Berendina Annagena “Dien” Freese was one of three women recruited in Western Australia for the VK-KNIL in 1944. After training and nursing work in Brisbane, Sydney and Casino, she was sent through Singapore to Sumatra, where she cared for people emerging from Japanese internment. Her remarkable story survives in a Read more
The paper “Digital Preservation of Cultural Heritage” examines the current state of digitalisation in Australian archives and libraries, comparing it with global trends. It highlights how technological advancements and globalisation allow us to rethink how we preserve cultural heritage, especially in relation to migration. Migrant histories, scattered across borders, require Read more
The late 1950s and early 1960s marked a significant period in eastern Melbourne’s soccer history, as Wilhelmina emerged as a prominent club, laying the foundation for a cluster of local district clubs with strong Dutch influence. These clubs, including Hollandia, Fern Tree, Ringwood United, and Mooroolbark, thrived with Dutch backing, Read more
Short history of and information on Netherlands Societies in NSW and the ACT. The following text is from this booklet published by the Federation of Netherlands Societies Ltd. in February 1985. The research for this booklet was done by Mijntje Hage. Acknowledgement Many thanks to the clubs, their secretaries, and Read more
General Sir John Winthrop Hackett, better known as “Shan,” was an Australian-born British soldier who played a pivotal role in one of World War II’s most ambitious military operations, Operation Market Garden. Born on November 5, 1910, in Perth, Western Australia, Hackett’s early life was steeped in both Australian and Read more
In 1952, Werkspoor Engineering Works, a Dutch construction company, was commissioned to construct the Shell refinery plant in Geelong, Australia. On 18 March 1954, the Geelong refinery became the first of Australia’s post-war refineries to come on stream. Its commissioning sent ripples of excitement throughout the Geelong community and was Read more
The Role of Lend-Lease and Aircrew Training in the United States During World War II, the United States earned the nickname “the Arsenal of Democracy” due to its sheer productive output. The hardware turned out in US factories included over 3 million trucks and jeeps, 86,000 tanks, 6,750 naval platforms, Read more
By Diane Gabb Introduction Much has been written about the large numbers of Dutch migrants who sought a new home in Australia after the devastation of World War II when over 200 000 citizens had lost their lives and the failed Netherlands economy had little to offer but emigration propaganda. Australia Read more
Northam became one of Western Australia’s most important centres for the reception and accommodation of migrants in the years following the Second World War. However, what is often referred to simply as the “Northam Migrant Camp” actually involved two separate Commonwealth immigration facilities in the town. The principal facility was Read more
Following the Japanese conquest of the Netherlands East Indies in early 1942, Dutch and Indonesian military and intelligence personnel who had escaped to Australia became part of a rapidly developing Allied intelligence network. The Allied Intelligence Bureau (AIB), established in Australia in July 1942 under General Headquarters, Southwest Pacific Area Read more