19 novembre 1917
22 octobre 2003
Philippe Ragueneau naît le 19 novembre 1917 à Orléans (Loiret). Il fait ses études secondaires à Orléans (collège Saint-Euverte), Roubaix (collège Notre-Dame), Froyennes en Belgique (pensionnat Passy-Froyennes) et Lille (lycée Faidherbe). Il est diplômé de l'École des Hautes études commerciales (HEC).
Alors qu'il poursuit ses études à HEC, il est mobilisé le 1er septembre 1939 à la 51e DI d'Orléans. Après une formation d'élève-officier de réserve (EOR) à Saint-Cyr, il est promu aspirant dans l'Infanterie. En juin 1940, il se trouve à Mondonville (Haute-Garonne), chef de section dans une compagnie de mitrailleuses au 23e RI ; avant même l'appel du général de Gaulle, il refuse de déposer les armes et groupe autour de lui les officiers et sous-officiers de sa compagnie. Une semaine après l'armistice du 22 juin 1940, il diffuse en Haute-Garonne un manifeste intitulé « La guerre continue » dans lequel il définit les principes de la résistance clandestine, puis fonde le mouvement « La Guerre secrète » qui se consacre au renseignement, à la propagande et au sabotage. Fin janvier 1941,il part pour Lyon afin d'y rencontrer les responsables d'autres mouvements naissants en zone sud. Il rejoint le Mouvement de libération nationale (MLN) créé par Henri Frenay et est chargé par celui-ci de la diffusion des journaux clandestins du mouvement, Les Petites ailes de France puis Vérités. Le 12 août 1941 il est arrêté pour « diffusion d'imprimés de nature à exercer une influence fâcheuse sur l'esprit des populations », et incarcéré à la prison de Montluc à Lyon. Condamné à une peine légère, il reprend son activité de propagande. Mais, surveillé de près par la police, il doit passer en Algérie où il reprend contact avec le mouvement Combat.
Au moment du débarquement allié de novembre 1942, il fait partie du coup de force qui neutralise Alger. Il s'engage ensuite dans un commando français rattaché à la 1e Armée britannique, le Special Detachment. Il est nommé sous-lieutenant. Philippe Ragueneau et les 45 hommes du commando débarquent puis occupent pendant près de deux mois, en décembre 1942 et janvier 1943, le phare du Cap Serrat en Tunisie alors qu'ils sont coupés de leur base et presque sans ravitaillement. En mars 1943 le commando opère à l'Oued Zarga puis, le mois suivant, de nouveau au Cap Serrat. Ayant effectué 21 missions de sabotage dans les lignes ennemies, il est promu lieutenant. Après l'entrée des Alliés à Tunis, les volontaires du Special Detachment sont incorporés dans la 1e Division Française Libre au sein du 1er Régiment de DCA Légère. Il demande l'autorisation de retourner en France. Dans ce but, il est affecté en novembre 1943, à Alger, au Bureau central de renseignements et d'action (BCRA), avant de partir, le 1er décembre, pour Londres où il suit un entraînement intensif (parachutisme, sabotage, espionnage, etc.).
Le 7 juin 1944, nommé capitaine à titre provisoire, il est parachuté dans le maquis de Malestroit (Morbihan) au sein de l'équipe interalliée de liaison Jedburgh commandée par le capitaine américain Paul Cyr, de l'Office of strategic service. Team George est le nom de code de l'équipe. Leur mission est d'équiper, d'entrainer, et d'organiser la résistance en Bretagne. Dix nuits de suite, ils réceptionnent du matériel. Le 18 juin 1944 à l'aube, le camp est attaqué et Philippe Ragueneau est contraint de se replier avec les FFI du maquis. Après dix jours de marche, il atteint le maquis de Saffré en Loire-Atlantique et participe aux combats de défense du maquis puis à ceux d'Ancenis. Quelques jours plus tard, il est nommé Délégué militaire départemental en Loire-inférieure ; il organise le département, obtient des armes et équipe plusieurs bataillons. Après l'arrivée des troupes américaines, fin août, le capitaine Ragueneau rentre à Londres. Parachuté une seconde fois avec l'équipe George II, le 7 septembre 1944, dans la Vienne, il contribue à mettre sur pied le 1er Groupement mobile qui monte au contact des Allemands retranchés sur la ligne Pornic-Paimboeuf et les refoule vers Saint-Nazaire après de durs combats. En octobre 1944, appelé à Nantes à l'État-major du 1er Groupement mobile, il est nommé chef du 2e Bureau ; fin novembre 1944, sa mission terminée, il rentre à Paris.
