List of colonial governors of Nauru

This article lists the colonial governors of Nauru, from the establishment of the German colonial presence in 1888 (as part of German New Guinea), through the Japanese occupation during World War II, until the independence of the Australian-administered Trust Territory of Nauru in 1968.

Annexation ceremony in Nauru, 3 October 1888.
German map of Nauru, 1897.
League of Nations mandates in the Pacific Ocean. The Trust Territory of Nauru (bordered in blue) is number 3.
Allied map of Nauru, World War II.

List edit

(Dates in italics indicate de facto continuation of office)

Tenure Portrait Incumbent Notes
Reichskommissar (1888)
2 October 1888 to 3 October 1888   Franz Leopold Sonnenschein [cz]
Bezirksamtleute (1888–1905)
3 October 1888 to 14 May 1889   Robert Rasch Acting
14 May 1889 to 1892   Christian Hermann Johannsen [cs]
1892 to 1897   Friedrich "Fritz" Jung
1898 to 1905   Ludwig Kaiser [cs]
Station chiefs (1906–1914)
1 April 1906 to 1908   Konrad Geppert [cs]
1908 to 1911   Joseph Siegwanz
1911 to 1912   Karl Warnecke
1912 to 9 September 1914   Wilhelm Wostrack [cs] First time
British Commanding Officer of the Landing Party (1914)
9 September 1914 (hours)   Myles Aldington Blomfield
Station chief (1914)
9 September 1914 to 6 November 1914   Wilhelm Wostrack [cs] Second time
Commanding Officer of the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force [AN&MEF] (1914)
6 November 1914   Colonel William Holmes Killed in the Battle of Messines (1917)
Commanding Officer of the Australian Garrison Nauru (1914)
6 November 1914 to 25 December 1914   Edward Creer Norrie
Administrators (1914–1942)
25 December 1914 to December 1917   Charles Rufus Marshall Workman
December 1917 to 9 June 1921   Geoffrey Whistler Bingham Smith-Rewse Aweida was the head chief of nauru
10 June 1921 to 27 June 1927   Thomas Griffiths Daimon was the head chief of nauru
27 June 1927 to 31 December 1932   William Augustin Newman
5 February 1929 to 1929 Unknown Acting for Newman
1 January 1933 to 17 January 1933 Unknown Acting
17 January 1933 to 31 August 1938   Rupert Clare Garsia Timothy Detudamo was head chief of nauru
1 September 1938 to 22 October 1938 Unknown Acting
22 October 1938 to 26 August 1942   Frederick Royden Chalmers Japanese prisoner 26 August 1942 – 25 March 1943; murdered in captivity
Japanese Military Commanders (1942–1945)
26 August 1942 to 7 March 1943   Hiromi Nakayama
7 March 1943 to 13 July 1943   Takenao Takenouchi Commander of the 67 Naval Guard Unit
13 July 1943 to 13 September 1945   Hisayuki Soeda
Australian Military Administrator (1945)
13 September 1945 to 31 October 1945   Joseph Lawrence Andrew Kelly
Administrators (1945–1968)
1 November 1945 to 30 August 1949   Mark Ridgway
31 August 1949 to 20 December 1949   Harold Reeve Acting
20 December 1949 to 31 October 1952   Robert Stanley Richards
July 1952 to 30 June 1954   John Keith Lawrence Acting (for Richards to 31 October 1952)
December 1953 to 30 June 1954   Keith Alan Read Acting
1 July 1954 to 21 June 1958   Reginald Sylvester Leydin First time.Raymond Gadabu was head chief of Nauru.
21 June 1958 to 30 April 1962   John Preston White
1 May 1962 to 31 May 1962   Frederick William McConaghy Acting
1 June 1962 to February 1966   Reginald Sylvester Leydin Second time
February 1966 to 2 May 1966 Unknown Acting
3 May 1966 to 30 January 1968   Leslie Dudley King

On 30 January 1968, Nauru achieved independence. For a list of heads of state after independence, see President of Nauru.

See also edit

External links edit