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The Archive

Maritime History

Lieutenant David “Bo” Davis: Australia’s north-west defender and Dutch Cross of Merit recipient

In the remote coastal town of Broome, Western Australia, a remarkable story of quiet heroism unfolded during one of the darkest moments of World War II. Lieutenant David Llewellyn “Bo” Davis, a retired pearler turned naval officer, played a vital Read more…

By DACC, 2 weeksJuly 26, 2025 ago
Military and Political History

Darley Camp: training ground of the Dutch East Indies forces in exile

In the wake of the Japanese occupation of the Netherlands East Indies (NEI) in early 1942, Australia became a crucial sanctuary and staging ground for Dutch military forces regrouping in exile. Among the lesser-known but strategically important locations was Darley Read more…

By DACC, 2 weeksJuly 25, 2025 ago
Military and Political History

A Dutch military and civil inventory in Australia – March 1942 snapshot

A large part of the KNIL was captured in Java, but several senior officers, support staff, and special units made it to Australia. Others remained behind to continue guerrilla operations, notably in Timor and Dutch New Guinea. This article doesn’t Read more…

By DACC, 2 weeksJuly 25, 2025 ago
Maritime History

Camp Davis and the Dutch Marinersbrigade: rebuilding Dutch amphibious strength in exile

When the Netherlands East Indies (NEI) fell to Japan in early 1942, the Dutch government-in-exile undertook to restore its military capability. Among the most significant efforts was the formation of the Mariniersbrigade, an amphibious infantry brigade trained in the United Read more…

By DACC, 2 weeksJuly 25, 2025 ago
Maritime History

Convoy ZK8: Dutch ships deliver Australia’s troops to the front

In May 1942, the Allied war effort in the Pacific reached a critical turning point. The fall of the Netherlands East Indies (NEI) had left Australia exposed, and Japanese forces were advancing toward Port Moresby. In this tense context, a Read more…

By DACC, 2 weeksJuly 25, 2025 ago
Dutch businesses in Australia

Operation Accountant: safeguarding Dutch gold in exile

In early 1942, as Japanese forces overran the Netherlands East Indies (NEI), Dutch authorities faced the urgent task of preserving their financial and sovereign assets. Among the most critical was the colony’s reserve of gold bullion—essential not just for wartime Read more…

By DACC, 2 weeksJuly 25, 2025 ago
Maritime History

Recognising bravery in exile: WWII Quartermaster Pieter de Bruin and the Dutch Cross of Merit

On 16 February 1943, at the height of the Second World War, the Dutch government-in-exile formally recognised the bravery of Quartermaster Pieter de Bruin with the Dutch Cross of Merit. The award was presented in Australia by Baron François Cornelis Read more…

By DACC, 2 weeksJuly 23, 2025 ago
Military and Political History

Baron van Aerssen: first Dutch envoy to Australia and enforcer of colonial policy

Baron François Cornelis van Aerssen Beijeren van Voshol (2 March 1883 – 31 May 1968) was the first officially accredited Dutch envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary to Australia, appointed in April 1942 during one of the most complex periods in Read more…

By DACC, 2 weeksJuly 23, 2025 ago
Military and Political History

From consuls to ambassadors: how Dutch–Australian diplomacy was formalised during WWII

The diplomatic relationship between the Netherlands and Australia, now strong and longstanding, was shaped significantly by the upheavals of the Second World War. While Dutch honorary consuls had represented Dutch interests in Australia since the mid-19th century, it wasn’t until Read more…

By DACC, 2 weeksJuly 23, 2025 ago
Military and Political History

Japanese internees and Dutch migrants: the story of the Lawant family

During the Second World War, the Japanese occupation of the Netherlands East Indies (now Indonesia) led to the internment of tens of thousands of Dutch civilians. Among them were Catharinus Lawant, his wife Maria, and their daughter Martina. Their story—documented Read more…

By DACC, 2 weeksJuly 23, 2025 ago
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