Dutch army in Asia, KNIL (NEI)

[tomdekruijff]

My father was there during WW 2.
I have a couple of photo's of him ,first as a Infantry grunt ,later he joint
the "armour" corps (gevechtswagens).He died some 34years ago.
Never talked much about his time there and in the prison camps at the Burma rail.
But slowly i'm finding out more about his time there.
There are still old records out there.
The emblem has a mistake in it ,the exhaust is on the wrong side.
It is an orignal but i think they mirrored it somehowe.

cheers, Tom

[wim sikkelbein]

Beste Tom,

Als je meer informatie zoekt is deze site interessant:

overvalwagen.com

Groeten Wim.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Tom,

Thanks for sharing you Dad's pictures with us. Who is he in the 2nd picture: the driver or the commander/gunner sitting on the fender?

As far as I know, the twenty Vickers-Carden-Loyd Model 1936 Light Tanks which arrived in the NEI in time came into action only twice:

1. Three of them were used on Borneo in the defence of Singkawang II airfield on January 27th 1942 are were put out of action in various ways.
2. Seventeen serviceable VCLs were assigned to the KNIL's only tank battalion (Mobiele Eenheid) on Java. On March 2nd, 1942 this unit got involved in some bitter fighting with the Japanese at Soebang. Because of high losses the Mobiele Eenheid did not see action after that, and the NEI capitulated on March 9th.

Do you know if your father was involved in any of these actions?

Regards,
Hanno

[tomdekruijff]

Hallo guy's,

Wim, thanks for the link,i had already visited there.Very good site.
Hanno,he 's in the drivers seat and on the third leaning against the "fender".
He saw action on Java but it's not clear to me if it was in a Vickers or an AC.
The only story a can remember was one about a very large AC with a small machine gun ,that they where not allowed to use because it atrackted air raids.He told they did some hide and seek under the big trees to escape bombs droped by japanees plains.Mayby M.H AC?In his drivers license he had the rank of Eur. Brig.

cheers, Tom

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by tomdekruijff

He saw action on Java but it's not clear to me if it was in a Vickers or an AC.
The only story a can remember was one about a very large AC with a small machine gun ,that they where not allowed to use because it atrackted air raids.He told they did some hide and seek under the big trees to escape bombs droped by japanees plains.Mayby M.H AC?In his drivers license he had the rank of Eur. Brig.

Tom,

A very large AC with a small machine gun? Sounds like an Alvis-Straussler Armoured Car. See http://fletchers.esmartdesign.com/du...traussler.html for their operational history with the KNIL.

Thanks,
Hanno

[tomdekruijff]

Hi Hanno,

I had thought of that but wasn't sure.
I already have alot of photo's and some drawings of the Alvis Straussler.
It may become a scratch build project after i finish my Vickers build.
Thanks for the intrest and responce.

cheers, Tom

[Craig Tanner]

On the armour car photo, above, what are the 2 small doors for? They are the ones that are on the left and right side of the centrally mounted large light?

The photos are wonderful, thanks for sharing them with us.

Craig Tanner
Burton N.B.

[tomdekruijff]

Hi Craig,

Afaik the 2 doors are for cooling purposes,how exactly i don't know.
cheers, Tom