À la Libération, il fonde et dirige un quotidien régional L'Avenir de l'Ouest, puis rejoint de Gaulle qui vient de créer le Rassemblement du peuple français (RPF). De janvier à novembre 1947, il est délégué départemental du RPF en Loire-Inférieure. Appelé par le général de Gaulle à Paris, il devient chargé de mission pour les onze départements de l'Est et du Centre-est, notamment pour y organiser les élections. En 1949, il devient directeur des services de presse, propagande et information du parti pour la région parisienne puis, en 1952, directeur adjoint des services nationaux de presse et d'information du RPF jusqu'à la dissolution du parti en 1955.
De 1953 à 1955, il est également chargé de mission et des relations avec la presse au cabinet de Maurice Lemaire, ministre de la Reconstruction et du Logement. À la dissolution du RPF, il entre à Jours de France comme chef des services politiques puis à l'hebdomadaire Radar en 1957 comme chef des informations. Il participe également à la Nation (journal des Républicains sociaux), l'Avenir d'Ile-et-Vilaine et l'Oise libérée.
En mai 1958, le général de Gaulle arrive au pouvoir en tant que président du Conseil. Il nomme Philippe Ragueneau au sein de son cabinet pour y diriger, comme chargé de mission, les services de presse.
En 1959, il entre à la RTF. C'est le début d'une longue carrière dans l'audiovisuel. Il est d'abord Directeur du journal parlé de la radiodiffusion de janvier à avril 1959, puis Directeur de l'actualité d'avril à octobre. Il devient ensuite Directeur adjoint des programmes de télévision d'octobre 1959 à 1964. Il crée et dirige la 2e chaine (1962-1964). D'octobre 1964 à octobre 1968, il devient Directeur des programmes de télévision, avant d'être nommé inspecteur général de l'ORTF (1968-1974). Il est parallèlement président de l'Union des cadres de l'ORTF (1968-1972), membre du conseil d'administration de l'Office (1971-1972) et Délégué aux stations d'Outre-mer (1972-1974).
Philippe Ragueneau quitte l'ORTF en 1974 au moment de son éclatement. Il est nommé directeur du Centre d'études d'opinion (CEO), organisme public rattaché aux services du Premier ministre et chargé, dans le cadre de la loi de 1974, de mesurer l'audience et la qualité des programmes des sociétés de radio et de télévision afin de répartir entre elles le produit de la redevance. Philippe Ragueneau joue en 1980 un rôle de premier plan dans la mise en place du système audimétrique de mesure de l'audience de la télévision qu'il décide d'appeler « Audimat ».
Retraité du CEO en 1982, il reprend cependant des activités dans des sociétés privées d'études du secteur des médias. Il devient administrateur et conseil en développement de la Sécodip en 1983 et vice-président de Cécodis en 1985, postes qu'il quitte en 1993.
Philippe Ragueneau est également un écrivain qui publia près d'une trentaine d'ouvrages, sur des sujets variés. Sa première publication, Julien ou la Route à l'envers (1976), lui permet de revenir sur son activité de résistant. Suivent plusieurs romans, des récits, et quelques ouvrages sur le général de Gaulle. À partir de 1981, il publie plusieurs cycles de récits inspirés de son amour des chats (cycles du chat Moune, de Gros-Mimi et Petit-Lulu et de Tiburce, le chat détective).
Outre une riche carrière professionnelle et littéraire, il s'investit dans de nombreuses associations. Il est notamment administrateur du Centre d'information civique et du Conseil national de la communication, président de l'Institut de recherche et de promotion audiovisuelles et de l'Association des résistants de l'ORTF. Son engagement gaulliste le conduit à participer, aux côtés de Roland Nungesser, à la création du mouvement Carrefour du gaullisme, dont il sera secrétaire général pendant de nombreuses années.
