Charles François Maurice Houdaille (1858–1916) was a French army officer. An engineer by training, he was seconded to the colonies ministry and assigned to French West Africa.
Later, having been promoted from lieutenant colonel to colonel, he was responsible for the Mission Houdaille, a survey which led to the creation of the Régie des chemins de fer Abidjan-Niger.Côte-d'lvoire. Mission Houdaille. Étude du chemin de fer et du port. Vues photographiques. Album de 96 phot. et carte de la mission Houdaille de 1899. Portraits des capitaines Houdaille, Crosson-Duplessis, Thomasset, du lieutenant Macaire, du docteur Lamy, de l'adjoint du génie Borne, du roi Benieh de Bettié., 1899
He was a member of the Société française de photographie (French photography society).Société française de photographie: Les membres au XIXe siècle
Houdailled died in Paris in 1916 and is buried in the Montparnasse cemetery. He was the owner of the Château de Saint-Hilaire and although his name is listed on the town war memorial, he is not officially listed as having died for France. The Avenue Houdaille in Abidjan is named after him.
References
External links Le chemin de fer et le port de la Côte d'Ivoire : organisation d'une entreprise coloniale, Houdaille, Charles-François-Maurice, chef de bataillon du Génie, Berger-Levrault (Paris) 1905 Société française de photographie : HOUDAILLE Charles François Maurice (1858-1916, membre 1894)