Dutch buy ex-Australian vehicles

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Mike Kelly

A convoluted saga.

Indeed, the Dutch were scrounging the world market for equipment as more and more governments condemned the Dutch reluctance to stop the war on Indonesia's independence. It is interesting to see how they were able to trade with commercial companies and set up deals like the one above.

While arms deals were scrutinized, manufacturers could get export permits for regular/civilian vehicles. The Dutch authorities were not worried about details like gloss or matt paint, LHD or RHD. Many vehicles were ex-Canadian and British Army with RHD, and the drving in Indonesia was on the left anyway.

Attached are some pictures of more Ford/Marmon-Herrington 6x6 F-series trucks and Willys Civilian Jeeps. Seems the only military thing about them are their registration numbers and markings, they were used in action with gloss paint and shiny chrome as there were no resources to repaint them.

144642113_4011086452258433_7755981095590753764_n.jpg 143738185_4011084742258604_7504708152953606009_n_Ford F6-Marmon Herrington trucks.jpg 189074511_4331665060200569_7599827751171486282_n.jpg

[Mike K]

The Dutch soldiers pictured were mostly conscripts ? I believe some younger Dutch males emigrated rather than be conscripted into the armed services .

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Mike Kelly

The Dutch soldiers pictured were mostly conscripts ? I believe some younger Dutch males emigrated rather than be conscripted into the armed services .

Yes, the majority were. I once met a veteran of the Dutch Prinses Irene Brigade, he joined as a volunteer after the South of the Netherlands was liberated in '44. He was 17 years old at that time.
After the war, he was drafted for military duty as in the meantime he had turned 18. He reckoned he had done his bit in '44-'45 but that did not count they said, he had to serve for his official conscript period in Indonesia.

[Ian Fawbert]

In adding to this post, and slightly related but sideways from Mike Cecil's post about the Royal NEI Army, there are LOTS of entries for disposal of Australian vehicles in the AWM ledgers citing the purchaser/disposal line being the RNEIA.

Cheers,
Ian.

[Mike Cecil]

Not sideways, Ian, a relevant expansion and also supports Hanno's comments about the Dutch scrounging the world market for equipment. Where better than right next door (so to speak) in Australia? Not only arranging to have new-build trucks from Ford Australia, but any second-hand all wheel drive vehicles no longer required by the Australian Army. I wonder if these were a special 'govt to govt' deal outside the normal CDC disposal channel? It would seem so, otherwise the relevant dealership of the manufacturer (Ford or Willys) would have snapped them up for re-sale to RNEIA, rather than them appearing in the registers as a direct disposal to RNEIA. It's an aspect I've not delved into much beyond the CDC guidelines. Do you have any thoughts on this?

Mike

[David Dunlop]

Interesting reading, Mike.

There probably isn’t a federal government anywhere in the world that has not used, or is still using, a private company to launder surplus military goods to politically incorrect destinations. I have heard rumours for years that the Levy’s operation in Ontario was frequently used as a conduit by the Canadian Government for such purposes.

David

[David Dunlop]

Hanno.

Out of curiosity, what sort of sense do you have of the general feeling of the average Dutch citizen after the war, with regards to Indonesia? Would they have been quite happen with an independent Indonesia?

It seems so odd that Britain, France and Holland, from a political perspective after the war, were all so hell bent on reestablishing their concept of colonialism in Southeast Asia. It was such a costly mistake for all of them.


David