Il est aussi critique littéraire au Figaro, producteur-auteur de télévision et directeur de collection aux éditions Jacques Grancher.
Sa brillante carrière militaire lui confère de nombreuses distinctions. Il est commandeur de la Légion d'honneur et Compagnon de la Libération et reçoit la Croix de guerre 1939-1945, la Médaille de la Résistance, la Médaille coloniale, la Croix du Combattant Volontaire, la Médaille commémorative des Services volontaires dans la France libre, l'Africa Star (GB) et la Silver Star (USA).
Philippe Ragueneau est mort le 22 octobre 2003 à Gordes (Vaucluse).
Was this content helpful? Let Archives Portal Europe and the archival institution know what you think.
Feedback is sent directly to the institution holding this material and should preferably be submitted in English or in the language of the institution, if possible. The institution will aim at getting back to you as soon as possible to help you with your request, though you might need to allow between two and four weeks for this depending on the current workload at the institution.
Please select amongst the relevant tips we can help with. If you still have questions, please do not hesitate to contact us, and we will be in touch as soon as possible.
Starting your search here will include all content available in Archives Portal Europe. Simply enter your keyword(s) and hit the search button. Wrap fixed expressions in quotation marks, e.g. “French Revolution”. Check the box to “Search each term separately” in case you are looking for documents containing at least one word, but not necessarily all keywords; this will also allow you to search for the same term in multiple languages at the same time (e.g. “French Revolution” “Révolution Française”). You can also use wildcards - find more about Research Tools here. If you would like to use more specific settings, try our Advanced search
The additional advanced search options give you the possibility to focus your search in:
When searching with multiple terms at the same time, wrap fixed expressions in quotation marks (e.g. "French Revolution"), or check the box "Search each term separately" in case you are looking for either one term of the other. This will also allow you to search for the same term in multiple languages (e.g. "French Revolution" "Révolution française"). You can also choose one of the suggestions matching your search term once you start typing.
This will only show results that include documents that have been digitised and are available online
Use this option to search only one or more keywords, rather than all of them
Select where your search terms should appear specifically inside the archival description:
You can filter results by selecting where your search terms appears specifically inside the archival description:
You can filter results by selecting where your search terms appears specifically inside the description of the archive:
Please note that this filter will only include institutions, for which a type has been provided as part of their descriptions:
Enter a start and/or end date in the format DD-MM-YYYY, i.e. 01-01-1900 for 1 January 1900. This will allow you to focus your search on a specific period of time. You can use the calendar function or type directly in the text field. The checkbox "Exact date search" concentrates the search on one specific date.
Check "View in context" to view the results in the hierarchical structure of archives.
For more details see Research Tools
Please sign in to save your searches.
A holdings guide is an overview of the collections and fonds of one archival institution.
A finding aid is a structured description of archival materials per collection or fonds up to item level.
You can filter results by selecting one or more countries of interest. You can also combine this filter with other filters. Your filter selection will appear above. Click "Clear filters" to see all results matching your initial search request again.
You can filter results by one or more holding archival institutions. You can also combine this filter with other filters. Your filter selection will appear above. Click "Clear filters" to see all results matching your initial search request again.
You can select to view results from a specific Finding Aid, i.e., a structured description of archival materials per collection or fonds up to item level. You can also combine this filter with other filters. Your filter selection will appear above. Click "Clear filters" to see all results matching your initial search request again.
You can filter by type of descriptive document:
You can also combine this filter with other filters. Your filter selection will appear above. Click "Clear filters" to see all results matching your initial search request again.
You can filter results by selecting "Fonds description" for a general overview or "Other descriptions" for item level. You can also combine this filter with other filters. Your filter
selection will appear above. Click "Clear filters" to see all results
matching your initial search request again.
You can filter results by selecting only those containing digital objects, i.e. the link to the digitised version of the archival material you are looking for. You can also combine this filter with other filters. Your filter selection will appear above. Click "Clear filters" to see all results matching your initial search request again.
