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
After the heavy losses during the Battle of the Java Sea the British and American forced started to withdraw and the Dutch and Australians were left on their own. On Sunday, 8 March, Lt. Gen. Hitoshi Imamura met with the Governor-General of the NEI, Jonkheer (Lord) Alidius Tjarda van Starkenborgh Stachouwer and set a deadline for the next day for an unconditional surrender.
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
by Doug Hurst – 2001 The Fourth Ally tells of the Dutch forces who fought from Australia against the Japanese during WW II. Driven by the Japanese from Indonesia (then the Netherlands East Indies), they relocated ships, aircraft and personnel to Australia. They joined with United States, British and Australian Read more
For anyone researching the Dutch presence in Australia during the Second World War, one book stands above all others: Dr Jonathan (Jack) M. Ford’s Allies in a Bind: Australia and the Netherlands East Indies in the Second World War. Originally published in 1996 by the Queensland Branch of the Australian 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
From Nijmegen to the Netherlands East Indies and Australia Joop van Doorn was a Dutch military wireless operator, telegraphist and navigator whose wartime service connected the Netherlands East Indies, Australia, India and the Allied air campaign against Japan. He flew in Glenn Martin bombers and Lockheed Lodestar transports, participated in Read more
Late last year the Honorary Consul of the Netherlands in Queensland Marjon Wind launched the groundwork for the archaeological projected conducted by the University of Queensland at the WWII HQ of the Netherlands East Indies Government-in-Exile at Camp Columbia in Wacol, Brisbane.
In 1995 the Dutch Australian Cultural Centre organised a 50 year liberation in the Dutch East Indies commemoration at their premises in the Abel Tasman Village (ATV) at Chester Hill. Several weeks later the DAW published a double page spread review of several commemorations around the country including the one Read more