William Sydney Marchant
| William Sydney Marchant | |
|---|---|
|
In office 1939–1943 | |
| Preceded by | Francis Noel Ashley |
| Succeeded by | Owen Cyril Noel |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 10 December 1894 |
| Died | 1 February 1953 |
William Sydney Marchant, CMG, OBE (10 December 1894 – 1 February 1953), was the United Kingdom's Resident Commissioner of the Solomon Islands Protectorate from 1939 to 1943.[1] As commissioner, he directed the evacuation of European settlers from the Solomon Islands prior to the Japanese occupation of the islands during World War II as well as leading the organisation of coastwatcher units throughout the islands.[2] Marchant relocated from this headquarters at Tulagi to Malaita about two months before the Japanese occupied Tulagi in May, 1942. On Malaita he helped operate a coastwatcher radio relay station in support of the Allied Solomon Islands campaign until the end of his appointment in 1943.
Marchant was then appointed as Chief Native Commissioner for the Kenya Colony from 1943 until 1947. Marchant died in 1953.[3]
References
- Notes
- ↑ WorldStatesmen.org
- ↑ Rentz, Marines in the Central Solomons, p. 5.
- ↑ Gillison, p. 516.
- Books
- Clemens, Martin (2004). Alone on Guadalcanal: A Coastwatcher's Story (reissue ed.). Bluejacket Books. ISBN 1-59114-124-9.
- Feldt, Eric Augustus (1946 (original text), 1991 (this edition)). The Coastwatchers. Victoria, Australia: Penguin Books. ISBN 0-14-014926-0. Check date values in:
|date=(help) - Frank, Richard (1990). Guadalcanal: The Definitive Account of the Landmark Battle. New York: Random House. ISBN 0-394-58875-4.
- Horton, D. C. (1970). Fire Over the Islands. ISBN 0-589-07089-4.
- Lord, Walter (2006) [1977]. Lonely Vigil; Coastwatchers of the Solomons. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-59114-466-3.
- Web
- Gillison, Douglas (1962). "Chapter 26 – Coral Sea and Midway". Volume I – Royal Australian Air Force, 1939–1942. Australia in the War of 1939–1945, Series 3: Air. Canberra: Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 13 April 2009.
- Rentz, John (1952). "Marines in the Central Solomons". Historical Branch, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps. Retrieved 30 May 2006.
| Government offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Francis Noel Ashley |
Resident Commissioner of the Solomon Islands Protectorate 1939–1943 |
Succeeded by Owen Cyril Noel |