You can filter results by type of digital object you are interested in:
You can also combine this filter with other filters. Your filter selection will appear above. Click "Clear filters" to see all results matching your initial search request again.
You can filter results based on the date of creation of the archival material (which may differ from the time period you are interested in - e.g., philosophers from the Enlightenment period reflecting on classic thinkers)
Please note that not all documents contain a machine-readable date. More information here
You can filter results based on the date of creation of the archival material (which may differ from the time period you are interested in - e.g., philosophers from the Enlightenment period reflecting on classic thinkers). This filter will only include materials with "Full dates", i.e. those that include date information available for date-based searches. You can either search for a specific date of interest or focus step by step on the time span of a century, decade, year or month. When searching for a specific date, enter the date in the format DD-MM-YYYY, i.e. 01/01/1900 for 1 January 1900, via the calendar function or by typing directly in the text field.
This filter concentrates on the earliest dates mentioned in the materials.
You can filter results based on the date of creation of the archival material (which may differ from the time period you are interested in - e.g., philosophers from the Enlightenment period reflecting on classic thinkers). This filter will only include materials with "Full dates", i.e. those that include date information available for date-based searches. You can either search for a specific date of interest or focus step by step on the time span of a century, decade, year or month. When searching for a specific date, enter the date in the format DD-MM-YYYY, i.e. 01/01/1900 for 1 January 1900, via the calendar function or by typing directly in the text field.
This filter concentrates on the latest dates mentioned in the materials.
You can filter results based on the language in which the material is written. Please note that this filter will only include materials where specific language information has been provided by the institution and is therefore in a machine-readable format. You can also combine this filter with other filters. Your selection will then be displayed above the search results (see "Search filters"). Clicking "Clear filters" will remove your selection and you will see all results matching your initial search request again.
You can filter results by selecting one or more topics of interest. Please note that this filter will only include materials where the topic has been assigned and is therefore in a machine-readable format. Read how to assign a topic to documents on the Topics page. You can also combine this filter with other filters. Your selection will then be displayed above the search results (see "Search filters"). Clicking "Clear filters" will remove your selection and you will see all results matching your initial search request again.
You can filter results by selecting where your search terms appears specifically inside the archival description:
You can also combine this filter with other filters. Your selection will then be displayed above the search results (see "Search filters"). Clicking "Clear filters" will remove your selection and you will see all results matching your initial search request again.
You can filter results by type of entities:
You can filter results based on the language in which the material is written. Please note that this filter will only include materials where specific language information has been provided by the institution and is therefore in a machine-readable format. You can also combine this filter with other filters. Your selection will then be displayed above the search results (see "Search filters"). Clicking "Clear filters" will remove your selection and you will see all results matching your initial search request again.
You can filter results based on the type of holding institution. Please note that this filter will only include institutions, for which a type has been provided as part of their descriptions.
Write your message in your own language and use this drop-down menu to have your message translated into English or in the language of the institution for a swifter response. By checking this box and selecting a language you will send your original message along with the translated version
What kind of suggestion would you like to make?
This is a test area to fill out all the copyright details for Attribution Creative Commons Licence
This object is not or no longer protected by copyright and has been labelled with the Public Domain Mark. It can be used by anyone without any restrictions.
This object is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Public Domain Dedication. All possible existing rights in the content are waived, and the object can be used by anyone without any restrictions.
This object is made available under the terms of the Creative Commons - Attribution (BY) licence. You can copy, redistribute, remix, tweak, and build upon the licensed object, even
commercially, as long as you attribute the rights holder as described
in the licence.
This is a test area to fill out all the copyright details for Attribution Creative Commons Share Alike Licence
This is a test area to fill out all the copyright details for NoDerivs
This is a test area to fill out all the copyright details for NonCommercial
This object is in the public domain, but has been digitised as the outcome of a public-private partnership, where the terms of the contractual agreement limit commercial use for a certain period of time. You can copy, redistribute, remix, tweak, and build upon the object for non-commercial use only.
