



This article lists thecolonial governors ofNauru, from the establishment of theGermancolonial presence in 1888 (as part ofGerman New Guinea), through theJapaneseoccupation duringWorld War II, until theindependence of theAustralian-administeredTrust Territory of Nauru in 1968.
(Dates in italics indicatede 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 theAustralian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force [AN&MEF] (1914) | |||
| 6 November 1914 | ColonelWilliam Holmes | Killed in theBattle 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 March 1966 | Reginald Sylvester Leydin | Second time[1] | |
| March 1966 to 19 May 1966 | Roy Edward Vizard | Acting[1] | |
| 19 May 1966 to 30 January 1968 | Leslie Dudley King | [2] | |
On 30 January 1968, Nauru achieved independence. For a list of heads of state after independence, seePresident of Nauru.