Missions Berliet-Ténéré

The Missions Berliet Ténéré were two expeditions across the Sahara, organised by the French truck-maker Berliet. The expeditions demonstrated the ability of Berliet trucks to cross very long stretches of desert and wilderness, but they also supported geographical and scientific research.

Expeditions

The first expedition set out in November 1959, heading south into the Sahara from Djanet, past the Arbre du Ténéré and Termit to Lake Chad and Fort Lamy. The return route went through Bilma and Djado, returning to Djanet in January 1960; crossing the Erg of Bilma was a particular challenge.[1] It had covered 10000 km in 50 days.[2] The following winter, a second expedition took a more easterly route through the Tibesti, starting in October 1960; the route avoided the difficult sands of Bilma and was more practical for conventional vehicles. It reached Fort lamy in November 1960 and returned to Djanet in December.

As well as drivers and mechanics, the expeditions included scientists researching local biology, geology, archaeology, and ethnography.[3] They discovered evidence of early human settlement around 3200 BCE, in areas that are now desert; these included tools and pottery.[4] The expeditions also left balises - marker posts - in the desert, which are still visible today.[5]

Vehicles

A Berliet GBC truck

The core of the expeditions were a fleet of Berliet GBC8 trucks, 6X6, nicknamed "Gazelle". The trucks had been designed for use in desert conditions such as the oilfields of Algeria; they were first tested in the "sea of sand" at Ermenonville in 1957.[6] The trucks had 7.9 litre, 125 hp engines.[7] The first expedition also had landrovers, and the expeditions also worked with planes and helicopters for aerial survey.[8]

The second expedition also took four Berliet GLM 10 M HC trucks - a more conventional rear-wheel-drive cargo truck. Each carried 11 tons of cargo.[9]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Capot-Rey (1964). "Les Missions Berliet Ténéré-Tchad". Annales de Géographie. 73 (395): 108–110.
  2. ↑ "Mission Ténéré (Les Berliet)" (in French). Retrieved 17 February 2013.
  3. ↑ "New route across the desert". New Scientist. 3 March 1960.
  4. ↑ Fage (1975). The Cambridge History of Africa. 2. ISBN 9780521215923.
  5. ↑ "MAIS QUE SONT CES BALISES BERLIET ?" (in French). Retrieved 17 February 2013.
  6. ↑ "BERLIET GBC 8 6×6 OU GAZELLE (1956)" (in French). Fondation Berliet. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
  7. ↑ "Mission Berliet Ténéré". Journal du 3ème Groupe de Transport (in French). Retrieved 17 February 2013.
  8. ↑ "1ère EXPEDITION. MISSION BERLIET TENERE 1959 – 1960 : L'ALLER." (in French). MUSÉE DE L'INFANTERIE. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
  9. ↑ "2ème EXPEDITION. MISSION BERLIET: TENERE – TIBESTI – TCHAD 1960." (in French). MUSÉE DE L'INFANTERIE. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
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