Derk Johannes Kippers was born in The Hague, Netherlands, 9th November, 1909.Graduated with First Class Wireless Operators Licence, about 1928. Partly because of the Great Depression, he did not enter the Dutch Merchant Navy until a few years later. The Merchant Navy ships he served on sailed the Atlantic, Pacific and Read more
In 2022 I explored the south western part of the Gulf of Carpentaria. We were at the mouth of the Norman River at Karumba. The Dutch explores didn’t come that far south in the Gulf. Nevertheless we got an idea of the landscape and in particular the endless savanna along Read more
The Dutch Merchant Navy at the start of WWII: Exhibition “NL KOOPVAARDIJ IN WO II” in Zwolle Dr Jack Ford wrote an extensive history of the Dutch war effort in the South West Pacific. He published this in: Allies in Bind: Australia and the Netherlands East Indies relations during World Read more
At the time of the Japanese invasion in the Dutch Indies Hendrik (Henk) Paardekooper was employed – since 1938 – by the Droogdok Maatschappij Surabaya (DSM) being responsible e.g. for the floating docks and cranes used for the maintenance and repair of larger sea-going vessels, including those of the Dutch Read more
Roland Spuij attended a guided tour by conservator Maggie Patton of the “Maps of the Pacific” in the Mitchell Library in Sydney. A brilliant exhibition of original maps going back to 1490, including the famous Tasman map of 1644 and other beautiful maps of Dutch cartographers and wonderful globes. And Read more
In October 2019 Dutch Premier Mark Rutte paid a three day working visit to Sydney. There was an official reception at the State Library of NSW where Premier Rutte received a tour along the various Dutch artifact. For this special occasion the Library put the famous Abel Tasman on display Read more
Battle of the Java Sea The American-British-Dutch-Australian (ABDA) Command, or ABDACOM, was established in Bandung, Java, on 15 January 1942 and became operational shortly afterward. However, by this time, Japan had already been at war with the Allies since 7 December 1941, and its forces were rapidly advancing through Southeast Read more
Captain Cook’s first voyage brought him to Australia. The first voyage of James Cook was a combined Royal Navy and Royal Society expedition to the south Pacific Ocean aboard HMS Endeavour, from 1768 to 1771. It was the first of three Pacific voyages of which James Cook was the commander. Read more
AVOM’ is known in Australia as the Association of Ex-Royal Dutch Navy personnel. The Australian branch has been established in 1996 and was recognised by the Chief Directorate in the Netherlands in 1997. In 2000 the association has approximately 4000 members, mostly in the Netherlands with a small portion all Read more
Thomas Vanderveldt, VOC historian in West Australia writes a monthly newsletter. Facebook page Member of the Royal Western Australian Historical Society