Migration history
The Dutch Houses of Coopers Plains: From Migration Story to Heritage Landmark
Sign petition to safe last of the Dutch Houses in Coopers Plain, Brisbane
Military and Political History
A KNIL captain’s son: Peter Van de Graaff’s childhood through war and migration
A Dutch–Indonesian childhood shaped by war Peter Van de Graaff was born into a Dutch family in the Netherlands East Indies (NEI), today’s Indonesia. His father served as a captain in the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army (Koninklijk Nederlands Indisch Leger, KNIL). When Japan invaded the archipelago in 1942, the Read more
Migration history
Jan and Toos Janssens: A life of family, migration, and memory
The story of Jan (Johannes Wilhelmus Theodorus) and Toos (Catharina) Janssens is a vivid reflection of the Dutch migrant experience in Australia after the Second World War. Together, their recollections offer a rare and intimate portrait of growing up in the Netherlands during the turbulent 1930s and 1940s, the challenges Read more
Cultural Events and Activities
Brisbane’s Lord Mayor hosted civic reception in honour of Camp Columbia Heritage Association
We are proud to inform you that the Lord Mayor of Brisbane hosted an official civic reception in honour of the Camp Columbia Heritage Association on the eve of our international WWII symposium at the University of Queensland. This prestigious event took place at Brisbane City Hall, in the Balmoral Read more
Migration history
The Otterspoor brothers – Dutch-born Anzacs who fell for Australia
Dutch origins and migration The Otterspoor family came from Utrecht in the Netherlands. Twins Servanus (John) and Arnoldus (Harry) were born there on 19 November 1892, and their younger brother Franciscus Jacobus (Frank) followed on 15 November 1894. Their parents, Servanus Otterspoor and Hendrika Johanna van Kesteren, raised the family Read more
Military and Political History
End of the Pacific War: Dutch Bulletin on the Japanese Surrender and POW Relief in Java
Summary of Dutch A.D. N.I.B.T.A. Bulletin, 3 September 1945 On 2 September 1945, the formal surrender of Japan was signed on board the battleship Missouri, marking the official end of the Second World War. The ceremony was led by General Douglas MacArthur on behalf of the Allies, with representatives of Read more
Military and Political History
Australian and Dutch Judges at the Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal
The Tribunal and Its Origins The International Military Tribunal for the Far East (IMTFE)—better known as the Tokyo Trials—was convened on 29 April 1946 by Supreme Allied Commander General Douglas MacArthur to prosecute Japanese wartime leaders. It was modelled directly on the Nuremberg Trials in Europe, adopting the same three Read more
Military and Political History
Going North: award winning Dutch WWII documentary of the landing on the Philippine island of Leyte.
Going North is a fine example of a classic Allied propaganda film from the Second World War. It tells the story of the massive force moving from the southern Pacific towards Japan — heading north. With imposing images, pompous music and a sharp commentary voice, the film leaves no doubt Read more
Military and Political History
Betrayed and beheaded: the story of Rob Hees and NEFIS Party Lion
English introduction for the Dutch PDF below This Dutch-language document, De verkenningsmissie, Party Lion, van Rob Hees (1901–1942), details the story of Rob Hees, a reserve first lieutenant in the KNIL and civil engineer, who escaped from the Netherlands East Indies to Australia in 1942. It describes his recruitment into Read more
Dutch – Australian History
The American-British-Dutch-Australian Command – 1942
The American-British-Dutch-Australian Command (ABDACOM) was the short-lived Allied supreme command for the South-East Asian theatre in the opening months of the Pacific War. Formed at Bandung, Java, on 10 January 1942 and led by British General Sir Archibald Wavell, it became operational only days after Japan entered the war. Its Read more