KNIL soldier Anne Beetstra: A Dutch-Canadian woman at Camp Columbia, 1944–46

This compelling first-person account, written by her daughter Claire Smith-Burns, traces the remarkable wartime journey of Anna Wiebrigje Beetstra, a Dutch-Canadian woman who served in the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army (KNIL) during the final years of World War II. Born in Friesland in 1923 and raised in British Columbia, Anne was inspired to join the Dutch war effort after a personal encounter with Princess Juliana in Vancouver.

After training in the United States with the Women’s Army Corps, Anne was posted to Camp Columbia in Wacol, Brisbane, in late 1944. Through vivid letters and anecdotes, we gain an intimate look at life in the women’s barracks at Camp Columbia, from daily work in army offices and language training, to weekend dances, horseback riding, friendships, and the discomforts of tropical insects and limited supplies. Anne’s correspondence also captures the psychological toll of war, especially for those separated from loved ones or facing trauma—such as hearing of the fate of friends taken prisoner by the Japanese.

In 1945, Anne and her fellow KNIL women were deployed to Batavia (Jakarta), entering a post-war environment of food shortages and civil unrest in the wake of Indonesian independence. She eventually returned home to Canada in 1946, where she resumed civilian life, married, and raised a family. Her story stands as a unique testament to the often-overlooked contributions of Dutch women in military service during WWII—particularly those stationed in Australia.

This rich and engaging story (published under the photo gallery) is based on Anne’s wartime letters and her daughter’s reflections, offering a rare perspective on the international and personal dimensions of the Allied war effort centred at Camp Columbia.

Photo gallery

This photo gallery is based on pictures form the personal collection of Claire Smith-Burns, Kelowna, BC, Canada. For many years she has been putting together the story of her mother Anne Beetstra while she was at Camp Columbia with the Netherlands East Indies Army (KNIL).