The Sun in His Eyes, is book written by Renée Belloni. It explores the life of Claude Belloni, a Dutch-Indonesian man whose experiences capture the complex identity struggles of mixed-race Indonesians during and after Dutch colonial rule. Claude’s life, marked by extraordinary events—from surviving a shipwreck and witnessing the atomic Read more
This paper by Dr.Nonja Peters presents a comprehensive exploration of Australia’s involvement in Indonesian independence and the complex historical narrative surrounding the Dutch East Indies during and after World War II. It addresses the “History Wars” between Dutch and Indonesian perspectives on Indonesian independence, focusing on critical issues such as Read more
The rapid Japanese advance through Southeast Asia fundamentally changed the fate of 32 Douglas DB-7B Boston light bombers intended for the Netherlands Naval Aviation Service—the Marine Luchtvaartdienst, or MLD—in the Netherlands East Indies. Most never reached their intended destination. Six were delivered to Java only days before its capitulation, while Read more
Berendina Annagena “Dien” Freese was among the women recruited for the VK-KNIL in Western Australia in 1944. She subsequently travelled from Perth to Brisbane with Joan Butler and Johanna Mol. After undertaking military and medical training, she performed nursing duties in Brisbane, Sydney and Casino before travelling through Singapore to Read more
Following the Japanese conquest of the Netherlands East Indies in early 1942, Dutch and Indonesian military and intelligence personnel who had escaped to Australia became part of a rapidly developing Allied intelligence network. The Allied Intelligence Bureau (AIB), established in Australia in July 1942 under General Headquarters, Southwest Pacific Area Read more
Abraham Leeman van Santwitz (Santwits, Santwijk), a 17th-century Dutch sailor, embodies the spirit of resilience and leadership in the face of overwhelming adversity. His experiences as a navigator with the Dutch East India Company (VOC) are a testament to the perils and challenges of maritime exploration during this era, particularly Read more
Nonja Peters, second edition, 2008 In this extensively researched publication, historian Dr Nonja Peters documents the experiences of Dutch children evacuated from the Netherlands East Indies to Fairbridge Farm School near Pinjarra, Western Australia, following the Second World War. Drawing on oral histories, personal recollections, photographs and archival records, the Read more
Republished with permission. Chapter five from the book: A Touch of Dutch. For the full pdf click here. See also: Dutch-Russian Ace Pilot Iwan Smirnoff (WWII) The Lost Dutch Diamonds on Carnot Beach, Western Australia
The KPM motor ship Maetsuycker had two distinct roles during the Pacific War. After escaping from the Netherlands East Indies, she operated from Australia as a troop and supply transport supporting Allied operations in New Guinea. In 1944 she was converted into a hospital ship and began evacuating sick and Read more
In 1932, a daring attempt to circumnavigate the globe by air turned into a harrowing survival story for German pilot Hans Bertram and mechanic Adolph Klausmann. Their journey in the Junkers W 33 seaplane, Atlantis, registration D-1925, took an unexpected turn when they were forced to make an emergency landing Read more