Antarctic Traverse Of 1600 Miles Completed

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29128, 13 February 1960, Page 4

Antarctic Traverse Of 1600 Miles Completed

A 1600-mile land traverse has been made from Scott Base across the desolate ice-capped expanse of Victoria Land almost to the deserted French base at Charcot, in Adelie Land, and back across to the Tucker glacier near the joint American or New Zealand station at Cape Hallett. The expedition was led by a Dutchman, and included a Frenchman, a New Zealander, and six Americans. They were flown from the head of the Tucker glacier to the United States base on Ross Island, in McMurdo Sound, this week. The party was led by a Dutch seismologist, Mr F. G. Van der Hoeven, and the deputy-leader was an American glaciologist, Mr A. W. Stuart. The others were a United States Navy transport specialist Mr T. T. Baldwin, a New Zealand glaciologist, Mr A. J. Heine, a United States Navy photographer, Mr W. A. Jackman, an American psychologist, Mr W. M. Smith, an American seismologist, Mr J. G. Weihaupt, a French glaciologist, Mr Claude Lorius, and a United States Navy cartographer. Mr L. J Roberts Major Project The arrival of the party at the American base after its fourmonth journey completed one of the major projects of the United States Antarctic Research Programme. The three snocats used on the traverse have now been cached for future use. Fuel, food, explosives and Spare parts for the expedition were flown to a cache at the head of the Skelton glacier by a United States Navy plane in October. Caches and air drops by Air Force Globemasters were used to resupply the party along the route from the Skelton glacier cache. The traverse party left Scott Base for the Skelton glacier on October 16. and the party’s specially equipped snocats laden with sufficient food and fuel for 40 days headed across the Ross tee shelf. Later the trail party was joined by Mr A. Taylor, an American scientist, and the French meteorlogist, Mr Lorius. who were flown from McMurdo Sound. One member of the party had to be evacuated by helicopter because of illness. From the Skelton glacier the party travelled into the heart of little-known Victoria Land to a position aout 70 deg south, 140 deg east. It was from this position that it headed for the rendezvous at the head of the Tucker glacier

with the aircraft which flew the men out this week. During the traverse the men ate their two daily meals inside the “chow-cat,” cooking them on portable gas stoves. Six men slept in the vehicles and the remainder in tents. Scientific Work Scientific work and travelling took place on alternative days. The scientific programme included seismic soundings, ice-core sampling, establishing mapping control points, elevation readings, magnetic studies, gravity readings, and weather observations. Members of the party were studied by the psychologist travelling with them for their reactions to the effect of air drops, fresh laundry, new foods and faces, and other signs of emotion. Within several hundred miles of the deserted French station at Charcot in Adelie land the party swung back across Victoria to the rendezvous at the head of the Tucker glacier and the end of the four-month journey. Hercules Leaves.—One of the eight Hercules aircraft at Harewood left on its return trip to the United States on Thursday. It was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel W. Turk, commanding officer of No. 1 Troop Carrier Squadron. Seven of the Hercules aircraft have been on supply missions to stations in the Antartip. . >•, .. r