Accounts of the Koninklijke Paketvaart-Maatschappij’s contribution to the Pacific War frequently refer to “Dutch ships.” This is correct in terms of company ownership, registration and command, but it tells only part of the story. KPM vessels were generally commanded by Dutch officers, while much of the everyday work aboard them Read more
The arrival of surviving Koninklijke Paketvaart-Maatschappij (KPM) vessels in Australia during early 1942 gave the Allies access to a shipping capability they urgently needed. It also created a complicated question: who had the authority to control and deploy these Dutch ships? The vessels remained Dutch-owned and Dutch-registered and continued to Read more
The Japanese conquest of the Netherlands East Indies in early 1942 destroyed the commercial and maritime system that the Koninklijke Paketvaart-Maatschappij (KPM) had developed over more than half a century. Ships were sunk, captured or scuttled, port facilities and offices were lost, and thousands of employees and their families were Read more
This portal brings together articles about the Dutch merchant fleet and its contribution to the Allied war effort in and from Australia during the Second World War. While the Koninklijke Paketvaart-Maatschappij (KPM) played a central role, the collection also covers other Dutch shipping companies, hospital ships and individual vessels whose Read more
When people think of Dutch companies in Australia, names such as Philips, Shell often come to mind. Yet another Dutch company has quietly become one of the most important technology businesses in the world. ASML, founded in the Netherlands in 1984, designs and manufactures the highly sophisticated lithography systems used Read more
The story of Dutch enterprise in Australia is often associated with shipping, manufacturing, agriculture, engineering and post-war migration. Optiver represents a much more recent chapter: the arrival of a Dutch company operating at the intersection of finance, mathematics and advanced computer technology. Founded in Amsterdam in 1986, Optiver has developed Read more
Among the many Dutch families who helped shape post-war Australia, few have left such a lasting legacy as the Van Berkel family. Today, their name is synonymous with tulips, flower bulbs and horticulture in Victoria’s Dandenong Ranges. Yet behind this successful family business lies a remarkable migration story—one that begins Read more
Among the many Dutch migrants who arrived in Australia with little more than determination and ambition, Richard Kuipers represents a remarkable entrepreneurial success story. Originally from the Netherlands, he transformed a modest idea begun in a caravan in his Sydney backyard into one of Australia’s largest removals and relocation businesses. Read more
Introduction The wartime history of No. 18 (Netherlands East Indies) Squadron RAAF is closely connected with Darwin and the airfields of the Northern Territory. From late 1942, the joint Dutch–Australian squadron operated North American B-25 Mitchell bombers from McDonald and Batchelor airfields. Its crews flew bombing, reconnaissance and anti-shipping operations Read more
Flying boats designed for the Netherlands East Indies The Dornier Do 24 was a three-engined flying boat designed by the German Dornier company to meet requirements established by the Royal Netherlands Navy. The Netherlands needed an aircraft capable of patrolling the enormous maritime territory of the Netherlands East Indies. The Read more