DUTCH IN THE PACIFIC.

Evening Star, Issue 24916, 14 July 1943, Page 2

DUTCH IN THE PACIFIC.

Very little is heard of what the Dutch are doing in the East, but on the Australian mainland, as on the seas and in the skies. Dutch sailors, airmen, and soldiers are doing their duty with unobtrusive devotion, as defiant of-danger and tyranny and as unshaken by disaster as ever were their forbears. A Dutch air squadron, complete with ground staff, is stationed off Darwin, and its Mitchell bombers havo been active in raiding operations. This might have been expected. Before the war the Dutch civil and defence authorities had given much attention to aviation, for that area of the world is particularly suitable for flying, and every part of the Dutch possessions there was served and patrolled by aircraft. The result was that a fine force of pilots was available when the call for their services under war conditions came. In the military sphere there are in Australia at the present time certain Indonesian units of the Netherlands East Indios army, which reached the Commonwealth after resisting the Japanese in Timor and Western Dutch. New Guinea and the island groups in the Arafura Sea. These, men are now undergoing special training, for it is obvious that they will Ibe of the greatest value as guides and interpreters and in other specialised jobs for military operations in the Indies. In the sphere of shipping the Dutch contribution, is possibly the most valuable of all. The K.P.M. and other companies trading in those waters had fleets of ships in regular commission, and most of these were able to evade the Japanese after they entered the war. Dutch warships are serving under Vice-Admiral Calender's command in the South-west Pacific and under Admiral Somerville's command in the Indian Ocean. They are carrying supplies between Australia and New- Caledonia, between Australia and the United States, and in the waters around the Solomons. Because of the nature of their operations the Dutch are able to give help that is invaluable in the present circumstances. One 1 important phase of their work is the task of garnering intelligence from areas uuder Japanese control and.in providing expert detailed knowledge of the terrain of the Indies. In this way the Dutch perform a valuable service in helping the Allied High Command to follow the plans of the enemy and anticipate his movements. The Dutch authorities in their control " of the Netherlands East Indies followed a wise and humane policy. Tliey realise that there will he big changes after the war. Queen Wilhelmina has already given a lead by announcing plans .for a future commonwealth in which Dutch and Indonesians will have equal rights with the assurance that these plans will be"put.into effect as soon as is feasible.