovered ashes of Antarctic pioneer Frank Wild, the man described as our greatest explorer since Captain Cook, were laid beside his constant companion, Ernest Shackleton, on the South Atlantic island of South Georgia yesterday.

He made five expeditions to Antarctica and three with Shackleton.

Frank Wild was actually named John and was born in Skelton, east Cleveland, in 1873 in a family of 11 children.

His mother’s family almost certainly wrongly claimed to be descended from Captain Cook, who was born at nearby Marton in Middlesbrough.

The family later moved to Wheldrake, near York, and Frank joined the Merchant Navy at 16. Eleven years later, he won one of the fiercely contested places on the British National Antarctic Expedition led by Captain Robert Falcon Scott.

On the expedition, in which Wild led a rescue team at sea saving the lives of several men, he met Ernest Shackleton.

He went on to be Shackleton’s right-hand man on all three of his expeditions and also took part in an unsuccessful Australian exploration.

He missed Shackleton’s funeral during their final expedition, but his dying wish in 1939 was to be buried beside his “boss”.

Plans to transport his ashes to South Georgia were thwarted by the outbreak of the Second World War.

But his wish was finally fulfilled yesterday following the rediscovery of his ashes in South Africa by the writer Angie Butler, while researching her book The Quest For Frank Wild, in January.

His ashes have been buried to the right of Shackleton’s grave. The inscription on his gravestone will explain: “Frank Wild 1873-1939, Shackleton’s right-hand man.”

Brian Francis, 65, Wild’s great nephew, has flown with several family members from Australia to Argentina, completing the pilgrimage to South Georgia in a converted Russian scientific vessel.

Mr Francis, a civil engineer from Morpeth, New South Wales, said: “Our family has always been very proud of Frank Wild.

“He was from an era the like of which will probably never be repeated.”

Articles in The Northern Echo on Wild appear to have helped solve a mystery about exactly where he was born in Skelton, near Saltburn.

Now the former leader of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, David Walsh, is backing a plan by local history enthusiasts for a blue plaque to be placed on the property.

The idea of a blue plaque at his birthplace was raised after Northern Echo columnist Mike Amos wrote about Wild last year. However, no one knew exactly where he was born.

Determined local historian Howard Wilson and David Walsh would not give up on the idea and have been enouraged by an email sent by Stuart MacMillian to The Northern Echo claiming he was born at 131 High Street, today a chemists.

Mr Walsh said: “Mr Wilson is leading the charge but we’re desperate for this Mr MacMillian to come forward.

“This is one of our great heroes and we would love to do right by him.”

• Are you Mr MacMillian or do you have any definitive proof that Frank Wild was born at 131 High Street? If so, please call reporter Chris Webber on 01325-505079.