Death Of French Patriot
p. 13 · Read in the full issue
In England
Prom Our Own Correspondent June 11.
NOUMEANS heard with regret of the recent death in England of Captain Fatoux.
Captain Fatoux came to Noumea in 1941 as aide-de-camp to Governor- General Brunot. He was a patriotic and outspoken officer, who had been wounded when blowing up a bridge under the noses of the advancing Germans during the retreat in France, and he was a Frenchman to whom the Colony took a liking.
Differences developed between him and Monsieur Brunot during their subsequent voyage to Tahiti, and he was arrested, together with a number of Tahitian officials and citizens—patriots and de Gaullists all—at the time when Brunot took it upon himself to dismiss the Governor (M. de Curton) and provisionally occupy his place.
But Captain Fatoux, quickly released, had returned to London long before the arrival at Papeete of Rear-Admiral (then Captain) d’Argenlieu, who replaced Governor-General Brunot with the present efficient and successful Governor (Colonel Orselli of the French Air Force).