Dirk Groen was born in IJmuiden, the Netherlands, on 26 May 1927, the son of Johan Groen and Geertje Prins. His last recorded address in IJmuiden was 84 Bloemstraat.
During the Second World War, Dirk was arrested by the German authorities and transported to Germany. Before this happened, he had worked as a factory labourer for several companies in Amsterdam.
On 22 July 1950, the unmarried Dirk travelled by KLM aircraft to Australia, occupying seat D4. He was recorded as a sailor employed aboard a Dutch dredger. His journey formed part of the organised movement of Dutch dredging workers and their families associated with the Williamstown project.
Dirk subsequently travelled between Australia and the Netherlands several times. On 10 March 1956, he sailed for Australia aboard the SS Himalaya. He departed from the Netherlands again on 10 November 1959 aboard the Johan van Oldenbarnevelt, bound for Melbourne.
An incoming passenger record shows that Dirk arrived in Australia again on 2 April 1966, apparently intending to settle permanently. At that time, his address was 10 Freyer Street, North Williamstown, Victoria. His story reflects the continuing connections that some post-war migrants maintained with the Netherlands before establishing a more permanent life in Australia.
This account is based on family-history and migration research undertaken by Fred Stuij. Photograph: National Archives of Australia.
For the wider history of this organised migration project, see From Sliedrecht to Williamstown: Dutch dredging workers in post-war Australia.
More related company histories, archival sources and personal stories are available through the Dutch Dredging in Australia Research Portal.
