In 1920, several major Dutch shipping companies joined forces to create the Vereenigde Nederlandsche Scheepvaartmaatschappij (United Netherlands Shipping Company), known by its initials VNS. Their aim was to streamline operations and strengthen global maritime links — including important routes to Australia. Over the following decades, the member lines of the Read more…
A major maritime discovery has brought to light a remarkable episode in Dutch-Australian history. In March 2025, after more than 160 years hidden beneath the shifting sands of Long Beach near Robe, South Australia, the wreck of the Koning Willem de Tweede was found. The Dutch merchant ship had sunk Read more…
In the immediate aftermath of World War II, the Netherlands faced a monumental challenge. While its homeland lay in ruins after years of occupation, it also had to grapple with re-establishing authority and humanitarian order in its colony, the Netherlands East Indies (NEI), which had been under brutal Japanese occupation Read more…
The MacRobertson Trophy Air Race (also known as the London to Melbourne Air Race) took place in October 1934 as part of the Melbourne Centenary celebrations. The race was devised by the Lord Mayor of Melbourne, Sir Harold Gengoult Smith, and the prize money of £15,000 was provided by Sir Read more…
John Rothwell, who anglicised his Dutch name, is the co-founder and chairman of Austal Limited. Rothwell’s leadership and vision were instrumental in transforming Austal into a global leader in shipbuilding. In 1990, John Rothwell penned a strategic paper that would shape the future of Austal. In this document, Rothwell outlined Read more…
Sailors Boesidien and Samanuddin were members of the Netherlands Merchant Navy during World War II and are interred at Toowong Cemetery in Brisbane. Their service highlights the significant role of Dutch merchant vessels in the Allied efforts in the Pacific. Boesidien (1909–1942): Born in Bengkalan, Java, Boesidien served aboard the Read more…
On the night of June 23, 1944, the small town of Dodewaard in the Netherlands became an unwilling witness to the horrors of World War II. A Handley Page Halifax III bomber, serial number MZ 715, was shot down during a mission over occupied Europe. This tragic incident not only Read more…
The 18 Netherlands East Indies squadron RAAF was established on April 4 1942 They destroyed many Japanese operations on NEI, sunk 6 Japanese ships and numerous smaller boats.
Throughout World War II, the Dutch Merchant Navy (Koopvaardij) played a crucial role in the global war effort, especially in the Pacific following the fall of the Dutch East Indies (modern-day Indonesia) to Japanese forces in early 1942. This article explores the enduring legacy of the Dutch Merchant Navy in Read more…
On the eve of the Netherlands East Indies’ capitulation, a series of evacuation flights brought Dutch citizens to the safety of Australia, with Broome emerging as a key evacuation hub. Among the heroic pilots, Dutch-Russian Captain Iwan Smirnoff stood out for his multiple successful evacuation missions, regarding it as a Read more…