Commander John Robert Francis “Frank” Wild CBE RNVR FRGS was born in Skelton in 1873.

Quoting Wikipedia :-

Frank Wild took part in the following Antarctic expeditions:

In 1901 he was a member of Robert Falcon Scott’s crew as an Able seaman on the Discovery, along with Ernest Shackleton who was then a sub-lieutenant.
He was with Shackleton on the Nimrod Expedition 1908–1909 and was a member of the team that crossed the Ross Barrier and Beardmore Glacier at a record latitude of 88º23’S.
In 1911 he joined Douglas Mawson’s Aurora expedition and was in charge of the western base on the Shackleton Ice Shelf.
He served as Shackleton’s second-in-command on Shackleton’s Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition (1914–1916).
He was second-in-command of the Shackleton–Rowett Expedition (1921–22).

Frank Wild was also awarded the ‘Polar Medal with Four Clasps’

On 29 September 2016 this statue by sculptor William Harling was unveiled in the Ringrose Orchard by Mr Anthony Wharton.