Throughout World War II, the Dutch Merchant Navy (Koopvaardij) played a crucial role in the global war effort, especially in the Pacific following the fall of the Dutch East Indies (modern-day Indonesia) to Japanese forces in early 1942. This article explores the enduring legacy of the Dutch Merchant Navy in Read more…
On the eve of the Netherlands East Indies’ capitulation, a series of evacuation flights brought Dutch citizens to the safety of Australia, with Broome emerging as a key evacuation hub. Among the heroic pilots, Dutch-Russian Captain Iwan Smirnoff stood out for his multiple successful evacuation missions, regarding it as a Read more…
The MacRobertson Trophy Air Race (also known as the London to Melbourne Air Race) took place in October 1934 as part of the Melbourne Centenary celebrations. The race was devised by the Lord Mayor of Melbourne, Sir Harold Gengoult Smith, and the prize money of £15,000 was provided by Sir Read more…
This article was created with the permission of, and with information made available by, Mr. Bijvoet’s grandchildren, Dr. Shanti Wong and Mr. Mark Wardle. Cornelis Bijvoet (1890–1964) was a Dutch shipping engineer who served his country with distinction as a ship designer, a World War II naval officer, and a Read more…
On 26 February, a ML-KNIL Douglas Dakota caught fire and crashed into the ocean about 23 minutes into a test flight from Archerfield, killing all six people – three Dutch servicemen and three Australian crew members – onboard. ML-KNIL = Militaire Luchtvaart van het Koninklijk Nederlands-Indisch Leger – Royal Netherlands Read more…
The Dutch government of the Netherlands East Indies (NEI) ordered several Douglas A-20 Havoc (DB-7) aircraft from the United States just before the start of WWII in the Pacific, intending to strengthen their defenses. These aircraft, used as light bombers and attack planes, were adopted by various Allied forces during 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…
Australian Shipbuilding Industries Ltd (ASI) was founded by Dutch Australian brother Dirk and Nick Verboon. Historian Nonja Peters wrote in her PhD thesis that “Dirk Verboon was a Netherlands trained marine engineer and he found his way back into boat building more by chance than design. ‘When dad came to Read more…
John Rothwell, who anglicised his Dutch name, is the co-founder and chairman of Austal Limited. Rothwell’s leadership and vision were instrumental in transforming Austal into a global leader in shipbuilding. In 1990, John Rothwell penned a strategic paper that would shape the future of Austal. In this document, Rothwell outlined Read more…
The Dutch merchant vessel Maetsuyker, weighing 4,131 tons, played a significant role during World War II. It managed to escape from the Netherlands East Indies (NEI) to the safety of Fremantle, Australia, just before the final surrender on Java Island. This article traces the journey of the Maetsuyker as it Read more…