KNIL:Dutch East Indies 1941/42

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Fatboy Coxy
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Re: KNIL:Dutch East Indies 1941/42

#16

Post by Fatboy Coxy » 09 Aug 2009, 18:30

Re KNIL Commando unit

I have this little bit from

The London Gazette of friday, the 20th Feburary, 1948
OPERATIONS OF MALAYA COMMAND, FROM 5TH DECEMBER, 1941 TO I5TH FEBRUARY, 1942.
Lt Gen Percival
333. On the I4th and I5th January the detachment of Dutch Marechaussees (See Section XXXI) reached Singapore by air from the Netherlands East Indies. This detachment, the strength of which was about 80 all told, consisted of native troops from the N.E.I, with European officers. They were specially trained in jungle guerilla warfare. Their despatch to
Malaya provided another proof of the ready cooperation of our Dutch Allies in this Far Eastern war.
After arrival the Marechausses concentrated in the Labis area of North Johore and, after the Japanese advance, operated against their communications in that district. During the latter half of January they had considerable success killing a number of Japanese and doing material damage. Later, however, they experienced difficulties from lack of food and
from the unreliability of some elements of the local population. Rather more than half the detachment eventually made its way to Sumatra.
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David Reasoner
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Re: KNIL:Dutch East Indies 1941/42

#17

Post by David Reasoner » 09 Aug 2009, 20:03

In addition to the Groep of Glenn Martin bombers operating from Singapore, the ML-KNIL also deployed an afdeling of Buffalo fighters from 2-VlG-IV to Singapore under Kapt. van Helsdingen. 1-VlG-IV, equipped with Curtiss Hawk 75A, also flew missions in support of British operations in Malaya from airfields in Sumatra. The MLD (Dutch Naval Air Service) also loaned Catalinas from their reserve aircraft stocks to 205 Squadron at Seletar, which allowed the evacuation of the obsolescent Short Singapore III flying boats of the RNZAF flying boat flight. The Singapore III's were then flown out to Fiji.

A note about the "Colonial Dutch Army 1939" video footage on Youtube. The appearance of things like Overvalwagen armored personnel carriers and Brewster Buffalo fighters in the footage clearly dates it somewhat later than the 1939 title would suggest. The footage was almost certainly shot between December 1941 and February 1942. Indeed, in one of the four original video segments available for viewing on Youtube (the "Colonial Dutch Army 1939" video was evidently later spliced together from portions of these four segments), a CMP truck laden with British or Australian troops can clearly be seen waiting at a level crossing for a tramcar to pass. :D

David


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Peter H
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Re: KNIL:Dutch East Indies 1941/42

#18

Post by Peter H » 10 Aug 2009, 07:52

Thanks for that gents.Hard to get information on the Dutch assistance in Malaya.

From the same website as linked before,pilots of the ML-KNIL
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Neth ... _Air_Force
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Re: KNIL:Dutch East Indies 1941/42

#19

Post by Peter H » 10 Aug 2009, 07:59

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Peter H
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Re: KNIL:Dutch East Indies 1941/42

#20

Post by Peter H » 10 Aug 2009, 08:05

From flickr,Nationaal Archief

KNIL troepen in training,Netherlands 1939.
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Peter H
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Re: KNIL:Dutch East Indies 1941/42

#21

Post by Peter H » 10 Aug 2009, 08:08

Same source.

Dutch officer with native troops.
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Peter H
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Re: KNIL:Dutch East Indies 1941/42

#22

Post by Peter H » 10 Aug 2009, 08:14

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Peter H
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Re: KNIL:Dutch East Indies 1941/42

#23

Post by Peter H » 10 Aug 2009, 08:21

From: http://www.engelfriet.net/Alie/Hans/knil.htm

Native troops visit the Netherlands
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Graeme Sydney
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Re: KNIL:Dutch East Indies 1941/42

#24

Post by Graeme Sydney » 12 Aug 2009, 01:34

Great publicity shot; A.K.A. 'mortar bomb reception committee' or a gift for an ambushing enfilading MG :roll: :lol: .

I hope this wasn't representative of Dutch tactics or training 8O .

Image

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Re: KNIL:Dutch East Indies 1941/42

#25

Post by Fatboy Coxy » 12 Aug 2009, 17:58

Apart from the humerous side of the photo, they look to have sabres as well as rifles, or are my eyes that bad?
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David Reasoner
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Re: KNIL:Dutch East Indies 1941/42

#26

Post by David Reasoner » 12 Aug 2009, 18:50

Fatboy Coxy wrote:Apart from the humorous side of the photo, they look to have sabres as well as rifles, or are my eyes that bad?
Coxy, although KNIL officers were issued swords, I think those are most likely bayonets. The bayonet for the M1895 carbine was 607mm in length!

http://home.kpn.nl/muets005/m1895_carbine.htm

Even the shorter model used by the KNIL artillery carbine was still a respectable 337mm long:

http://home.kpn.nl/muets005/m1895_knil_artillery.htm

David

Edit: Hmmm.... after magnifying parts of that last photo, the blades do appear curved and seem to have sabre-style points.

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Re: KNIL:Dutch East Indies 1941/42

#27

Post by David Reasoner » 12 Aug 2009, 19:07

Good eye, Coxy! I didn't realize the KNIL was still ordering large quantities of klewang sabres for close combat even after the fall of the Netherlands.

"The klewang is a famous – some would say infamous – sword know by every Dutchman with only a basic interest in colonial history. It was originally developed for use by anti-guerilla units in the region of Aceh on Sumatra in the former Netherlands East Indies. These units started to use klewangs in 1898, soon followed by the army in the colonies and in the mother country, the navy and the police. The Navy and the Royal Netherlands Military Constabulary Corps or ‘Marechaussee’ wear it to this day. Nearly 50,000 klewangs were produced in the United States during the 1940s and substantial numbers of the weapon ended up in private collections, many of them in the Netherlands. Because of this international aspect of the klewang and the fact that it has been in use for more than a hundred years the Netherlands Army Museum in Delft has puyblished this bilingual catalogue of the 140 klewangs in its collection."

http://www.dutchfleet.net/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=8493

So what we are seeing is a photo of a unit practicing klewang drill.

David

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Re: KNIL:Dutch East Indies 1941/42

#28

Post by Fatboy Coxy » 13 Aug 2009, 21:41

Looking on the web, it seems to be a cross between a Cutlass and a Machete. Was it used only for fighting? because it would be a big help cutting through jungle!
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Peter H
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Re: KNIL:Dutch East Indies 1941/42

#29

Post by Peter H » 14 Aug 2009, 07:24

Christian Ambonese also played a vital role in the KNIL,said here to be given equal rates of pay as the Europeans:

http://books.google.com.au/books?id=ehC ... rs&f=false

Termed the "Black Dutchmen" as well:
http://www.geocities.com/ambon67/noframe/gja2k_1.htm

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Re: KNIL:Dutch East Indies 1941/42

#30

Post by Fatboy Coxy » 18 Aug 2009, 08:59

P388: Book notes - Dutch Commando’s, 21st Jan 42, at Labis, a Dutch Commando was sent behind enemy lines to harass communications; it consisted of 3 Dutch officers (Capt in command), 8 engineers, 80 Native troops and 40 Native convicts used as porters.

Singapore: The Pregnable Fortress – Peter Elphick
A little bit more info on the Dutch Marechaussees .
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