Royal Netherlands Navy Wireless Telegraphy Station Batchelor, NT and Craigieburn, Vic.
Dutch message re Pearl Harbour attack was ignored. Identifying Japan as a potential aggressor, in the thirties the Dutch tried to strengthen their intelligence capability. In 1932 the Royal Netherlands Navy set up a radio intercept unit to monitor the activities of the Japanese Navy. Several weeks prior to the
Netherlands East Indies Commission for Australia and New Zealand
Prelude Following hastily established diplomatic relationships in January 1942, the Australian Labor Government offered the Dutch, after the fall of NEI, shear unlimited support in relation to facilities and training, while at the same time providing them with a remarkable high level of independence for their operations in Australia. What
Netherlands East Indies Government-in-Exile in Australia (1944-1946)
Apart from policies regarding the direction of a post-war NEI there was tension between the Dutch-government-in-exile and the NEI government-in-exile, in relation to the decision-making process. Soon after the liberation of the southern Netherlands, on 14 September 1944, the Dutch Queen Wilhelmina decreed from London the official formation of a
The Colonial Warship the Doerga explored northern Australia (1825-1826)
In the 1820s the Dutch Colonial naval vessel Doerga (Dourga) the Dutch was sent by Netherlands East indies Government to northern Australia to establish Dutch claims to the region and to investigate the trepang trade. The voyages of the Dutch brig of war Dourga, were recorded by its Captain Dirk
A short overview of the Dutch exploration of Torres Strait
Scroll down and a map shows up with New Guinea connected to Australia but a small missing part on that map shows where in this perspective the Torres Strait could have been. See also: The Colonial Warship the Doerga explored northern Australia (1825-1826) Dutch Explorers in the Gulf of Carpentaria
The Dutch and America’s 7th Fleet
The United States 7th Fleet is responsible for operations in the Western Pacific Ocean. It was formed on March 15, 1943, in Brisbane, Australia, during World War II. The fleet was initially commanded by Vice Admiral Arthur S. Carpender, and it consisted of the cruisers USS Minneapolis and USS New
Koninklijke Pakketvaart-Maatschappij- Australian operation launched in 1912
De Koninklijke Pakketvaart-Maatschappij (KPM – Royal Packet Navigation Company – was established in 1888 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The company was created by merging several smaller Dutch shipping companies that were operating in the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia). KPM’s main purpose was to provide a regular shipping service between
Three unique Dutch movies during WII from around Australia
Amateur movies made by Mr. Arie Berger. Source Netherlands Ministry of Defence Movie #3 – 1943 Beeldbank – Department of Defence – Netherlands Movie #4 1943 -1944 Beeldbank – Department of Defence – Netherlands Movie #5 1945 -1946 Beeldbank – Department of Defence – Netherlands See also: The Dutch at
The Dutch at Batchelor Airport in the Northern Territory
Batchelor Airport is a former Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) base located in Batchelor, Northern Territory, Australia. The base was established in 1942 during World War II and was used primarily as a bomber base for the RAAF’s No. 1 Operational Training Unit. During the war, Batchelor Airport was also
Colonial Dutch Consul-General to Victoria – J. W. Ploos Van Amstel – 1864
The brothers Ploos van Amstel Jan Willem Ploos van Amstel was born in the Netherlands in 1827. The Ploos van Amstel family was a prominent Dutch merchant family in the 19th century. The family roots can be traced back to the 15th century and the family produced important theologians, painters
A small Dutch role in the story of the Mutiny of the Bounty
The Mutiny of the Bounty is one of the most famous mutiny stories ever. Captain’s William Bligh mission was to collect Breadfruit plans in Tahiti and deliver them to the Americas as it was seen as a cheap food for the slaves on the British plantations. The trip faced many
Photo collection Evert Herman van Hummel – Flight Engineer Royal Dutch Airforce – KLM
These pictures are all from the Evert Herman van Hummel collection. He was a flight engineer from 1938 till approx. 1970. Unfortunately most photographs don’t have any accompanying information. This first section is most likely from his early period in the 1930 and early 1940s. During WWII he was stationed
Trying to unravel the death of Dutch WWII ABDA-international Keesje Trijssenaar on Ambon.
Cornelis Antoine Trijssenaar was born on 2 January 1909 in Arnhem. ‘Keesje’ grew up in an international family originally coming from Strassbourg to The Hague. He had family in Monaco, Austria and Switzerland where summer holidays were spent. Returning family occupations are either government administration or having artistic aspirations. Kees’
Overfishing and Dutch regulations saw an increase of Makassar fisherman in Australia.
