Amédée William Merlaud-Ponty (4 February 1866 – 13 June 1915) was a French colonial administrator. He was a Governor General of

French West Africa French West Africa (french: Afrique-Occidentale française, ) was a federation of eight French colonial territories in West Africa: Mauritania, Senegal, French Sudan (now Mali), French Guinea (now Guinea), Ivory Coast, Upper Volta (now Burki ...

(1908–1915) who particularly interested himself in the economic development and education of Africa. During

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, 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 Paul Ducuing (30 April 1867 – 9 March 1949) was a French sculptor. Early life Paul Ducuing was born on 30 April 1867 in Lannemezan. His father was a farmer. He graduated from the École des Beaux-Arts in Toulouse and the École nationale su ...

's statues of the ''

tirailleur A tirailleur (), in the Napoleonic era, was a type of light infantry trained to skirmish ahead of the main columns. Later, the term "''tirailleur''" was used by the French Army as a designation for indigenous infantry recruited in the French c ...

'' Demba and the ''

zouave The Zouaves were a class of light infantry regiments of the French Army serving between 1830 and 1962 and linked to French North Africa; as well as some units of other countries modelled upon them. The zouaves were among the most decorated unit ...

'' Dupont. The same monument honours the French conqueror of Senegal,

Louis Faidherbe Louis Léon César Faidherbe (; 3 June 1818 – 29 September 1889) was a French general and colonial administrator. He created the Senegalese Tirailleurs when he was governor of Senegal. Early life Faidherbe was born into a lower-middle-clas ...

, as well as four Governors-General,

Noël Ballay Dr. Noël Eugène Ballay (14 July 1847 – 26 January 1902) was a French auxiliary doctor of the French navy, and a poet. He was an explorer and colonial administrator, the second Governor-General of French West Africa. Early years Noël Ballay ...

Joost van Vollenhoven Joost van Vollenhoven (21 July 1877, Rotterdam – 20 July 1918, Parcy-et-Tigny, Aisne) was a Dutch-born French soldier and colonial administrator. Van Vollenhoven died in the Second Battle of the Marne. Early life Joost van Vollenhoven was Dutc ...

, François Clozel and Ponty himself.René Vanlande, ''Dakar'', Peyronnet, Paris, 1940, p. 189

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Merlaud-Ponty, William 1866 births 1915 deaths People from Rochefort, Charente-Maritime Governors of French West Africa History of Ivory Coast History of Senegal

See also

Notes