A remarkable wartime photograph taken at the United States Navy flying-boat base at Colmslie provides an unexpected glimpse of the Dutch military presence in Brisbane.
The photograph, dating from 1943, shows three of the senior American commanders in the Pacific: General Douglas MacArthur, Admiral William F. “Bull” Halsey and Vice Admiral Arthur S. Carpender. Almost hidden in the background, on the Brisbane River, is another important piece of the Allied story—an ex-Dutch Dornier Do 24 flying boat.
The aircraft is distant and its identifying number cannot be read. It is therefore not possible to determine with certainty which individual Dornier appears in the photograph. Nevertheless, its distinctive three-engine configuration, high-mounted wing and stabilising sponsons identify it as a Dornier Do 24. Several of these aircraft escaped from the Netherlands East Indies and subsequently operated in Australia.
The Dornier Do 24 in Dutch service
Although designed by the German Dornier company, the Do 24K was developed specifically for the Royal Netherlands Navy’s Marine Luchtvaartdienst, the Dutch Naval Aviation Service. It was intended to replace older Dornier Wal flying boats operating across the Netherlands East Indies.
The aircraft was particularly well suited to the archipelago. Its long range and ability to operate from sheltered bays and coastal waters allowed it to undertake maritime reconnaissance, patrol, rescue and transport operations without relying on conventional airfields.
The Do 24 was an all-metal flying boat powered by three radial engines. It was approximately 22 metres long, with a wingspan of more than 27 metres. Its broad hull and stabilising sponsons made it highly seaworthy, an essential characteristic for operations across the vast maritime territory of the Netherlands East Indies.
Before the Pacific War, the Dorniers were based principally at the Dutch naval air station at Morokrembangan, near Surabaya. Following the Japanese attacks in December 1941, they were employed intensively on reconnaissance, evacuation and transport missions.
Escape to Australia
The Japanese advance through the Netherlands East Indies resulted in the destruction of most of the Dutch Dornier fleet. Some were shot down, while others were destroyed during attacks on their bases or lost while attempting to evacuate personnel.
Several Dorniers reached Australia during the final weeks of the campaign. Other Dutch flying boats were destroyed at Broome on 3 March 1942, when Japanese fighters attacked aircraft carrying military personnel, officials, civilians and refugees from the collapsing Netherlands East Indies.
Five surviving Dorniers—formerly carrying the Dutch numbers X-5, X-7, X-8, X-9 and X-10—were formally transferred to the Royal Australian Air Force on 29 April 1942. They became A49-1 to A49-5.
A sixth aircraft, X-24, remained under Dutch control for a longer period. It was associated with the Netherlands Forces Intelligence Service and reportedly undertook intelligence and clandestine transport operations between Australia and Dutch New Guinea. It was formally transferred to the RAAF in October 1943 and became A49-6.
Consequently, the aircraft visible at Colmslie should most accurately be described as an ex-Dutch Dornier. Depending on when the photograph was taken and which aircraft it depicts, it may already have been serving in Australian markings. Its presence nevertheless resulted directly from the wartime evacuation of Dutch forces from the Netherlands East Indies.
Service with the RAAF
The five aircraft initially transferred to Australia required extensive repairs and modification. They had arrived without the full range of spare parts, servicing equipment, manuals and specialist tools needed to keep them operational.
After refurbishment, the Dorniers were used principally by No. 41 Squadron RAAF, a maritime transport unit based at Townsville. They carried personnel and supplies between Australia, New Guinea and other forward areas. They also undertook reconnaissance and rescue work.
Their contribution was considerable. RAAF operational records indicate that the first five aircraft together flew almost 1,700 hours, carried nearly 2,000 passengers and transported approximately 350 tonnes of freight.
Despite their usefulness, maintaining such a small group of specialised aircraft became increasingly difficult. Replacement parts were almost impossible to obtain, particularly after the German occupation of the Netherlands disrupted the original Dutch production and supply system.
One of the aircraft, A49-5, was destroyed by fire in March 1944. The surviving Dorniers were subsequently withdrawn and placed in storage at the RAAF flying-boat repair depot at Lake Boga in Victoria. They were removed from service in December 1944 and eventually broken up.
The US Navy base at Colmslie
The location of the photograph is also historically significant.
Following the establishment of MacArthur’s Southwest Pacific Area headquarters in Brisbane, the US Navy’s Naval Air Transport Service established operations on the Brisbane River. In September 1942, the US Navy occupied a 16-hectare site at Colmslie.
The Queensland Main Roads Commission constructed a stone slipway approximately 76 metres long and 12 metres wide. Completed in December 1942, it allowed flying boats to be hauled from the river for servicing. Workshops, administration buildings, hardstands, roads and other facilities were also established.
From Colmslie, the Naval Air Transport Service helped move personnel, mail, equipment and priority supplies between Brisbane and Allied bases throughout the Pacific. The facility formed part of the much larger network of US naval installations established across wartime Brisbane.
The appearance of an ex-Dutch Dornier at an American naval air base illustrates the multinational character of these operations. American, Australian and Dutch aircraft, ships and personnel shared Brisbane’s airfields, river facilities, workshops and supply systems as part of the wider Allied campaign.
More than a background detail
At first glance, the photograph is dominated by MacArthur, Halsey and Carpender—three senior commanders whose decisions influenced the course of the Pacific War.
The small aircraft in the background, however, adds another dimension to the image. It connects Brisbane with the fall of the Netherlands East Indies, the evacuation of Dutch personnel to Australia, the continuation of Dutch intelligence operations and the practical cooperation between Dutch, Australian and American forces.
It is also a reminder that Brisbane’s wartime history was not confined to military headquarters and army camps. The Brisbane River itself became an important operational corridor, lined with naval bases, maintenance facilities, wharves and flying-boat stations.
The Dornier at Colmslie may occupy only a small part of the photograph, but it represents a much larger Dutch–Australian story: an aircraft designed for service in the Netherlands East Indies, driven into exile by the Japanese advance and given a new role in the Allied war effort from Australia.
Photo caption:
General Douglas MacArthur, Admiral William F. Halsey and Vice Admiral Arthur S. Carpender at the US Navy’s Naval Air Transport Service base at Colmslie in 1943. An ex-Dutch Dornier Do 24 flying boat can be seen on the Brisbane River in the background. The individual aircraft has not yet been identified.
Acknowledgement:
With thanks to Peter Dunn OAM, “Australia @ War”, for identifying the location as the US Navy’s Naval Air Transport Service flying-boat base at Colmslie and for providing information about the photograph.
See also: The Dutch Dorniers in Australia: Flying boats in exile during WWII and United States Naval Air Station at Colmslie.