Makassar centre of the trepang fishing Trepang fishing, also known as sea cucumber fishing, is a type of fishing that involves the collection of sea cucumbers, which are a type of marine invertebrate. Sea cucumbers are typically found on the ocean floor and are harvested for a variety of purposes,
First contact between the Dutch and the Aboriginal People
The first known Dutch encounters with the Aborigines in Australia took place during the 17th century, when Dutch ships were looking for new trading opportunities and made voyages of discovery to the region now known as Australia. It’s worth noting, however, that the lack of recorded incidents does not mean
Looking for information on Jan de With
Jan Willem de With migrated to Australia from Indonesia in 1950 he was a Dutch conscription at 20.WE are looking for more information on him.
The American-British-Dutch-Australian Command – 1942
The American-British-Dutch-Australian (ABDA) Command, or ABDACOM, was a short-lived, supreme command for all Allied forces in Southeast Asia, the area also included the supply port of Darwin, in the Northern Territory, Australia. ABDA had been established at Bandung, Java on 10 January 1942 and became operational following the declaration of war
Dutch Commandos – WWII Intelligence Service – Born in Australia
Introduction The Netherlands Forces Intelligence Service (NEFIS) was a Dutch military intelligence service during and after World War II. The purpose of the NEFIS was initially to collect intelligence for the Allied forces with regard to the Netherlands East Indies (NEI) that was occupied by Japan. It operated from Melbourne
Evert Herman van Hummel survived a Catalina Crash in 1945
Evert van Hummel was born in Baarn in the Netherlands on 29 January 1916. Evert Herman Van Hummel (some called him Evert others called him Herman) left high school at the age of 15, because he was fascinated by engines. He first worked as an apprentice car mechanic at a
The fascinating history of the DC3 Wielewaal (1937-now)
It was the 67th DC-3 (model Douglas DC-3-194B. c/n 1944) to be completed by the Douglas factory in California. It was the 10th DC3 purchased by KLM for the route Amsterdam-Batavia and received the name ‘Wielewaal’ (Golden Oriole). Initial registration sign: VH-ANR. The aircraft was flown from Santa Monica to
Dutch Women Army Corps at Yeronga Park Brisbane (WWII)
he US Army had chosen Yeronga Park for a military camp in 1942. Camp Yeronga Park housed a variety of units among them the military police and the 99th Signal Battalion, US Service Army of Supplies ( USASOS) and the US Women’s Army Corps (WAC). The Australian Army placed an
The Batavia and its many stories
The Batavia – 1629 The Batavia, built in Amsterdam in 1628 was the company’s new flagship, she sailed that year on her maiden voyage for Batavia. On 4 June 1629, the Batavia was wrecked on the Houtman Abrolhos, a chain of small islands off the coast of Western Australia. Five
Refugees from Netherlands East Indies recuperating in Australia after WWII
After the surrender of Japan there were some 100,000 European people in the Japanese camps, many of them were close to starvation. An agreement between Australia and Netherlands East Indies governments led to the formation of the Netherlands Indies Welfare Organisation for Evacuees (NIWOE). The organisation emerged out of the
Personal recollections Camp Columbia – Jean van Schilfgaarde
Personal recollections Camp Columbia – Jean van Schilfgaarde The information below is the exact text of a letter from Jean van Schilfgaarde to Dr Jack Ford in 1992. Jack had contacted her for his research for his publication: Allies in bind: Australia and the Netherlands East Indies relations during World War Two. This
Dutch at WWII Camp Columbia Brisbane 1944 – 1947
In 1944 the Dutch took over Camp Columbia in the suburb of Wacol in Brisbane. It was built by the Americans in 1942 as a staging camp for the liberation of the South West Pacific. The Sixth US Army Headquarters was formed and stationed here. It also hosted two hospitals
Joan McConachy – secretary at the Dutch Army at Camp Columbia
By her son David Hill. Joan McConachy was a secretary at Camp Columbia, Brisbane working for the Dutch Army as she later told her son David (perhaps at NEFIS). Joan was born in 1924 at Winton (Central West QLD) and moved to Brisbane around 1943 from the then family home
A fascinating link between the Boven Digul Camp, the 18th NEI Squadron and the Cowra WWII Cemetery
The Burgers Family from Cowra bring together several important historical events. It starts with Jan Hevel who is an Adjutant at the Political Prisoners Camp Boven Digul -Dutch New Guinea. The leaders of the Indonesian independence uprising of 1925/1926 were imprisoned in the remote jungle of Netherlands New Guinea. In
Jeff Crosbie – Australian Gunner at the 18 NEI RAAF Squadron
On 22 January 1944 RAAF Flight Sergeant Jeff Crosbie reported for duty at the aircrew headquarters tent of 18 NEI-RAAF Squadron at Batchelor, Northern Territory. When the Dutch had to flee Netherlands East Indies, after the Japanese invaded the country, Dutch planes, ships and military personnel regrouped in Australia. While
Indonesian War Graves at Cowra (Netherlands East indies)
When the Japanese invaded the Dutch East Indies, some 20,000 Dutch and Indonesians (Netherlands East Indies – NEI) fled to Australia. As Australia had a strict White Australian Policies, native people from NEI where housed separately. Of them 1,200 Indonesian internees were held at the Cowra POW Camp during WWII.
