From collapse in the Netherlands East Indies to allied operations from Australia
The rapid Japanese advance through the Netherlands East Indies (NEI) in early 1942 forced surviving Dutch air personnel and aircraft to withdraw to Australia. What followed was a remarkable episode of Allied cooperation. From Australian bases—most notably Archerfield in Brisbane and forward airfields in the Northern Territory—Dutch airmen resumed combat, transport, and maritime patrol operations as an integrated part of the Allied air war. Central to this effort was close and sustained collaboration with the Royal Australian Air Force, which provided command structures, ground support, training facilities, and operational integration.
Archerfield, Brisbane: the Dutch aviation hub
Archerfield Airport became the focal point of Dutch aviation activity in Australia. In 1942 it served as the main reception and concentration point for evacuated Dutch and NEI airmen, technical staff, and aircraft. It also hosted workshops, depots, and administrative units that underpinned both combat and transport operations.
While Archerfield was initially considered for squadron training, its growing congestion meant that operational squadrons were formally established elsewhere. Nevertheless, Archerfield remained the logistical and organisational heart of Dutch air operations, especially for transport aviation, throughout the war and into the immediate post-war period.
Bomber operations: No. 18 (Netherlands East Indies) Squadron RAAF
The most prominent Dutch combat unit formed in Australia was No. 18 (Netherlands East Indies) Squadron RAAF. Drawing on Dutch ML-KNIL aircrew assembled at Archerfield and operating American-supplied B-25 Mitchell bombers, the squadron was officially formed within the RAAF structure in 1942.
Training was conducted at Canberra before the squadron moved north into operational areas. From airfields in the Northern Territory, including Batchelor, No. 18 Squadron flew bombing and strike missions as part of the Allied North-Western Area campaign. Operational control, wing organisation, and ground support were Australian, while the aircrews and squadron identity remained Dutch/NEI. This arrangement exemplified the practical, day-to-day cooperation between Dutch forces and the RAAF.
Fighter operations: No. 120 (Netherlands East Indies) Squadron RAAF
Dutch fighter operations were embodied in No. 120 (Netherlands East Indies) Squadron RAAF, formed at RAAF Base Fairbairn in December 1943. The operational model was explicit: Dutch authorities supplied aircrew and aircraft, while the RAAF provided ground crew, infrastructure, and command integration.
Initially intended to operate from northern Australia alongside No. 18 Squadron, No. 120 Squadron was instead deployed forward to Merauke in southern Netherlands New Guinea. Flying Kittyhawk fighters, it defended the NEI periphery and supported Allied operations as the campaign advanced northward. As with the bomber squadron, No. 120 functioned fully within the RAAF operational system while maintaining a distinct Dutch identity.
Dutch military air transport from Archerfield
Alongside combat operations, Dutch military air transport played a critical role. From early 1942, Dutch transport units—drawing on KNILM civil aircraft and crews impressed into military service—were organised at Archerfield. A formal NEI aircraft depot and transport organisation was established there, supporting Allied logistics across Australia, New Guinea, and beyond.
These transport flights were often hazardous. Dutch crews undertook long-range courier and supply missions, including night flights into forward areas at Allied request. By late 1944, transport activities were consolidated into a formal squadron structure at Archerfield, operating Dakota aircraft in close coordination with the RAAF.
Following Japan’s surrender in August 1945, the transport unit was redesignated 19 (NEI) Transport Squadron, operating under RAAF control. Its mission shifted rapidly to post-war relief, repatriation, and reconstruction across the former NEI, transporting supplies, personnel, and freed internees. Aircraft numbers expanded significantly, and training continued around Brisbane, including at Amberley. Dutch military flying from Archerfield finally ceased in 1947, marking the end of a five-year Dutch air presence in Brisbane.
The Royal Netherlands Navy air arm and flying boats
Dutch air activity in Australia also included elements of the naval air arm, particularly flying-boat operations of the Royal Netherlands Navy. Before and during the early stages of the Pacific War, Dutch naval aircraft—most notably Dornier Do 24 and Catalina flying boats—conducted reconnaissance, bombing, evacuation, and maritime patrol missions.
After heavy losses during the NEI campaign and events such as the Broome air raid, surviving naval aircraft and crews were dispersed. While many operated from Ceylon under British command, a residual Dutch naval air presence remained linked to Australia and New Guinea. Flying boats transited and operated via Australian coastal bases, including routes along the east coast and into northern operational areas, often in coordination with Australian and Allied maritime patrol efforts.
Collaboration with the RAAF: structural and operational
Across bombers, fighters, transport aircraft, and naval aviation, Dutch air force activity in Australia was characterised by deep integration with the RAAF. This collaboration went far beyond symbolism:
- Dutch squadrons were formally constituted as RAAF units, embedded within Australian command structures.
- The RAAF provided ground crews, base facilities, training areas, and operational control for Dutch-manned units.
- Dutch aircrew flew Allied-supplied aircraft within Australian operational frameworks in the Northern Territory, New Guinea, and beyond.
- Transport operations at Archerfield functioned jointly with Australian systems and later operated directly under RAAF control in the post-war period.
Conclusion
Between 1942 and 1947, Australia—particularly Brisbane and Archerfield—became the centre of Dutch air power in exile. Dutch bomber, fighter, transport, and naval air units not only survived the collapse of the Netherlands East Indies but continued to fight, supply, and later rebuild from Australian soil. Their effectiveness depended on close, practical cooperation with the Royal Australian Air Force, making this episode a significant and enduring chapter in shared Dutch–Australian wartime history.
