The following is the list of Dutch and Netherlands East Indies casualties mainly from the various squadrons that operated from the Northern Territory in Australia during the period 1942-1945, as published in: De Militaire Luchtvaart van het KNIL in de jaren 1942-1945.
Dutch military initially buried at Adelaide River Cemetery
The following are two reports of accidents where Dutch aircrew lost their lives and were buried at the military cemetery at Adelaide River. After the war their remains were repatriated either to Netherlands East Indies (before it obtained independence) or directly to the Netherlands. Several are reburied at the Dutch Field of Honor Menteng Pulo in Jakarta, Indonesia.
05-02-1943 MAC II
(MAC indicates that the operation took place from the McDonald base)
Bombardment of buildings and installations at Dobo (Aroe Islands) with eight aircraft:
N5-143 Lt Wetters, -140 Lt Grummels, -145 sm Eikelboom, -1341t Cooke, -136 Lt Bal, -135 Lt Swane, -129 Lt Winckel and -137 Lt Hagers.
25-times 500 lbs and 306-4 lbs incendiary bombs caused fierce fires. No enemy defences or interceptions.
During the overflight from McDonald to Darwin, the N5-132 crashed, killing the occupants. Immediately after take-off at 6:40 a.m. local time, the plane hit the ground about 3 miles north of McDonald and caught fire, detonating one or more bombs. Initially, it was thought to be an engine failure. But in the Form E/E24’4, the cdt 18 Sqn reported that the probable cause had to be sought in the premature retraction of the wing flaps, causing the aircraft to lose altitude and hit the treetops and thus crash.
The occupants were: sgt-maj L. Schalk, 1e driver; sgt C. Hiele, 2nd driver; sgt J.J. Janssen, radio telegraphist; sgt A. Maarschalkerweerd, mechanic; sgt G.F. Abeleven, mechanic; sgt-maj N.W. Kessels, mechanic; sgt RAVEN D.L. MacPherson, radio operator/air gunner; sgt RAAF H.O. Walton, radio telegraphist/air gunner; sld RAAF M.T. Palamontain, telephone operator.
All deceased were buried on 6 February 1943 in the war cemetery at Adelaide River. The services were conducted by Lt-Col Hume-Moir for the Protestants and F/Lt Haiper for the Roman Catholics.
05-04-1943 MAC 35
With three aircraft an armed reconnaissance made along the north coast of Timor, from Dilly to Bacau:
N5-130 Lt Winckel, -145 Lt Hagers and -I40 sm Tymons.
The N5-140 crashed into the sea, 5 miles north of Darwin, after take-off. All occupants were killed and the plane had to be written off. The other two planes flew into Timor at 12,000 ft. and then made the reconnaissance at 10 feet (3 meters) above sea level. Visibility was good, but no particulars observed during this exploration.
The occupants of the N5-140 were the pilots sm G. Tymons and sgt K. van Bremen, bombardier sgt Weller (RAAF), telegraphist sgt F.J.M. van Wylick and air gunner F/sgt Hill (RAAF).
The salvage work was led from Darwin by It-kol Fiedeldij. The remains were recovered on 5 and 6 April 1943. Despite the sharks, the Its Pelder and Oudraad managed to free the two tied-up pilots from the underwater cockpit. The other crashed washed ashore.
The victims were buried in Adelaide river cemetery on 7 April 1943.
(translated from the publicatie: De Militaire Luchtvaart van het KNIL in de jaren 1942-1945)
Pictures below of the Adelaide River War Cemetery were taken in August 2023 by Paul Budde . The picture to the right is a memorial plaque dedicated to the 18 NEI RAAF Squadron.
See also:
The18 Squadron NEI RAAF moves to McDonald Airfield, NT
The Dutch at Batchelor Airport in the Northern Territory