Dutch War Cemetery Perth incl. names of people killed
This is the only official Dutch War Cemetery in Australia. It is only one of three non Commonwealth War Cemeteries in Australia, the other two being the Tatura (German) War Cemetery in Victoria (250 graves) and the Cowra (Japanese) War Cemetery in New South Wales (523). At Cowra the Dutch
The Vergulde Draeck – 1656 – New relics found November 2022
On the night of the 28 April 1656, the Vergulde Draeck struck a submerged coral reef midway between what are now the coastal towns of Seabird and Ledge Point, Western Australia. On board were 193 crew, eight boxes of silver coins worth 78,600 guilders and trade goods to the value
Max Horstink – bombardier at 18 NEI Squadron RAAF and guerrilla fighter at Timor WWII
As a KNIL Officer, he was part of the Australian troops (Sparrow Force) in Timor. He was later placed as a bombardier at the 18 NEI Squadron RAAF in MacDonald airfield near Darwin. After that he became a NEI intelligent officer on Dutch New Guinea and Borneo and was killed during the Indonesian uprising, Bersiap.
Indonesian Political Prisoners held by the Dutch, freed in Australia
In 1926 the Dutch had imprisoned Indonesian freedom fighters in a camp in the jungle of Dutch New Guinea. When the Japanese advanced they were brought – under false pretences – to Australia in 1943. When the Australians did find it they were political prisoners they ordered the Dutch to free them.
Dutch Camp Casino WWII – Archive Jan de Wit
This post contains a unique collection of archives kept by Jan (John) de Wit. Jan joined the Dutch Airforce and became a guard at the Dutch Camp in Casino NSW. There were uprisings in the camp and people were killed. This became an embarrassment for Australia. The Australian Unions played a key role here as well.
Surabaya Sue, eccentric but influential foreign freedom fighter in Indonesia
She is best known for her work as a radio announcer for the Voice of Free Indonesia in Surabaya, in the Republic of Indonesia during the Indonesian National Revolution. The foreign press gave her the name Surabaya Sue.
Hans de Vries Flight Lieutenant No. 18 Squadron NEI / RAAF
When the war reached Java, he fled on the merchant ship the KPM SS Boissevain to Freemantle. He was despatched to the RAAF training camp near Lake Macquarie and from here he was send to the Jackson, Mississippi to be trained on the B25 bombers. He was assigned to the No. 18 Squadron NEI / RAAF operating from the Batchelor Airfield, Northern Territory. He flew bombing missions against Japanese military strongholds and shipping. He was highly decorated.
Dutch internees from Japanese camps and POWs received medical recuperation in Australia
There were some of 42 000 Dutch military and naval personnel and 100 000 Dutch civilians who were captured when the Japanese conquered the Netherlands East Indies in early 1942. After the War around 6,000 internees and Dutch POWs who needed immediate medical assistance were brought to Australia where they were allowed to recuperate for between 3 to 6 months, after which they were either repatriated to the Netherlands or went back to Netherlands East Indies.
Abraham Crijnssen – Dutch minesweeper in the service of the Australian Navy (WWII)
The ship was built during the 1930s, she was based in the Netherlands East Indies when Japan attacked at the end of 1941. After the Japanese invasion the ship left for Australia. For its escape the ship was painted in camouflage colours and the ship was disguised as a tropical island with the help of nets, branches, and other greenery. It arrived in Geraldton. Here the ship served as a patrol vessel until 16 August 1942. After that the ship was in service with the Australian Navy.
