René Petitbon
René Petitbon | |
---|---|
Governor of French Somaliland | |
In office 1954–1957 | |
Preceded by | Georges Rey |
Succeeded by | André Latrille |
Governor of French Polynesia | |
In office 1950–1954 | |
Preceded by | Armand Anziani |
Succeeded by | Jean-François Toby |
Prefect of Constantine | |
In office 1945–1949 | |
Preceded by | André Lestrade-Carbonnel |
Succeeded by | Maurice Papon |
Prefect of Aube | |
In office 1944–1945 | |
Preceded by | Pierre Blanchet |
Succeeded by | Pierre-Henry Rix |
Personal details | |
Born | 18 August 1902 Pau, France |
Died | 1 February 1965 Paris, France | (aged 62)
René Jean Albert Petitbon (18 August 1902 – 2 February 1965)[1] was a French colonial administrator who served as Governor of French Polynesia and French Somaliland in the 1950s.
Biography
[edit]Petitbon was born in Pau in 1902.[1] After earning a Bachelor of the Arts in 1923, he completed his military service between 1925 and 1926. He then taught in lycées in Saint-Étienne and Clermont-Ferrand until joining the Alsatian Bank Society in 1928.[2] He became deputy director for the Haut-Rhin region in 1935 and then served as director general of the Banques Populaire of the North Paris region from 1937 until 1944.[2]
A member of the resistance during the Nazi occupation, he was appointed prefect of Aube in 1944. The following year he relocated to Algeria to become prefect of Constantine, a role he held until 1949. He then became Inspector General of Administrative Affairs in French West Africa.[2] He was appointed Governor of French Polynesia in 1950, remaining in post until 1954 when he was appointed Governor of French Somaliland.[3] He served in French Somaliland until 1957, and later worked in Algeria again between 1961 and 1962.[2]
He died in Paris in 1965 at the age of 62.[3]
References
[edit]- ^ a b René Petitbon (1902-1965) BNF
- ^ a b c d PETITBON, René Jean Albert ... France Archives
- ^ a b Mr. Rene Petitbon Pacific Islands Monthly, March 1965, p144