Dirk Drok (Dalfsen, Netherlands 1915–1988), Perth) and his wife Kitty Isabella Theodora Uitenhage de Mist-Barkey (Java 1921–2001 Perth) lived in Java, Netherlands East Indies NEI (now Indonesia). After the Japanese had occupied the NEI, Dirk and kitty both – separately – ended up in Japanese Camps. There is an extensive Read more
At the end of the 19th Century, the French government looked around for labour for New Caledonia. Workers were needed on the coffee plantations and also servants were sought after. New Caledonia became home to the second largest Javanese community outside Indonesia with some 20,000 immigrants sent between 1896 and Read more
This article is about the Dutch seizure of part of New Guinea in 1828. The English activities in Northern Australia played an important role in this. The author of the article is Jeroen Overweel. He is engaged in cultural heritage participation and is an independent researcher on Indonesian, Melanesian and Read more
The SS Bantam (3322 gross weight, built in 1930 ) was one of the original twenty-one KPM vessels that took refuge in Australian ports after the fall of Java that Dutch officials requested be put into service for the war effort. The ship, as well as other Dutch merchant ships, Read more
When the Hr. Ms. Tromp, a Tromp-class cruiser, was built between 1936 and 1938, it was the most modern ship in its class. The cruiser’s involvement in the search for HMAS Sydney, following its battle with the German raider Kormoran, stands out as a crucial moment. Subsequently, Tromp undergoes repairs Read more
One of the greatest pilots of the 18 Netherlands East Indies Squadron RAAF was Gerson (Guus) Hagers. In February 1942 he was part of the group tasked with receiving newly acquired B 25 bombers from the USA at Archerfield Airport in Brisbane. The planes didn’t arrive in time and in Read more
Ruben (Ruud) Rubens Ruben (Ruud) Rubens was born in Amsterdam on 3 September 1917 and died in Melbourne on 7 November 1993. After completing his high school education (MULO), he became a bicycle dealer and sales representative. He was an active sportsman—an accomplished sailor, swimmer, and soccer player—and even played Read more
Milly Schelvis was born in Amsterdam 11th September 1919. She had a normal, loving childhood although that is set in the background of Holland in the 1920’s and 30’s. They lived in the poor parts of the Jewish sector of Amsterdam and that meant poor housing, hunger and dreadful filth Read more
Dutch New Guinea The Moluccan policeman (only known as M.E.) operated in New Guinea from 1935 to April-May 1942, first in Fakfak and then in Babo. On the day of the capitulation of the KNIL he was in the area south of Babo, in the Mimika region in Oeta. The Read more
Anna Johanna Maria van Iersel, known as Annita, is an accomplished Dutch-born Australian artist and the former spouse of Paul Keating, a former Prime Minister of Australia. She held the name Annita Keating from 1975 to 1998. Annita van Iersel was born on 5 October 1948 in Oisterwijk, a town Read more