WWI could have seen a different outcome for Australia and Netherlands
After the Franco-Prussian war in 1870/1871 – in which my grandfather fought – two important developments happened: This put Germany right in competition with Britain who was the global superpower of the day. Germany had a great (Prussian) army but didn’t have a strong naval force, rather the opposite of
Australia misses out on Netherlands East Indies: Count Limburg Stirum – 1921
Sydney Morning Herald 21 April 1921 AUSTRALIA’S HANDICAP. IN NETHERLANDS-INDIES. Among the passengers who arrived by the steamer Houtman yesterday was Count Limburg Stirum, who has only recently retired from the post of Governor-General of the Netherlands-Indies, after five years’ occupancy of It, and who is proceeding to Holland, via
Willem Frans Theodoor Brijl – merchant captain WWII
Willem Frans Theodoor Brijl was born May 17th, 1897 in Surabaya in the Dutch East-Indies, the son of Frans Hendrik Brijl. In 1910 he left for the Netherlands in order to have his HBS education. September 21st, 1914 he enrolled in the Merchant Navy Academy on the island of Texel.
Some members of the18 Squadron NEI RAAF
See the profiles and stories of Joop van Doorn and Hans de Vries and Max Horstink. Click here for more information on the 18 Squadron Nederlands East Indies Royal Australia Air Force The following information with thanks to TracesOfWar. Sidney Rudi de Kadt evaded from occupied country the Netherlands to
Gerard Johan Lugt Flight Commander at 18 NEI Squadron in Australia
Gerard Johan Lugt was born in Amsterdam, August 9th, 1917. When war broke out in the Netherlands on May 10th, 1940, he was in London studying aircraft construction. In August 1940, he left for the Dutch East Indies and was employed by Werkspoor in Surabaya from January 1941 onwards. Here
Sparrow Force – Allied guerrilla force in Timor WWII
Sparrow Force was a detachment based on the 2/40th Australian Infantry Battalion and other Dutch, British, US and Australian 8th Division units during World War II. The force was formed to defend the island of Timor from invasion by the Empire of Japan. It formed the main part of the
Major Jan Willem Zijlstra – Sparrow Force Timor WWII
Military record Born in Malang, Java, on 27 December 1910. Died at “Ladang” House, near Berry, New South Wales, Australia, on October 6, 1965. Army number 102417002 Second lieutenant KNIL Army (31-07-1932), First Lieutenant (31-07-1935), Captain. (27-05-1943), Major (17-12-1949). Well-known decorations: · Ereteken Belangrijke/Bijzondere Krijgsbedrijven/-verrichtingen BK,E.1,OHK.3,OV.1,XV,KLO· Bronze Cross K.B.
The Battle of Timor – 1942-1943
The Battle of Timor – the Dutch and Australians kept fighting after the surrender of Netherlands East Indies. The bombing of Darwin did bring WWII directly onto the shores of Australia. However, what is less well known is that the reason for the Japanese attack on Darwin and Broome was
Netherlands – Australia Memorial – Canberra
The monument commemorates the servicemen and women of the Dutch forces which operated from Australia between 1941 and 1945. The Dutch, along with the Americans, were the only non-Commonwealth countries to establish bases in Australia during World War Two. The original memorial was unveiled on the 7th December 1991 and
Dutch and Australian Relics from Camp Columbia Brisbane
Camp Columbia in the suburb of Wacol in Brisbane was a United States Army military camp. It was built in 1942 to accommodate American troops. The Sixth US Army Headquarters was formed and stationed here. It also hosted two hospitals and an Officer Candidate School till 1945. This was the
Merchant ship SS Van Heemskerk tragically lost in 1943
(Source: Wikipedia) SS Van Heemskerk was a freighter built by N.V. Nederlandsche Scheepsbouw-Maatschappij. The ship of 2,996 Gross register tonnage (GRT) was launched 31 August 1909 and delivered for operation by Koninklijke Paketvaart-Maatschappij (KPM) in the Dutch East Indies trade. Van Heemskerk was one of twenty-one KPM vessels that took
When the Dutch in Bundaberg faced Communist threat
By Michael Gorey 22 April 2019 In Anzac week we reflect on the contribution our allies made to restoring peace in our region. No. 19 (Netherlands East Indies) Squadron RAAF was a transport and communications unit of the Militaire Luchtvaart van het Koninklijk Nederlands-Indisch Leger. The Netherlands East Indies Government
Dutch UN Jeep ambushed in Indonesia followed by investigation involving Australia (1949)
The first (and only?) United Nations’ casualties in its involvement in the Indonesian war ofindependence 1945-50. By ACT Branch Member Graham Rayner. At about ten o’clock on the morning of 18th March 1949 a Dutch military jeep, painted white andclearly marked as “UNITED NATIONS” was ambushed by what were presumed
Patricia Metcalfe and Wim van Wely met at Camp Columbia.
