The Dutch – Australian connection here is a bit convoluted, but as it is too interesting to not cover it, so please bear with me. It starts with the van Texel family. Jan Cornelis van Texel was one of the Read more…
Introduction to the publication (2011). ‘God made the world but the Dutch made Holland’ is an old saying referring to the way the Dutch shaped their nation by reclaiming land. It is with this same sense of determination that the Read more…
Updated with newspaper article from 1945 below It is 80 years ago this month that this heroic, but at the same time disastrous Battle took place. By that time the Dutch Allied Forces had already been involved in the war Read more…
Personal report from Paul Budde about his meeting with Ayaan Hirsi. Written in 2007 Her full name is Ayaan Hirsi Ali. She was born in Somalia, in Africa. This is a worn-torn country, which already for many decades doesn’t have Read more…
Convict Trail Chairman and instigator Paul Budde received one of the inaugural Heritage Volunteer Awards – on 28 August 2002 from the Deputy Premier, the Hon Dr Andrew Refshauge, at a special ceremony in the NSW State Library. Paul moved Read more…
Persoonlijk verslag van Paul Budde mbt zijn deelname aan het bezoek van Kroonprins Willem Alexander en Prinses Maxima aan Australia In mijn geval zijn er weken van voorbereidingen aan voorafgegaan met allerlei telefoontjes van en naar de Nederlandse ambassade maar Read more…
Press release Prime Minister Bob Hawke 27 September 1988 (historic) Her Majesty Queen Beatrix and His Royal Highness Prince Claus of the Netherlands will make an official visit to Australia from Monday October 24 to Saturday November 5. It will Read more…
My parents and 6 mt old brother arrived on the MS Fairsea, 2 April 1952 Jennifer remembers going to the Catholic Church at Wacol. Father Nouwens was the priest. He buried my 11 yr old brother Louie van den Elsen Read more…
by Doug Hurst – 2001 The Fourth Ally tells of the Dutch forces who fought from Australia against the Japanese during WW II. Driven by the Japanese from Indonesia (then the Netherlands East Indies), they relocated ships, aircraft and personnel Read more…
Early in Roger Bell’s book Unequal Allies,he states: ”Relations between the governments of Australia and the United States underwent fundamental changes during 1941-46…Indeed it was not characterized by general bilateral accord on political, defence and economic matters during war time.” Read more…