Bernacchi, Louis Charles, 1876-1942

Louis Charles Bernacchi was born in Belgium in 1876. He was brought up in England and Tasmania and trained at the Melbourne Observatory, Australia where he studied astronomy, magnetism, meteorology and physics. He joined the British Antarctic Expedition, 1898-1900 (leader Carsten Egeberg Borchgrevink) as meteorologist and magnetometry observer, and later joined the British National Antarctic Expedition, 1901-1904 (leader Robert Falcon Scott) in a similar capacity. After this expedition, Bernacchi travelled in South America, South Africa and South-East Asia. He served in the Royal Navy during both World Wars, and received a military OBE and the US Navy Cross. He died on 24 April 1942.

Published works, To the south polar regions, expedition of 1898-1900 by L C Bernacchi, Bluntisham Books & Erskine Press, Norfolk (1991) SPRI Library Shelf (7)91(08)[1898-1900]

From the guide to the Louis Charles Bernacchi collection, 1898-1932, (Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge)