The Netherlands East Indies aviation units established in Australia during the Second World War depended upon close cooperation between Dutch, Indonesian and Australian personnel.
This cooperation was most visible in the joint Netherlands East Indies–RAAF squadrons. Dutch authorities generally provided the aircraft and most of the aircrew, while the Royal Australian Air Force supplied substantial numbers of technical, administrative and ground personnel. Australians also served in operational aircrew positions, particularly as wireless operators and air gunners with No. 18 (Netherlands East Indies) Squadron RAAF.
The arrangements varied between units and changed during the war. No. 18 Squadron included both Dutch and Australian aircrew and a large Australian ground component. No. 120 Squadron was predominantly Dutch and Netherlands East Indies in its flying personnel but operated within the RAAF structure and relied upon Australian support. Australian personnel were also involved in training, maintenance, communications, equipment management and the operation of Dutch aviation facilities.
This article concentrates on the surviving records concerning RAAF personnel connected with Netherlands East Indies aircraft. The wider history of the squadrons, aircraft, bases and individuals is available through the Dutch and Netherlands East Indies Air Forces in Australia during World War II—Research Portal.
Australian aircrew with No. 18 Squadron
No. 18 Squadron operated B-25 Mitchell bombers carrying Dutch aircraft serials beginning with N5.
The pilot and senior operational command positions were generally filled by Dutch officers. Other crew positions—including navigator, bombardier, wireless operator and air gunner—could be filled by Dutch, Indonesian or Australian personnel.
Australian wireless operator–air gunners became particularly important because the Dutch had escaped from the Netherlands East Indies with insufficient numbers of trained personnel in these categories. Australian aircrew consequently participated in operational missions against Japanese targets alongside their Dutch colleagues.
This mixed crewing arrangement made No. 18 Squadron one of the clearest examples of Dutch–Australian military cooperation during the Pacific War.
The Peter Dunn archival collection
The documents reproduced below come from the research collection of Australian military historian Peter Dunn.
They contain information relating to RAAF personnel serving on, attached to or otherwise associated with Netherlands East Indies aircraft. The records include material connected with individual B-25 Mitchells as well as broader correspondence and personnel documentation.
Aircraft represented in the surviving records include:
- N5-133;
- N5-135;
- N5-140;
- N5-144;
- N5-147;
- N5-150;
- N5-162;
- N5-169;
- N5-176;
- N5-177;
- N5-179;
- N5-210;
- N5-214; and
- N5-255.
The documents may assist researchers in identifying:
- RAAF aircrew serving aboard Dutch-operated aircraft;
- service numbers, ranks and aircrew duties;
- particular aircraft and missions;
- postings and attachments to Netherlands East Indies units;
- accidents, casualties and personnel movements; and
- the administrative arrangements governing Australian service with Dutch units.
Some records consist of several consecutive pages. They have therefore been retained in their original order.
The documents should be treated as primary research material. Names, dates, aircraft serials and operational details should be checked against RAAF personnel files, squadron operational record books, casualty files and other Australian or Dutch archival sources where possible.
Continuing research
The DACC welcomes assistance in identifying the Australian personnel named in these records and connecting them with particular Dutch aircraft, crews and missions.
Where an individual can be identified, a short biographical article may eventually be added to the Air Force Research Portal. This would allow the archival documents to become the foundation for further personal stories about Australian participation in Netherlands East Indies aviation.
Related DACC articles
The Netherlands East Indies Aircraft and Personnel Pool—Canberra and Bundaberg
No. 18 (Netherlands East Indies) Squadron RAAF
No. 120 (Netherlands East Indies) Squadron RAAF
Archival Documents
Below are archival documents on RAAF Members on Netherlands East Indies Aircraft from the collection of Peter Dunn.
The following website also offers information on the Air Force of the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army. Key in Netherlands East Indies for an overview of available files.
