Netherlands East Indies – Australia History

KNILM: The Koninklijke Nederlandsch-Indische Luchtvaart Maatschappij and its Australian Connection

A pioneering Netherlands East Indies airline The Koninklijke Nederlandsch-Indische Luchtvaart Maatschappij, commonly known as KNILM, was the principal civil airline of the Netherlands East Indies. It was established on 16 July 1928, initially as the Nederlandsch-Indische Luchtvaart Maatschappij. The company later received the royal designation Koninklijke. Despite the similarity of Read more

By DACC, ago

No. 119 (Netherlands East Indies) Squadron RAAF: the Dutch bomber squadron that never became operational

Plans for a second Dutch bomber squadron No. 119 (Netherlands East Indies) Squadron RAAF was formed in Canberra in September 1943 as a proposed second Dutch–Australian B-25 Mitchell bomber squadron. It was intended to reinforce No. 18 (Netherlands East Indies) Squadron RAAF and expand Dutch participation in Allied air operations Read more

By DACC, ago

Dutch military and civil organisations in Australia after the fall of the Netherlands East Indies, March–April 1942

The Japanese conquest of the Netherlands East Indies in early 1942 brought a sudden and initially uncoordinated movement of Dutch and Indonesian military personnel, government officials, merchant seamen, civilian aircrew and refugees to Australia. Most members of the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army—the KNIL—were captured when Java surrendered. Nevertheless, a Read more

By DACC, ago

From Java to Australia and the United States: the evacuation of the Netherlands East Indies flying schools in 1942

The evacuation of the Netherlands East Indies flying schools was one of the largest movements of Dutch military aviation personnel during the collapse of the colony in early 1942. Hundreds of student pilots, instructors, observers, wireless operators, air gunners and technical personnel escaped to Australia. Although their stay was brief, Read more

By DACC, ago

NEFIS Research Portal – Dutch and Indonesian Intelligence in Australia during WWII – Copy

Introduction Following the Japanese conquest of the Netherlands East Indies in early 1942, Australia became the principal base from which Dutch military, intelligence and government organisations attempted to maintain contact with the occupied territories and prepare for an eventual Allied return. What developed was not simply a Dutch intelligence operation. Read more

By DACC, ago