Hello everyone. This is the continuation of the story of my French family.
The story starts here
Previous episode: Part 7
Hydrographic Engineer
So, in 1945, Henri ceased to be a Navy Officer and began a new career of Hydrographic Engineer, with the rank of "Ingénieur Général de Deuxième Classe", that is the equivalent of a two star general. In 1948, he was promoted to the highest rank for hydrographic engineers, equivalent to three star general.
Soon, he was made the head of the "Service Hydrographique de la Marine", the Naval Hydrographic Service (SHM) that became the "Service Hydrographique et Océanographique de la Marine" (SHOM) in 1971, long after Henri's retirement.
As indicated in the WikiPedia article, the SHM provides "a public service in hydrography and maritime cartography, including the collection, elaboration, confirmation and spread of nautical information useful to civil or naval navigators and to all who sail for professional or pleasure, as well as those responsible for care of the coast". In particular, the SHM published and corrected nautical charts.
Part of a French Nautical Chart
So, Henri's career started in Tahiti collecting hydrographic measurements for making nautical charts and ended as the director of the SHM that publishes those charts.
Henri stayed as the director of the SHM until 1955, when he was "reached by the age limit" as we say in the French military (as if you would stay put and the age limit would be moving!).
During his retirement years, Henri mostly took care of his wife, my grandmother Annick, who had Parkinson's disease.
Continue to Part 9
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Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4
Part 5 - Part 6 - Part 7
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