This presentation by historian Dr Nonja Peters, prepared for a civic reception in Broome in March 2023, explores the evacuation of Dutch and Allied personnel and civilians from Java to Broome during February and March 1942. It provides historical context for the evacuation and the Japanese air raid on Broome Read more
Maurits Groen was a Dutch pilot and navigator who served in Europe before joining No. 18 (Netherlands East Indies) Squadron RAAF in Australia. His recollections were recorded in an interview conducted by Dr Sue Summers for the Migration and Ethnicity Research Centre at Curtin University. The interview provides a first-hand Read more
Dirk Stellema was born in Sneek, Friesland, in 1917. He joined the Military Aviation Service of the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army—Militaire Luchtvaart van het Koninklijk Nederlands-Indisch Leger, or ML-KNIL—in 1937. Stellema served as a radio operator and navigator aboard military aircraft in the Netherlands East Indies and Australia. Although Read more
ATIS was an integrated unit composed of Australian and American intelligence personnel and staff from the other Allied Forces (the Netherlands and China) Their primary responsibilities were the interrogation of Japanese POWs from Gaythorne POW Camp and the interpretation of captured Japanese documents. Given the low surrender rate of Japanese Read more
On February 28, 1942, Japanese troops rapidly advanced through northern Java, quickly occupying airfields and towns. Within hours, they were only 50km from Andir Airport (Bandung) in West Java, where five civilian Royal Netherlands Indies Airways (KNILM) planes were based. Only the next day did the Dutch Government in Exile Read more
Cornelis du Buy was born on January 8, 1921, in Amsterdam, the son of Cornelis du Buy and Maria Catharina Ramakers. During his teenage years, in the interwar period, Cornelis learned table tennis at home from his father, playing on the dining table. Cornelis’ mother, originally from Limburg, acted as Read more
Nico was born on 8 December 1932 at Nijmegen, Netherlands, and migrated to Australia in 1955. On arrival he stayed in the Bonegilla Migrant centre, in 1997 he produced 15 cartoon styled drawings of live as an early migrant in Australia. He worked as a designer in various positions until Read more
In this paper Dr. Nonja Peters explores the manner in which Dutch women, who left the Netherlands at various times during the postwar period, negotiated and carved out an ‘identity’ and satisfied their need for a sense of belonging in Australia. The interpretation derives its conclusions from oral history interview Read more
Biography Johannis Jacob “Hans” Mol, (14 February 1922 – 26 November 2017) a notable sociologist of religion, was born in Rozenburg. His early academic pursuits at the University of Amsterdam were disrupted by World War II when he refused to pledge allegiance to the Nazi party. Consequently, he was forced Read more
Nico Leonard Willem van Straten was born in Zwolle, September 3, 189 and died in Arnhem, September 18, 1968. He was a Dutch soldier of the Royal Dutch East Indies Army (KNIL) and bearer of the Military Order of William. At the start of WWII Lieutenant Colonel N.L.W. van Straten Read more