Background
Jean-Pierre Esteva was born on September 14, 1880 in Reims, Champagne-Ardenne, France.
Jean-Pierre Esteva was born on September 14, 1880 in Reims, Champagne-Ardenne, France.
Jean-Pierre Estev was educated locally.
Esteva was promoted to full admiral on 14 Sep 1937, his 57th birthday. Exactly a week before France declared war in 1939, the admiral took command of the Forces maritimes du Sud, based al Toulon. On 17 May 40, under threat of Italy’s entering the war, he moved his forces to Bizcrtc. From there, in close collaboration with British forces under Adm A. B. C. Cunningham, he saw action in the eastern Mediterranean. After the Vichy government was established the admiral was named resident general of Tunisia on 23 July 1940. Unlike Gen Barre, Esteva did not oppose the German buildup that started in Tunisia on 9 Nov 1942.
As Allied forces approached Tunis in May 1943 the Germans flew their collaborator back to France, where he was put on the inactive list. Adm Esteva was arrested after the liberation of Paris and charged with failure to resist the Germans in Tunisia. On 9 Sep 1944 he was dismissed from the navy without a pension. The High Court of Justice sentenced the admiral on 15 Mar 1945 to "military degradation” and life imprisonment. In failing health, Esteva was freed several weeks before his death on 11 Jan 51 at Reims.