The Zuiderkruis was one of three former American Victory ships acquired by the Dutch Government after the Second World War. Together with the Groote Beer and Waterman, she became part of the Kleine Drie—the “Little Three”—that transported thousands of emigrants from the Netherlands to Australia and other overseas destinations. Unlike Read more
The ships that carried a generation to a new homeland During the decades following the Second World War, tens of thousands of Dutch emigrants travelled by sea to begin new lives in Australia. Their journeys formed part of the much larger post-war migration movement that transformed Australian society and established Read more
A group photograph taken aboard the Netherlands hospital ship Oranje in Sydney on 2 March 1943 records a little-known connection between one of the most celebrated Dutch ships of the Second World War and one of Australia’s greatest maritime tragedies. Within weeks of the photograph being taken, 28 Australian personnel Read more
The KPM steamship ’s Jacob was the first of three Dutch merchant vessels lost during Operation Lilliput. On 8 March 1943, while carrying troops and supplies from Milne Bay towards Oro Bay, she was attacked by Japanese bombers near Porlock Harbour. Three direct hits and numerous near misses caused serious Read more
Between 21 February and 4 March 1943, the Koninklijke Paketvaart-Maatschappij vessels Bontekoe, Karsik and Van Heemskerk transported approximately 3,200 American troops from Australia to Oro Bay in Papua. The troops belonged to the United States 162nd Infantry Regiment, part of the 41st Infantry Division. Their movement was designated Operation Accountant.[1] Read more
Accounts of the Koninklijke Paketvaart-Maatschappij’s contribution to the Pacific War frequently refer to “Dutch ships.” This is correct in terms of company ownership, registration and command, but it tells only part of the story. KPM vessels were generally commanded by Dutch officers, while much of the everyday work aboard them Read more
The arrival of surviving Koninklijke Paketvaart-Maatschappij (KPM) vessels in Australia during early 1942 gave the Allies access to a shipping capability they urgently needed. It also created a complicated question: who had the authority to control and deploy these Dutch ships? The vessels remained Dutch-owned and Dutch-registered and continued to Read more
The Japanese conquest of the Netherlands East Indies in early 1942 destroyed the commercial and maritime system that the Koninklijke Paketvaart-Maatschappij (KPM) had developed over more than half a century. Ships were sunk, captured or scuttled, port facilities and offices were lost, and thousands of employees and their families were Read more
This portal brings together articles about the Dutch merchant fleet and its contribution to the Allied war effort in and from Australia during the Second World War. While the Koninklijke Paketvaart-Maatschappij (KPM) played a central role, the collection also covers other Dutch shipping companies, hospital ships and individual vessels whose Read more
For centuries the Dutch connection with Australia has largely been told through stories of exploration, trade and shipwrecks. Dutch navigators were the first Europeans to chart much of Australia’s coastline, leaving traces of their journeys scattered along the continent’s shores. Today, those stories continue to be uncovered and interpreted through Read more