Introduction The wartime history of No. 18 Netherlands East Indies Squadron RAAF is closely connected with northern Australia. From 1942 onwards the Dutch-manned squadron operated North American B-25 Mitchell bombers from a network of airfields around Darwin in support of Allied operations against Japanese forces in Timor and the former Read more
During the dark days of 1942, as the Japanese advance swept through Southeast Asia, a remarkable group of Dutch flying boats found their way to Australia. These aircraft — the Dornier Do 24K flying boats of the Netherlands East Indies (NEI) — became part of the wider Dutch wartime presence Read more
The military service records of Bernhard Jan Ruesink provide another remarkable insight into the highly international character of Dutch wartime military history during and after the Second World War. His career connected the Netherlands East Indies (NEI), the Netherlands, Switzerland, England, Australia and postwar Indonesia through Allied military aviation and Read more
The military service record of Marinus Willem Reith provides a fascinating insight into the international wartime experiences of Dutch servicemen connected to Australia during the Second World War. His file traces a path from the Netherlands East Indies (NEI) through Australia and the United States and back into postwar Indonesia Read more
The military service records of Willy Erkelens provide a fascinating insight into the international wartime and postwar networks that connected the Netherlands East Indies (NEI), Australia, the United States and Indonesia during and after the Second World War. His career reflects the experiences of many Dutch military personnel who escaped Read more
Introduction In early 1942, following the rapid collapse of the Netherlands East Indies under Japanese attack, large parts of the Dutch military, administrative and maritime infrastructure were relocated to Australia. Among those who arrived were thousands of Indonesian seamen employed on Dutch merchant vessels, suddenly operating in an unfamiliar environment Read more
The story of the B-25 Mitchell N5-185, known as “Lienke”, is one of the most compelling examples of how wartime aviation, personal history and Allied cooperation came together in Australia during World War II. Operated by No. 18 (Netherlands East Indies) Squadron RAAF, this aircraft was not only part of Read more
The 18 Netherlands East Indies squadron RAAF was established on April 4 1942 They destroyed many Japanese operations on NEI, sunk 6 Japanese ships and numerous smaller boats.
In early 1947, Australian newspapers reported on the disappearance of a Dutch Dakota aircraft en route from Australia to the Netherlands East Indies. The aircraft was later found wrecked in remote Northern Territory country near Katherine Gorge, after being struck by lightning during a severe storm. The strike caused a Read more
The reintroduction of KLM’s air service to Australia in 1951 must be understood against the backdrop of an earlier Dutch aviation network that had already reached the continent before the war—and had then been abruptly dismantled by it. During the 1930s, KNILM (Koninklijke Nederlandsch-Indische Luchtvaart Maatschappij) operated an extensive network Read more