Citroen 2CV History half tracks also see |
In the 1920's Citroen halftracks or Autochenilles, fitted with Adolphe Kegresse's rear tracks, took part in major expeditions in North Africa:
1922 December 17: Georges-Marie Haardt and 11 others crossed the Sahara Desert from Touggourt in Algeria to Timbuktu in Mali on 7 January 1923.
1924 October 28: Citroen halftracks
traversed Africa from north to south, and finally
arrived at the east coast on 26 June 1925.
The trip was known as La Croisiere Noire
1931-1932 Citroen-Haardt Expedition
On 4/4/1931 seven Citroen halftracks led by Georges-Marie Haardt departed Beirut in Lebanon heading for Beijing (at that time Peiping) following Marco Polo's route along the Silk Road in part. Seven other half-tracks left Tianjin (Tientsin) on the Yellow Sea to meet them.
Russia had withdrawn permission to drive through Turkmenistan
at a late stage, so two of the vehicles were manhandled north
into the Karakoram, crossing the Burzil Pass (13,755'), to Mishgar
where they were halted by the terrain.
The group proceeded on camels and horses to Kashgar (Kashi).
They met the others and, despite arrest, bandits, rebels,
and crashing through ice at a river crossing,
went on to Beijing in the other vehicles, arriving
A 1934 Citroen Kegresse P17E military half-track, chassis #10629, sold for €34,500 at Bonham's Paris auction, 1-2 Feb. 2023.
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