[nuyt]

Thanks Hanno,

There were also some US forces stationed in Surinam. I have no details, but they must have been engineers (to build an airbase) and airforce (to operate it). Allegedly some unit was Puertorican, don't know which one. Interesting to know what stuff these units had brought (and may have left behind). The US forces already entered Surinam in 1941 (under a, let's say, "unclear" political arrangement with the Dutch govt in exile). They came before the US entered WW2, to make sure the bauxite was safe and to send a message to neighbouring French Guyana (at that moment loyal to Vichy) as well as authoritarian Brazil, of which the international orientation was a bit misty at the beginning of the war. The commanding US colonel was bluffed into submission by the Dutch governor Kielstra, though, and the arrival of US forces went smoothly.

Your theory about the MH tanks shipped to Indonesia makes sense: there were several MH mg tanks that survived the war and it is more likely that these were pictured. On the other hand, there is no definite proof that the gun tanks did arrive in Java?

Building up a large force in Surinam had not only to do with guarding bauxite, though. These were the only citizens left to the Dutch govt from which to recruit (apart from Dutch emigrants and expats).
It was intended to train and ship a battalion to the Far East to participate in the war against Japan, and troops were envisaged for the liberation of Holland as well.
In the end a small battalion was sent to Australia to be incorporated in the Dutch Indies forces in that country. Also Surinamese served in the Dutch merchant fleet as gunners and a Women's unit was stationed in London.

Nuyt