Patricia (Pat) Metcalfe (born 1929 in Cairns) moved to Brisbane when she was 4 years old and after she finished the St Columba school at Wilson, was employed at Camp Columbia as a typist and secretary, first with the Americans and since 1945 with the Netherlands-East-Indies Government. Here she worked
Dutch-Australian ballerinas performing for WWII Allied troops
Born as Maria Louisa Frederika, “Darja” Collin (November 19, 1902 – May 6, 1967) was a Dutch ballet dancer and classical ballet teacher. She had been trained in classical ballet (studying under Preobrajenska and Trefilova), and also in Mary Wigman’s school. She was also influenced by the famous American/Russian dancer
120 Netherlands East Indies Squadron RAAF – WWII
The No. 120 (Netherlands East Indies) Squadron RAAF was formed at RAAF base Fairbairn in Canberra on 10 December 1943. As a joint Australian-Dutch unit, the Dutch authorities provided all the squadron’s aircrew and aircraft while the RAAF provided its ground crew. This arrangement had been previously used for No.
The Night Ship – Novel about the Batavia
A new book has been published about the doomed fate of the VOC ship the Batavia in 1629. In this case the historical story forms the background to fiction through the eyes of 9 year old Dutch girl Mayken. Read the review of ”The Night Ship” by Jess Kidd as
The Merauke Force in Dutch New Guinea – WWII
Merauke remained unoccupied during WWII In mid-1942, Merauke, on the south coast of Dutch New Guinea (DNG) was one of only a few parts of the Netherlands East Indies ( NEI) that had not been occupied by Japanese forces. It was garrisoned by a company of infantry from the KNIL,
Seaplane crash saved people from Japanese attack on Broome – Gerard Lemmens 1942
Account of Journey from Soerabaia in Java to Australia during March 1942. Written by: Gerard Lemmens at the age of 16 years. Translated from Dutch during May 1994 for the benefit and interest of my grandchildren. Monday 2nd March 1942. It was midday of Monday 2nd March. I had just
Fleeing Dutch mistakenly attacked at Karumba during WWII
When the Japanese invaded the Netherlands East Indies (NEI) during February and early March 1942, many Dutch people fled to Australia, most ended up in Darwin and Broome but a few fled via the Gulf of Carpentaria. This remote area of northwest Queensland was so open to invasion that a
ML-KNIL Dakota crashed in Moreton Bay – 1947
On 26 February, a ML-KNIL Douglas Dakota caught fire and crashed into the ocean about 23 minutes into a test flight from Archerfield, killing all six people – three Dutch servicemen and three Australian crew members – onboard. ML-KNIL = Militaire Luchtvaart van het Koninklijk Nederlands-Indisch Leger – Royal Netherlands
Dutch WWII pilot Gus Winckel celebrated in Moruya
The following information comes from the book Allies in a Bind from Dr Jack Ford. Japanese attack on Sydney Harbour On 28 May 1942, Japanese submarine I-21 launched a floatplane. It flew over Sydney Harbour spotting 13 Allied warships including Dutch submarine K-IX. On 31 May, Japanese submarines I-22, I-24
119 Netherlands East Indies Squadron RAAF in Australia during WWII
The following information comes from the book Allies in a Bind from Dr Jack Ford. On 7 June 1943, the Dutch detailed a plan for a new Mitchell squadron, designated No.119, to replace No.18 Squadron as the latter had suffered heavy aircrew losses in the first half of 1943. The
History of the Dutch in South Australia
Dutch settlers in South Australia. Although the Dutch seem to be the first to have discovered Australia, including parts of Tasmania and South Australia, they have never made a great impact as a group of settlers. As there was never any real religious persecution or high unemployment in Holland, there
Dutch-Ambonese woman created first crack in the White Australia Policy – 1949
This story starts with Samuel Jacob he was a headmaster in Merauke in Dutch New Guinea, a job he combined with being a local civil administrator. Samuel and his family while having the Dutch nationality, were all born in Ambon. Together with his family he was evacuated in August 1942
VOC Historical Society, Perth (VOCHS)
The Society was formed in 2000 by a group of history enthusiasts that were: Concerned at the lack of general knowledge about maritime events that took place in the 17th and 18th centuries off and on Western Australia’s (WA) coastline hundreds of years before the settlement of WA in 1829
Story of the WWII 120 NEI Squadron RAAF
Posted with the approval of the author Dr P.C.Boer – updates are provided on Academia.edu See also: The Dutch at Archerfield Airport, Brisbane
Joop Gijzemijter at NEI-TS in Archerfield
Johannes (Joop) Gijzemijter Born 24 Feb, 1915, Rotterdam, Netherlands. Died 30 April, 1999, Brisbane, Australia. Written by his son John Gyzemyter. “What did you do during the war Daddy?” As children Dad often told us stories about his career in aviation which started on the 3rd of March 1930 as
First flight between Netherlands and Australia – May 1931
In May 1931, KLM added an experimental flight from Batavia to Melbourne to their regular Amsterdam – Batavia service providing a through service from Amsterdam to Australia. The plane was a Fokker FVIIA/3m trimotor specially named ‘Abel Tasman’ for this trip. The pilot and co-pilot were Maurits Pattist and Jan
Netherlands East Indies Air Force in Australia during WWII
The Japanese occupied the Netherlands East Indies (NEI) in early 1942. A number of Dutch airmen escaped to Australia after surviving the fierce fight with the Japanese. They mostly ended up at either Archerfield airfield in Brisbane or Melbourne. These airmen were formed into a number of operational groups under RAAF control.
