One of the most remarkable pilots of the Netherlands East Indies Air Force (ML-KNIL) in Australia during World War II was Gerson (Guus) Hagers, who served with No. 18 (Netherlands East Indies) Squadron RAAF.
In February 1942 he was part of the group tasked with receiving newly acquired B-25 bombers from the United States at Archerfield Airport in Brisbane. The planes did not arrive in time and, in the meantime, the Japanese invaded Java and the Netherlands East Indies Government surrendered. As a consequence, he became one of the original Dutch pilots who got stuck at Archerfield.
Despite their determination, the Dutch pilots in Australia encountered major obstacles in their efforts to form a squadron and join the war. At the same time, concern for loved ones left behind in the Netherlands East Indies continued to grow. This was made even more difficult by the fact that high-ranking officials had often been able to secure safe passage for their own families, while many of the pilots could do nothing but wait and worry.
The level of frustration among Dutch airmen in Australia led to serious incidents. In late 1942, three members of 18 (NEI) Squadron were arrested and later charged with treason. They were accused of planning to take a Mitchell bomber and fly it to Java, allegedly to surrender to the Japanese. While this charge suggests deliberate disloyalty, the broader context indicates a far more complex situation. The men were part of a group deeply affected by inactivity, poor leadership, and the inability to assist or rescue their families in the occupied Netherlands East Indies.
In June 1943, they were transferred to Colombo, where they were tried and subsequently imprisoned aboard the Dutch vessel Plancius. The case became politically sensitive, with Dutch authorities concerned about its public impact in Australia. Importantly, contemporary accounts from within the squadron suggest that not all personnel accepted the official interpretation. Pilot Guus Hagers, whose wartime diary provides rare insight into the internal dynamics of the unit, expressed support for the accused in correspondence. His writings reflect a broader atmosphere of frustration, division and emotional strain, indicating that the incident was widely seen among airmen as a consequence of circumstances rather than an act of treason.
Taken together, the evidence points to a breakdown in morale and command cohesion rather than a simple case of disloyalt
Back in Java, Guus’s young wife Lienke ended up in one of the notorious Japanese internment camps, where she endured unimaginable hardships. Overcrowding, hunger and the brutality of camp life made survival a daily struggle. The situation was made even worse by a sadistic commandant, and even minor infractions could lead to collective punishment for all prisoners.
Combat operations and flying record
Once 18 (NEI) Squadron became operational, Hagers quickly established himself as a highly capable and determined pilot. Flying the North American B-25 Mitchell, he took part in a wide range of missions from bases in northern Australia, including the Northern Territory and Western Australia.
His operational flying included:
- bombing raids on Japanese positions in Timor and surrounding islands
- low-level attack missions, often carried out under heavy anti-aircraft fire
- anti-shipping strikes against Japanese supply lines
- long-distance reconnaissance flights over occupied territory
These missions were often dangerous and technically demanding, requiring navigation over vast distances, frequently in poor weather, and at low altitude to avoid detection. Hagers gained recognition among his peers for his flying skills, reliability and determination under pressure.
He was also one of the pilots assigned to the propaganda flights. During these missions, pamphlets were dropped over cities and Japanese-controlled areas, including internment camps in Java. These flights carried both military and psychological objectives, aimed at maintaining morale and signalling continued Allied presence.
The aircraft linked to these missions was the B-25 Mitchell N5-185, which carried the name “Lienke” after his wife. Towards the end of the war this aircraft was modified for pamphlet flights, with reduced armament and increased range for long-distance operations. A B-25 Mitchell aircraft used by 18 (NEI) Squadron is held at the Darwin Aviation Museum, providing an Australian link to this story.
For Hagers, these flights had an intensely personal meaning. On some missions he took the extraordinary step of trying to reach his wife directly. On one of them he famously managed to include a large number of small notes bearing the name ‘Lienke’, which he dropped over the camps where women and children were interned. It was a simple act, but one driven by hope that somehow his wife might see them or know that he was still alive.
According to later accounts, one of these notes was picked up by a woman in one of the camps. She kept it for many years without knowing exactly what it referred to, and only much later, after the publication of the story of Guus and Lienke, did she make the connection and understand its meaning.
These efforts did not remain limited to small notes. As operations continued, more visible methods were used. Long banner-like strips of cloth, made from pieces of the Dutch flag, were dropped over internment camps with handwritten messages such as “Is Lienke there?”. At the same time, aircraft flew at very low altitude while names were called out over loudspeakers in an attempt to make direct contact with those on the ground.
Hagers was not alone in this. Other crew members undertook similar searches for loved ones. Navigator Ros van Loggem, flying with the same unit, used comparable methods in his search for Anneke, creating a parallel story that underlines how deeply personal these missions could become.
War diary and tensions in exile
Hagers kept a detailed war diary, which provides a rare and valuable insight into the internal dynamics of the Dutch forces in Australia.
His writings describe:
- the revolt against Boot
- tensions among airmen frustrated by delays in becoming operational
- discussions among colleagues who considered flying illegally back to the Netherlands East Indies to rescue their families
- critical observations about the politics of the NEI Government and military leadership
His comments were often not very flattering and reveal a level of frustration, division and disillusionment within the Dutch forces in exile that is not always visible in official accounts.
Abstracts from Gus Hagers’ war diary
After the war
Like many wartime pilots, Guus never really managed to readjust to life after his demobilisation. The transition from the intensity of operational flying to civilian life proved difficult.
He emigrated to the United States, where he continued flying as a crop-spraying pilot. In 1952, he was killed in an air crash in Oregon while carrying out that work.
Lienke survived the war and later recorded her own memories. Her experiences in the internment camps form a crucial part of the story, highlighting the parallel struggles faced by civilians during the Japanese occupation.
Lienke and the legacy of their story
A novel was later written based on her recollections, Guus’s diary and interviews with Lienke. The book is titled Het Vergeten Verhaal (The Forgotten Story).
In later life, Lienke remarried and lived in California under the name Linda Duncan-Buriks.
Memory and significance
The story of Guus and Lienke Hagers is both a wartime history and a deeply personal narrative. It reflects the role of Dutch airmen operating from Australia during World War II, but also the emotional reality of separation, uncertainty and endurance.
It is a story of courage in the air, but equally one of resilience on the ground — and of the enduring human connections that persisted despite the vast distances and disruptions of war.
Paul Budde (updated April 2026)
