- Henri Romans-Petit
Henri Romans-Petit (1897-1980) was a member of the
French Resistance during theSecond World War . He organised several maquis, notably themaquis de l'Ain et du Haut-Jura amd the maquis deHaute-Savoie .Biography
Romans-Petit was born on the
13 February ,1897 atFirminy in the Loire departement. He was mobilized in 1938. After the armistice, he failed in his attempt to joinFree France inLondon . AtSaint-Étienne , he connected up with the "L'Espoir" network affiliated toFranc-Tireur . He was involved in preparing areas for parachute drops aroundLyon .In 1942 Romans-Petit organised the
maquis de l'Ain et du Haut-Jura , and on11 November he marched in the town ofOyonnax at the head of his maquisards. This fact was said to have decided the English and French forces in London to send arms drops to the French maquisards who were in desperate need of them.Romans-Petit was involved in starting maquis in Haute-Savoie, before he passed over his responsibilities to Tom Morel so that he could dedicate himself completely to the Maquis de L'Ain. Over the summer of 1944 Romans-Petit set up a full civil administration at
Nantua , and brought "La voix du maquis" into being. On theliberation of France , he was imprisoned for several weeks at Fort Lamothe atLyon by the new commissaire de la République, Yves Farge.Romans-Petit died on the
1 November 1980 atCeignes in the Ain departement.Works
* "Les Obstinés", Janicot, Lille, 1945.
* "L’Appel de l’aventure", Dorian, Saint-Etienne, 1947.
* "Les Maquis de l'Ain", Hachette, 1974.Recognition
* France: "Grand Officier" of the
Légion d'honneur ", "Compagnon de la Libération ", "Croix de guerre 1914-1918", "Croix de guerre 1939-1945 ", "Médaille de la Résistance "
* United Kingdom:Distinguished Service Order
* United States of America: Officer of theLegion of Merit
* Belgium: Officier of theOrder of Leopold
* Congo: Commander of the Order of Merit
* Cameroon: Officer of the Order of Merit
* Tunisia: "Grand Officier" of theNichan Iftikhar (order of glory)"Sources and external links
* [http://www.ordredelaliberation.fr/fr_compagnon/769.html Portrait of Henri Romans-Petit on the "Ordre de la Libération" site (French)]
* Raymond Ruffin, "Ces chefs du Maquis qui gênaient", Presses de la Cité, 1980.
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