This object has been
identified as an Orphan Work in the country of first publication and in
line with the requirements of the national law implementing Directive
2012/28/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October
2012 on certain permitted uses of orphan works.
You are free to use this object in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. Please note that you are responsible for your own use, including the need to obtain other permissions e.g. with regard to publicity, privacy or moral rights.
This object is in the public domain, but is subject to known legal restrictions other than copyright which prevent its free re-use. Please contact the providing institution for more information.
This object is currently in copyright. Please contact the providing institution for more information and in order to acquire additional permissions for re-use.
The copyright status of this object has not been evaluated yet. Please contact the providing institution for more information.
You are free to use this object in any way that is permitted by the
copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. Please note that you are responsible for your own use, including the need to obtain other permissions e.g. with regard to publicity, privacy, or moral rights.
This object is currently in copyright and the rights holder(s) have allowed re-use for educational purposes only. You are free to use this object in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. Please note that you are responsible for your own use, including the need to obtain other permissions e.g. with regard to publicity, privacy or moral rights.
Please contact the providing institution for more information and in order to acquire additional permissions for any other uses.
This object is made available under the terms of the Creative Commons - Attribution, ShareAlike (BY-SA) licence. You can copy, redistribute, remix, tweak and build upon the licensed object, even for commercial purposes, as long as you attribute the rights holder as described in the licence, and you license your adaptations of the object under the same terms.
This object is made available under the terms of the Creative Commons - Attribution, ShareAlike (BY-SA) licence. You can copy, redistribute, remix, tweak and build upon the licensed object, even for commercial purposes, as long as you attribute the rights holder as described in the licence, and you license your adaptations of the object under the same terms.
This object is made available under the terms of the Creative Commons - Attribution, No Derivates (BY-ND) licence. You can copy and redistribute the object, even
commercially, as long as no alteration is made to the object and you attribute the rights holder as described in the licence.
If you remix, transform or build upon the object, you may not distribute the modified material.
This object is made available under the terms of the Creative Commons - Attribution, Non-Commercial (BY-NC) licence. You can copy, redistribute, remix, tweak, and build upon the licensed object for non-commercial use only and as long as you attribute the rights holder as described in the licence.
This object is made available under the terms of the Creative Commons - Attribution, Non-Commercial, ShareAlike (BY-NC-SA) licence. You can copy, redistribute, remix, tweak, and build upon the licensed object for non-commercial use only, as long as you attribute the rights
holder as described in
the licence, and as long as you license your adaptations of the object under the same
terms.
This object is made available under the terms of the Creative Commons - Attribution, Non-Commercial, No Derivates (BY-NC-ND) licence. You can copy and redistribute the object for non-commercial use only, as long as no alteration is made to the object and as long as you attribute the rights
holder as described in
the licence.
If you remix, transform or build upon the object, you may not distribute the modified material.
This object is in the public domain, but has been digitised as the outcome of a public-private partnership, where the terms of the contractual agreement limit commercial use for a certain period of time. You can copy, redistribute, remix, tweak, and build upon the object for non-commercial use only.
This object has been
identified as an Orphan Work in the country of first publication and in
line with the requirements of the national law implementing Directive
2012/28/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October
2012 on certain permitted uses of orphan works.
You are free to use this object in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. Please note that you are responsible for your own use, including the need to obtain other permissions e.g. with regard to publicity, privacy or moral rights.
This object is in the public domain, but is subject to known legal restrictions other than copyright which prevent its free re-use. Please contact the providing institution for more information.
This object is currently in copyright. Please contact the providing institution for more information and in order to acquire additional permissions for re-use.
The copyright status of this object has not been evaluated yet. Please contact the providing institution for more information.
You are free to use this object in any way that is permitted by the
copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. Please note that you are responsible for your own use, including the need to obtain other permissions e.g. with regard to publicity, privacy, or moral rights.
This object is currently in copyright and the rights holder(s) have allowed re-use for educational purposes only. You are free to use this object in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. Please note that you are responsible for your own use, including the need to obtain other permissions e.g. with regard to publicity, privacy or moral rights.
Please contact the providing institution for more information and in order to acquire additional permissions for any other uses.