René Petitbon
Governor of French Somaliland
In office
1954–1957
Preceded byGeorges-Pierre Rey
Succeeded byAndré-Jean-Gaston Latrille
Governor of French Polynesia
In office
1950–1954
Preceded byArmand Anziani
Succeeded byJean-François Toby
Prefect of Constantine
In office
1945–1949
Preceded byAndré Lestrade-Carbonnel
Succeeded byMaurice Papon
Prefect of Aube
In office
1944–1945
Preceded byPierre Blanchet
Succeeded byPierre-Henry Rix
Personal details
Born18 August 1902
Pau, France
Died1 February 1965(1965-02-01) (aged 62)
Paris, France

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

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

  1. 1 2 René Petitbon (1902-1965) BNF
  2. 1 2 3 4 PETITBON, René Jean Albert ... France Archives
  3. 1 2 Mr. Rene Petitbon Pacific Islands Monthly, March 1965, p144
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