Annual reunions of the 18 NEI RAAF Squadron
The preparation of the formation of the 18 NEI Squadron RAAF started in Archerfield, Brisbane and was formalised in Canberra on 4 April 1942. There is an annual reunion of the children of the 18th squadron (For enquiries: Leonie Killeen 18sqnei.aust@gmail.com). The world-wide reunion takes place in Arnhem , also
Launch Heritage Plan Camp Columbia
In the presence of the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Australia, H.E. Mrs Marion Derckx, at an event hosted by the Pooh Corner Environment Centre and Dutchlink Brisbane a plan was launched to preserve the last remaining heritage items of Camp Columbia (which are situated in the
Dutch merchant fleet delivered major contribution to the war in the Pacific.
Dr Jack Ford wrote an extensive history of the Dutch war effort in the South West Pacific. He published this in: Allies in Bind: Australia and the Netherlands East Indies relations during World War Two. He also wrote a number of articles on this history, below the one on the
Henk Paardekooper- Japanese invasion of the Dutch East Indies
At the time of the Japanese invasion in the Dutch Indies Hendrik (Henk) Paardekooper was employed – since 1938 – by the Droogdok Maatschappij Surabaya (DSM) being responsible e.g. for the floating docks and cranes used for the maintenance and repair of larger sea-going vessels, including those of the Dutch
Netherlands Ambassador will visit the heritage site of Camp Columbia in Brisbane
The Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Australia, H.E. Mrs Marion Derckx will at her official visit to Brisbane attend an information event at the site of the former Camp Columbia at Wacol, Brisbane. It was here that the Netherlands East Indies Government-in-Exile had its headquarters during WWII.
Exhibition Maps of the Pacific
Roland Spuij attended a guided tour by conservator Maggie Patton of the “Maps of the Pacific” in the Mitchell Library in Sydney. A brilliant exhibition of original maps going back to 1490, including the famous Tasman map of 1644 and other beautiful maps of Dutch cartographers and wonderful globes. And
The Fall of Netherlands East Indies March1942
After the heavy losses during the Battle of the Java Sea the British and American forced started to withdraw and the Dutch and Australians were left on their own. On Sunday, 8 March, Lt. Gen. Hitoshi Imamura met with the Governor-General of the NEI, Jonkheer (Lord) Alidius Tjarda van Starkenborgh Stachouwer and set a deadline for the next day for an unconditional surrender.
