William Merlaud-Ponty

Amédée William Merlaud-Ponty
Governor General of French West Africa
In office
1908 – 13 June 1915
Preceded by Ernest Roume
Succeeded by François Joseph Clozel
Personal details
Born 4 February 1866
Rochefort, Charente-Maritime, France
Died 13 June 1915 (aged 49)
Dakar, Senegal
Nationality French

Amédée William Merlaud-Ponty was a French colonial administrator (b. 4 February 1866 in Rochefort, Charente-Maritime; d. 13 June 1915 in Dakar, Senegal). He was a Governor General of French West Africa (1908–1915) who particularly interested himself in the economic development and education of Africa.

During World War I, Merlaud-Ponty was responsible for recruiting volunteers for African battlefields.

At Dakar's railway station a 1923 monument dedicated "to the creators of French West Africa and the glory of the Black army" features Paul Ducuing's statues of the tirailleur Demba and the zouave Dupont.[1] The same monument honours the French conqueror of Senegal, Louis Faidherbe, as well as four Governors General, Noël Ballay, Joost van Vollenhoven, François Clozel and Ponty himself.[2]

Notes

  1. ↑ Olivier Herviaux, "Coly & Sobanski, frères tirailleurs pour la vie" in Le Monde, 25 October 2007
  2. ↑ René Vanlande, Dakar, Peyronnet, Paris, 1940, p. 189

See also