Dutch forces in the Pacific.

The KNIL Army Bofors 75mm Model 1934 howitzer is ready for action in the Dutch East Indies during 1941. The Japanese Army overwhelmed this colony during early 1942 and took over many of these howitzers for their own local use until the end of the war. The fall of Ambon

 

KE7 in KNIL service

 

JC, my language skills are a bit rusty but is that clipping you posted a recruitment ad? I think it is. The pics you posted were good (as usual) but I really enjoyed seeing that clipping.

 

Thanks and yes it is Falcon. Perhaps one of our Dutch members can translate for us.

 

I'm Dutch, so I can translate the recruitment ad. Line by line it spells:

This can be accomplished

An honourable existence, a good pay.

The Royal Dutch Indies Army offers it.

** Then the section with the pay **

Pay from 1st of January 1938 onwards:

Soldier 2nd class from 0.75 to 1 guilders per day
Soldier 1st class from 0.85 to 1.55 guilders per day
Brigadier (corporal) from 1.15 to 1.85 guilders per day

Sergeant from 185 to 290 guilders per month
Sergeant-major from 190 to 330 guilders per month
Adjudant from 200 to 375 guilders per month
Luitenant from 220 to 500 guilders per month

This means that the youngest soldier in the Indies receives an allowance of 5.25 per week. Food, clothing, medicin and medical care are free. Junior officers only have medicins and medical care free (also for their families).

Judge these benefits for yourself.

The Royal Dutch Indies Army can always use strong, careful young men in the age of 18 to 30 (not married).

For more information about enlisting in the INFANTRY, CAVALRY, ARTILLERY, ENGINEERS and MEDICS you can go to the COMMANDER of the COLONIAL RESERVE in Nijmegen.

 

Thank you very much for taking your time to translate this for us. It's a very nice gesture for a first post. If you wish you may go to the new member section and introduce yourself there, maybe you"ll get hooked to this fine forum!

 

Thanks tjalinho!

I concur, that is a great first post! Thanks!!

 

Thanks too for the translation

 

KNIL Air Force
KNIL Air Force WWII Photographs and Images

 

As the author of the piece you are quoting, I just wanted to update your web address. It is now <a href="http://www.maxstandridge.net/civhero.htm#h1">Civilian Heroes of the Pacific in World War II</a>


It's currently identical to the one you are quoting. However, I am going to be updating with material on the details of the fate of the Florence D. and the Don Isidoro. The material is from my book The Diplomats, Dad and Me: The Blurring of the Lines in Life.

Thanks again for your interest.

Sincerely, (and with best wishes for happy holidays and Merry Christmas!),
Max Standridge
December 21, 2010

 

Just finished a book called the “Persimmon Tree". Not a bad read, a story about WWII and the S.P. quite a bit of it takes place on Java.

One thing I noticed when I travelled through Indonesia was the lack of any Dutch heritage. I guess they were not very well thought of as colonial masters.

KTK

 

This great information. Thank you! Geweldig!

 

Yes. It's true, unfortunately. The colonial era was definitely at an end. The Japanese had shown that the white man could beaten - but not for long. What infrastructure there was in Indonesia was there thanks to the Dutch. My brother went back to Indonesia to my Mother's Catholic boarding school and found some very old Indonesian nuns who spoke Dutch and who recalled the pre-war days with him. It was like looking through a spyglass to a nearly disappeared past. The Dutch imprint is mostly gone.

 

I have some data on a KNIL Infantry Company from 1941/42

Company Headquarters (1 x Captain as Company Commander).

HeadquartersSection
1 x Company Sergeant Major (Administration)
1 x Sergeant
2 x Telephone Operators
2 x Orderlies on bicycles
3 x Buglers
6 x Antitank Gunners
2 x Antitank Guns (20mm Solothurn)

CompanyTrains Section
1 x Supply Sergeant (Fourier)
7 x Drivers
1 x Two-Horse Cart (Ammunition)
1 x Two-Horse Cart (Kitchen)
1 x Two-Horse Cart (Water Filter)
1 x Horse (reserve)

3 Rifle Platoons, each with
1 x Lieutenant


Mortar Section:
1 x Sergeant
3 x Mortar Gunners
6 x Ammo Handlers
1 x mortar (47mm Stokes-Brandt)

3 x Rifle Squads, each with
1 x Sergeant
Rifle Team
1 x Corporal
7 x Riflemen


MG Team
1 x Sergeant
7 x Men
1 x Light Machine Gun (M.1915 Madsen)

Regards Yan.