 The Endurance left England on 8 August 1914 destined for Buenos Aires, where Shackleton, travelling separately, would join the expedition. The departure of the expedition was troubled; the impending outbreak of the First World War prompted some members including Worsley, anticipating a call up to the RNR, to propose a postponement of the voyage. However, the Admiralty advised Shackleton to proceed with his plans even after Britain declared war on Imperial Germany on 4 August. Just prior to the departure of the Endurance Worsley approached the authorities and was advised that RNR personnel were not being called up at the time. While steaming to South America, fuel ran low and wood intended for planned buildings at the expedition's base in Antarctica was used to keep the engine running. Worsley ran a relatively relaxed ship with little discipline or control of alcohol consumption. Four crew members got into a barroom brawl at a stopover in Madeira, a neutral port. While anchored in the harbour, a neighbouring German ship swung into the Endurance, damaging it. Worsley, enraged, boarded the German ship with some other members of the expedition and forced the crew to repair the damage caused.
