The site was discovered in 1950 by the Fifth French Antarctic Expedition under André-Frank Liotard [fr] and a landing made on 18 January 1950. The base was established by Liotard and a team of 11 men who raised the main building with several annexes to house scientific activities. It was named for expeditioner André-Paul Martin [fr] (aka J.A. Martin), originally second-in-command of the group, who had died of a stroke off South Africa as the expedition was en route to the Antarctic.[2]
On 6 January 1951 the base team was relieved by 17-member team under the leadership of Michel Barré [fr]. Over the following year they enlarged the main building while continuing the research program. They, in turn, were relieved on 4 January 1952 while a smaller team of seven, led by Mario Marret [fr], built a secondary base on Petrel Island, some 60 kilometres (37 mi) to the west in the Géologie Archipelago.[2]
On the night of 23–24 January 1952 the Port Martin base was largely destroyed by a fire which burnt down its main building. There were no deaths nor injuries incurred but the base personnel were evacuated to Petrel Island, where they overwintered, and Port Martin abandoned.[2]
Historic site
Since 1952 the site has remained largely undisturbed. What remains in Port-Martin are the base's ancillary buildings, including a weather shelter and its coal and supply sheds, beneath a covering of snow. It represents an optimal site to design archeological methods and techniques in extreme climatic conditions. It is considered a valuable archaeological as well as a historic site and is protected under the Antarctic Treaty System as Antarctic Specially Protected Area (ASPA) No.166.[2] It has also been designated a Historic Site or Monument (HSM 46), following a proposal by France to the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting.[3]
