The Netherlands and Australia

Image. Pen.

The Netherlands has always been a friend to Australia. Dutch people helped Australia in conflicts during World War II and Australia has welcomed many Dutch people as immigrants, enabling them to start a new life in our 'land down under' - Australia.

Following are two fictional letters, one written by a Dutch soldier who was in Australia helping our troops during World War II and the other by a young Dutch immigrant shortly after she arrived in Australia.

The letters have been designed to give you some insight into how the authors of the letters were feeling at the time.

March 1942

Dear Mam en Pap, (Mum and Dad)

I am writing to tell you that the Japanese have invaded and taken the Dutch East Indies. We were no longer safe there so we have had to be quickly evacuated. Some of my friends have been moved to Ceylon, but I have been sent to Australia. I am glad to be in Australia because I know the Australians are our friends.

We arrived here a week ago and things were not very good at first. Our evacuation was very sudden and no one was prepared for it. There were not enough supplies or accommodation and I began to wish I was back at home.

But this is the war and you have to expect things like that. It wasn't long before things were better organised.

All our naval ships docked in the harbour at Fremantle, which is near Perth in Western Australia. We have been placed under the command of the Royal Australian Navy and will help them to protect other ships and evacuate and treat any wounded servicemen and women.

You don't have to worry Mum; the Australians and Dutch are working well together and everyone is being very kind to us.

I am once more on the naval ship Heemskerck. Some of the Aussies have been joking around and calling it the AIF. I thought it stood for 'Australian Imperial Force' but I just found out that it stands for 'Always in Fremantle'! I suppose that's because we mainly stay in port as we are part of the city's air defences.

The Australians are really friendly and I have enough time off to catch up with some of the fellows. We often go to the cinemas. They have special seats there reserved just for us servicemen and most of the time we are able to see the movies at cheaper rates. I have also been doing a fair bit of swimming - the beaches here are great.

On one of our free days we visited an island off the coast where there were some really funny little furry animals called quokkas. Guess what, the island was first discovered by the Dutch explorer, Willem de Vlamingh! He called it 'rotte-nest' because he thought that the quokkas were rats. The people here spell it Rottnest though - perhaps that is more Australian.

Don't worry too much about me Mum and Dad! We are all wishing this war would be over and everyone is doing all they can to make that happen. Give my love to Oma and Opa. (Grandma and Grandpa)

Your son,

Dear Leah,

How are you? I really miss you. When are you and your family going to be able to join us here in Australia? I have heard that there is still a big shortage of passenger ships to Australia and you might have to wait several more months.

Our journey to Australia was long and quite difficult. It took five weeks and at times it was really rough and I felt very seasick. We had to sleep on hard bunks and there was hardly anything to do except talk to the other passengers. I have heard that there will soon be more aeroplanes flying to Australia. I think that would be a much better way to get here!

As soon as we arrived, we were met by Father Maas. He helped us and many of the other Dutch families to find somewhere to stay. The church community is also advising my father how to set up our new farm and helping us all to learn English. I feel sorry for the Dutch people who don't belong to a church group because they have to make a new start all on their own. If they are lucky they will be given a place to stay in the Australian Government's reception camps.

We will not be able to get a new house for a long time. There is a housing shortage here at the moment because there are not enough builders to put them up quickly enough. Also, we have no money, because, as you know, we were not allowed to bring our savings here. I suppose it's for the best - if all the people moving here tried to take their money out of the banks in the Netherlands, the banks would all collapse.

I have met a new friend here. Her name is Beatrix and she is from The Hague. Her family has to stay in the old army barracks and she doesn't like it very much. She says that they have inspections all the time - just as if they were really in the army. She says the walls are really thin and there are no ceilings, so that you have no privacy from the other families around you. They all have their meals in a big kitchen and her Dad eats with the other men, not with her family. She says they get enough food but that she really misses the food she used to have back in the Netherlands.

I can't wait until you arrive. Beatrix is looking forward to meeting you as well.

Your friend

Following are some quotes from Dutch immigrants who have decided to make Australia their new home.

"I first came to Australia with my husband and my two little girls in 1948. It was very hard to leave our families behind. My parents could not understand why we wanted to go to a country that was so far away. We had to make our own lives though and we had been told that there were more opportunities in Australia. I think that my mother was a bit cross with my husband for taking her daughter and grandchildren away!"

Frederika

"It was a bit of a shock when we first arrived in Australia in 1952. We were sent to Bonegilla, the old army camp. The huts looked like chicken sheds, with holes in the walls, and the food was terrible. It was bitterly cold and there was no heating."

Joris

"There were nine children in our family and we all had to share one room at the camp. It was very crowded. Christmas was fun though. Father Christmas came on a wooden horse on a trailer. He climbed down a ladder and gave us all ice-creams, bananas and sweets. We did not have bananas in the Netherlands during the war so we did not realise that we had to peel them!"

Henk

"In the Netherlands we were sharing an apartment with my parents, so I was looking forward to having a house of our own. Our house in Australia is gezellig (cosy) and I feel very proud when my friends and family visit. My husband and I are doctors and we are pleased to be able to help this country because it has been very good to us"

Annemiek

"We have made a very happy life in Australia. We have a lovely farm just outside Canberra and my husband is the Captain of the local brigade of the Rural Fire Service. Our children have good jobs and we are very proud of them all. Our grandchildren often seem more Australian than Dutch. They are even going to support the Socceroos in the World Cup!"

Henny

"I am the fifth generation of flower growers in my family. Our nursery in Den Haag was bought by the local government, so my family and I moved to Perth in 1983. We built our first glasshouse straight away and now have a business that employs about 80 staff and grows all sorts of flowers, including tulips. When my son takes over the business he will be our sixth generation of horticulturists."

Rene

"I was born in Delft on 1 September 1856, and spent my early life travelling around the world working on large engineering and mining projects. In June 1898, I came to Australia with my wife Henrietta and my children. I worked for the mining company BHP and am respected for developing the flotation process of sulphide ore separation. My youngest daughter, Francisca Adriana ('Paquita') married the famous Antarctic explorer, Sir Douglas Mawson."

Guillaume Daniel Delprat

Some of these quotations were adapted from interviews with immigrants to Australia included in the book, 'The Dutch Down Under 1606-2006', edited by Nonja Peters and published by Wolters Kluwer.