Royal Netherlands Indies Airline – KNILM and its link with Australia
KNILM an early aviation pioneer Koninklijke Nederlandsch-Indische Luchtvaart Maatschappij (in English: Royal Dutch Indies Airways) was the airline of the former Netherlands East Indies (NAI). It was founded on 16 July 1928 as the NILM by a group of 32 Netherlands Indies. KNILM was not a subsidiary of the better-known
80th Anniversary – Battle of the Java Sea
Updated with newspaper article from 1945 below It is 80 years ago this month that this heroic, but at the same time disastrous Battle took place. By that time the Dutch Allied Forces had already been involved in the war in SE Asia for three months. Here they had occurred
The Fourth Ally – the Dutch forces in Australia during WWII
by Doug Hurst – 2001 The Fourth Ally tells of the Dutch forces who fought from Australia against the Japanese during WW II. Driven by the Japanese from Indonesia (then the Netherlands East Indies), they relocated ships, aircraft and personnel to Australia. They joined with United States, British and Australian
Allies in a Bind – Australia and the Netherlands East Indies in the Second World War
Early in Roger Bell’s book Unequal Allies,he states: ”Relations between the governments of Australia and the United States underwent fundamental changes during 1941-46…Indeed it was not characterized by general bilateral accord on political, defence and economic matters during war time.” These comments can be equally applied to the Dutch/Australian wartime
After Cook landed on Australia’s east coast, severe casualties in Batavia – 1770
Captain Cook’s first voyage brought him to Australia. The first voyage of James Cook was a combined Royal Navy and Royal Society expedition to the south Pacific Ocean aboard HMS Endeavour, from 1768 to 1771. It was the first of three Pacific voyages of which James Cook was the commander.
Joop van Doorn 18 NEI Squadron RAAF
Joop van Doorn was posted to Java in 1937 and flew Glen Martins, Lockheed Lodestars and Mitchell B-25. Joop and pilot Yves Henri Mulder (nickname Bels as he came from Belgium – he was killed in action in 1944) ferried British Field Marshal Archibald Percival Wavell to Singapore for the ABDA
Archaeological research launched at Dutch WWII Camp Columbia Brisbane
Late last year the Honorary Consul of the Netherlands in Queensland Marjon Wind launched the groundwork for the archaeological projected conducted by the University of Queensland at the WWII HQ of the Netherlands East Indies Government-in-Exile at Camp Columbia in Wacol, Brisbane.
50 Anniversary of the liberation of Netherlands East Indies
In 1995 the Dutch Australian Cultural Centre organised a 50 year liberation in the Dutch East Indies commemoration at their premises in the Abel Tasman Village (ATV) at Chester Hill. Several weeks later the DAW published a double page spread review of several commemorations around the country including the one
Dutch in WWII Battle of Milne Bay – 1942
Operation Lilliput also known the Battle of Milne Bay was the first time that Allied Forces were able to stop the Japanese advance in the Pacific. While the Battle is well recognised, the Dutch participation in the battle is not very well known. Also important to mention here is that
Historic Maps of the explorers
Historical maps relevant to the mapping of Australia from 1521 onwards to 1814 by a great variety of European mapmakers. Most of these maps are digitally available from the National Library, Canberra. The final maps in this series are based on the map (s) by Nicholas Vallard (“Atlas”, 1547), based
Dutch Indonesian Association – Cairns
Bambu Magazine In April 1995 a small group of Indische mensen’ (people born in Indonesia), such as Rob Elstak, Eric & Rob Marcus, Leo Vandersar, Jan Schmieman and Andreas Flach, came together in Cairns and founded the ‘Dutch Indonesian. Association – Melati’ (Jasmine). Andreas Flach became the editor of the
Julius Tahija was one of the few NEI men who received the Netherlands highest military order.
Julius Tahija (13 July 1916 – 30 July 2002) was an Indonesian businessman, politician and soldier. He was a recipient of the Military Order of William for his actions in the Dutch East Indies campaign while serving in the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army and was the only Indonesian in
Dutch fly in formation under Sydney Harbour Bridge – May 1942
After the Japanese invaded the Netherlands East Indies, Dutch planes that were able to escape flew to Australia. Here they were placed under the command of the US. The pilots where unhappy with this decision. They spontaneously undertook a daring action in Sydney. The various stories do vary slightly but
Archaeological research NEI Camp Columbia Wacol Brisbane
In 2021 an archaeological project was announced to investigate the site. Dutch partners in the project includes the Netherlands Ministry of Defence and is funded by the Netherlands Embassy. The project is supervised by Emeritus Professor Ian Lilley FSA FAHA (BA Hons, MA Qld, PhD ANU). Ian is an international
Dick van Leer, People Lover and Entrepreneur
Not long ago, a book was published about Dick under the title The Incredible Life of Dick van Leer. This very readable account of Dick’s life, a family history really, written jointly with Aubrey Cohen, starts with his birth in 1922 in Surabaya, Dutch East Indies. Dick wasn’t there long though
Dutch Windmill The Lilly – Amelup Western Australia
Pleun Hitzert left ‘s-Gravendeel in 1980 with his wife Hennie and his daughters. Here he built a piece of ‘Hoeksche Waard’. Including a mill, for which the one in his birthplace stood model. He based his final design on De Lelie from his native village Puttershoek, but he also used
Joris Ivens – Doco Indonesia Calling
Ivens came to Australia in early 1945 as the Netherlands East Indies(NEI) Film Commissioner, to document the re-colonisation effort of the Dutch Indies from Australia. He was employed by the NEI Government Information Service (NIGIS) in Melbourne they had 128 staff—25 of these ‘Indonesians’—(a branch office of three in Sydney),
Samuel Jacob – Merauke, a plane crash and the ‘White Australia Policy’
Samuel Jacob, born in Ambon was a headmaster in Merauke, Dutch New Guinea a job he combined with being a local civil administrator. Together with his family he was evacuated in August 1942 to Australia. Here he worked with the NEI government-in-exile for the re-building of Indonesia after the war.
