Category Archives: Java Campaign 1942

British Tanks in Java – 1942

Posted on August 8, 2017 by Kingsleyr

Forgotten Heroes of the Malaya – NEI Campaign In December 1941, the Commonwealth forces were driven relentlessly down the Malayan peninsula in a humiliating series of military disasters. Defenceless against swarms of strafing Japanese fighters and harassed by scores of … Continue reading →

Posted in Dutch East Indies, Java Campaign 1942, Malayan Campaign 1941-42, WW2 Pacific | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Find a Fighter, Quick!

Posted on June 17, 2015 by Kingsleyr

The short, unhappy ML-KNIL career of the Curtiss 75A ‘Hawk’   During the uneasy years of ‘peace’ before war broke out in Europe the Air Arm of the Royal Netherlands Indies Army (ML-KNIL) had committed itself  to a defensive strategy … Continue reading →

Posted in Aircraft, Dutch East Indies, Java Campaign 1942, Pacific War, WW2 Pacific | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Dutch Brewster Buffalo Replica

Posted on May 9, 2015 by Kingsleyr

The Dutch National Military Museum was opened on December 11, 2014,by His Majesty  Willem Alexander, King of the Netherlands. Since then the museum has been a resounding success – visitors of all age groups crowd the spacious halls and grounds. The museum … Continue reading →

Posted in Aircraft, Dutch East Indies, Java Campaign 1942, Pacific War, WW2 Pacific | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Escape from Java

Posted on April 21, 2015 by Kingsleyr

March 9, 1942 saw the unconditional surrender of all Dutch and Allied forces fighting in the Dutch East Indies. However, a number of stubborn characters simply refused to accept it was all over. Feeling that there was still a lot of … Continue reading →

Posted in Australia in WW2 and later, Dutch East Indies, Historical Background, Java Campaign 1942, Pacific War, WW2 Pacific | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Dutch Brewster Buffalo – The last fight…

Posted on April 12, 2015 by Kingsleyr

Om March 7, 1942 the four remaining Dutch Brewster Buffaloes took off from Andir (near Bandung) to give air support to the embattled Dutch Army near Lembang. But Capt. van Helsdingen, Lt. Deibel, Sgt. Bruggink and Ensign Scheffers never made … Continue reading →

Posted in Aircraft, Dutch East Indies, Java Campaign 1942, Pacific War, WW2 Pacific | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Brewster Buffalo – fighter or failure?

Posted on April 6, 2015 by Kingsleyr

Air power was the decisive factor during the fierce fight for the Indonesian islands. And the Dutch Air Force was hopelessly outnumbered, especially in the critical area of fighter – interceptors. The neutralist and pacifist view in the homeland prevailed too … Continue reading →

Posted in Aircraft, Dutch East Indies, Indonesia, Java Campaign 1942, Malayan Campaign 1941-42, WW2 Pacific | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment