The story of Jan (Johannes Wilhelmus Theodorus) and Toos (Catharina) Janssen is a vivid reflection of the Dutch migrant experience in Australia after the Second World War. Together, their recollections offer a rare and intimate portrait of growing up in the Netherlands during the turbulent 1930s and 1940s, the challenges Read more…
Brief biography Gerrit Bernardus (G. B.) Salm held the rank Kapitein-luitenant ter zee (equivalent to naval commander) in the Royal Netherlands Navy (RNN). He arrived in Australia in early 1942 following the fall of the Netherlands East Indies (NEI), and became the principal liaison between Dutch naval forces and Allied command Read more…
Conrad Emil Lambert Helfrich (1886–1962) was a senior officer in the Royal Netherlands Navy and one of the Netherlands’ most prominent military leaders during the Second World War. Born in Semarang, Java, he spent much of his career in the Netherlands East Indies (NEI), becoming known for his strong leadership Read more…
After completing his studies, Ravind moved to Amsterdam, immersing himself in the vibrant early music scene of the Netherlands. For ten years, he performed as a baroque flautist with the Dom Kantorij in Utrecht, participating in weekly Masses, Cantatas, and Passions alongside orchestral and solo performances. His engagements extended across Read more…
Early life and education in the Netherlands Born and educated in the Netherlands, Professor Richard de Grijs has forged a truly global academic career spanning four continents. From his early studies at the University of Groningen to his current position as Professor of Astrophysics at Macquarie University in Sydney, de Read more…
In the remote coastal town of Broome, Western Australia, a remarkable story of quiet heroism unfolded during one of the darkest moments of World War II. Lieutenant David Llewellyn “Bo” Davis, a retired pearler turned naval officer, played a vital role in saving lives and coordinating aid during the Japanese Read more…
On 16 February 1943, at the height of the Second World War, the Dutch government-in-exile formally recognised the bravery of Quartermaster Pieter de Bruin with the Dutch Cross of Merit. The award was presented in Australia by Baron François Cornelis van Aerssen Beijeren van Voshol, the first accredited Dutch envoy Read more…
Baron François Cornelis van Aerssen Beijeren van Voshol (2 March 1883 – 31 May 1968) was the first officially accredited Dutch envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary to Australia, appointed in April 1942 during one of the most complex periods in Dutch–Australian relations. A former naval officer, businessman, and career diplomat, Read more…
During the Second World War, the Japanese occupation of the Netherlands East Indies (now Indonesia) led to the internment of tens of thousands of Dutch civilians. Among them were Catharinus Lawant, his wife Maria, and their daughter Martina. Their story—documented through personal sketches and migration records—offers a window into a Read more…
Charles Olke van der Plas (1891–1977) was a senior Dutch colonial administrator from Buitenzorg (now Bogor), Java. His longstanding service in the Netherlands East Indies (NEI) and his deep knowledge of local society—including fluency in Arabic and Malay and a strong understanding of Islam—marked him as an expert in indigenous Read more…