DACC Paper-based ARCHIVES
The Dutch Australian Cultural Centre was founded in 1983 and gives as its aims and objectives in its mission statement, the collection, preservation, promotion and dissemination of Dutch culture and heritage in Australia. The Centre immediately started the collection of material for the archives and Library and now, after almost
SBS Video – Malabar-Kootwijk uitzending van SBS6 (with Eng. subs)
90 years ago, on May 5, 1923, the telegraph connection between the Netherlands and the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia) was officially opened. This was on Sunday, May 5th, 2013 celebrated by setting up a connection between PI90PCG and YE90PK. This is the report of the Dutch TV-broadcast station SBS
SBS Video – Peter FitzSimons Talks Batavia 5-4-2016
Peter Fitzsimons with a gruesome tale from Australia’s maritime history, taken from ABC Conversations with Richard Fidler. This is a YouTube video. After playing the video, press the return button to go back to the DACC Hub.
Video – Hollandia 1960 -1962 Nederlands Nieuw Guinea
This is a YouTube video. After playing the video, press the return button to go back to the DACC Hub.
SBS Video – The Duyfken before it leaves Sydney on 3-4-12 for Queensland
This is a YouTube video. After playing the video, press the return button to go back to the DACC Hub.
SBS Video – Broome March 1942 – Pilot Henk Hasselo and Navigator Frits van Hulsen remember. 8-3-2012
For many years it was a forgotten day in the Dutch and Australian history books.This year a few of the survivors of the Japanese attack on Broome harbour revisted Broome for the first time. They came from far to remember that fateful day when 88 people people died in Broome
SBS Video – First contact memorial the Duyfken – 30-5-2013
The “First Contact Memorial” was unveiled in Mapoon (QLD) on 27 May 2013 by Australian and Dutch officials. It was the first point of contact for Europeans and Aboriginal people in 1606 which ended badly. In three years time (2016) we will be remembering the voyage of Dirk Hartog to
SBS Video – Peter FitzSimons at SBS Radio/Dutch about his book Batavia 29-3-2011
How much Dutch and Australian history are intertwined is clear from an entertaining interview Peter gave to SBS Radio /Dutch broadcaster Anneke Boudewijn. The third and final installment goes to air Monday 4.4.11. This is a YouTube video. After playing the video, press the return button to go back to
SBS Video – Broome honours the fallen and survivors of 1942 – 7-3-2012
3 March 1942, the Japanese attack on Broome. 70 years later the WA government, Federal Australian, Dutch and American governments honour the fallen and survivors. This is a YouTube video. After playing the video, press the return button to go back to the DACC Hub.
Misprint in Indonesian independence and KLM stamps
This is an interesting Indonesian stamp album. It is commemorating the first anniversary of the Indonesian revolutionaries declaration of independence in 1945 on the 17th of august. The album is more a public relations and propaganda exercise than a philatelic one. There is an interesting angle in that there is
The Dutch at Archerfield Airport, Brisbane
Australian and Dutch history meet at Archerfield Airport in Brisbane. During WWII this airfield played a critical role for the Dutch military who, after the Japanese armed forces occupied the Dutch colony of Netherlands East Indies (now Indonesia) to neighboring Australia. Over 20.000 people from NEI evacuated to Australia. Poor
British expansion in Australia threatened Dutch ports in the East Indies.
At the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, Britain together with its other allies defeated France. After Napoleon’s invasion of the Netherlands Prince Willem of Orange and his family had fled the Netherlands after Napoleon had invaded his country and lived in exile, first in Germany and then in the UK.
Dutch Australian History – Dutch East Indies and WWII
This essay will discuss historical events during and shortly after WWII that brought Australia, the Netherlands and the emerging country of Indonesia together in a complex and often messy set of international affairs.