The Vrouwenkorps Koninklijk Nederlands-Indisch Leger (VK-KNIL)—the Women’s Corps of the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army—was established in Melbourne on 5 March 1944. Its members trained and worked in Australia before many were deployed to Netherlands New Guinea, Java, Sumatra and elsewhere in the Indonesian archipelago.
This research portal brings together articles about the establishment and organisation of the VK-KNIL, recruitment and training in Australia, service at Camp Columbia and Yeronga Park, medical and humanitarian work, deployment to the Netherlands East Indies, and the experiences of individual women. It also distinguishes VK-KNIL members from the American Women’s Army Corps, the earlier Dutch women’s auxiliary organisation in Fremantle and Australian civilian women employed by Dutch organisations.
The series is intended to make this little-known history accessible to a broad audience. It is an evolving project based on published research, archival records, photographs, family collections and personal recollections. New articles and information will be added as the research progresses.
Articles in this research portal
he VK-KNIL- Origins, development and service from 1944 to 1950
