Royal Netherlands East Indies Army

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Royal Netherlands East Indies Army
Koninklijk Nederlands Indisch Leger
Royal Netherlands East Indies Army coat of arms
Active14 September 1814–26 July 1950
CountriesDutch East Indies
AllegianceNetherlands
TypeArmy
HeadquartersBandung, Dutch East Indies
Nickname(s)KNIL
EngagementsFirst expedition to Palembang 1819
Java War 1825–1830
Padri War 1821–1837
Expeditions to Bali 1846–1849
Expedition to the western section of Borneo 1850–1854
Palembang Highlands Expeditions 1851–1859
Banjarmasin War 1859-1867
Second Bone War 1859–1860
Dutch intervention in Lombok and Karangasem 1894
Kerinci Expedition 1903
Aceh War 1873–1904
World War II
Commander
See list
Notable
commanders		Hein ter Poorten
Simon Spoor
Aircraft flown
Army Air Force

The Royal Netherlands East Indies Army (

colony of the Dutch East Indies, in areas that are now part of Indonesia. The KNIL's air arm was the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force. Elements of the Royal Netherlands Navy and Government Navy
were also stationed in the Netherlands East Indies.

History

1814–1942

The KNIL was formed by royal decree on 14 September 1814.

Netherlands East Indies. Its establishment coincided with the Dutch drive to expand colonial rule from the 17th century area of control to the far larger territories constituting the Dutch East Indies seventy years later.[2][failed verification
]

The KNIL was involved in many campaigns against indigenous groups in the area including the

Sasak people.[4] Bali was finally taken under full control with the Dutch intervention in Bali (1906) and the final Dutch intervention in Bali (1908).[4]

In the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the KNIL resumed the conquest of the Indonesian archipelago. After 1904 the Netherlands East Indies were considered pacified, with no large-scale armed opposition to Dutch rule until World War II, and the KNIL served a mainly defensive role protecting the Dutch East Indies from the possibility of foreign invasion.

Once the archipelago was considered pacified the KNIL was mainly involved with military policing tasks. To ensure a sizeable European military segment in the KNIL and reduce costly recruitment in Europe, the colonial government introduced obligatory military service for all resident male conscripts in the European legal class in 1917.[5] In 1922 a supplemental legal enactment introduced the creation of the Home Guard (Dutch: Landstorm) for European conscripts older than 32.[6]

World War II

Poster for recruitment for the KNIL. 1938
Home Guard poster (1941)

Dutch forces in the Netherlands East Indies were severely weakened by the

Royal Netherlands East Indies Air Force; ML-KNIL)[7] numbered 389 planes of all types, but was largely outclassed by superior Japanese planes. The Royal Netherlands Navy Air Service, or MLD, also had significant forces in the NEI.[8]

During the

POWs
. 25% of the POWs did not survive their internment.

A handful of soldiers, mostly indigenous personnel, mounted guerrilla campaigns against the Japanese. These were usually unknown to, and unassisted by, the Allies until the end of the war.

During early 1942, some KNIL personnel escaped to Australia. Some indigenous personnel were interned in Australia under suspicion of sympathies with the Japanese. The remainder began a long process of re-grouping. In late 1942, a failed attempt to land in East Timor, to reinforce Australian commandos waging a guerrilla campaign ended with the loss of 60 Dutch personnel.

Four "Netherlands East Indies" squadrons (the RAAF-NEI squadrons) were formed from ML-KNIL personnel, under the auspices of the Royal Australian Air Force, with Australian ground staff.

KNIL infantry forces (much like their

Dutch West Indies. During 1944–45, some small units saw action in the New Guinea campaign and Borneo campaign
.

Just south of Casino, New South Wales, a camp was established in 1942 for a KNIL Technical Battalion. Upon the declaration of the Indonesian Republic, the Dutch soldiers in that battalion interned and imprisoned 500 of their Indonesian native comrades within the camp. Harsh treatment and penalties were issued out by the Dutch on any independence seeking soldiers. This led to the deaths of two KNIL native soldiers; one was a possible suicide and the other was a protest leader. This brought about condemnation from Australian locals, who forced the Australian authorities to repatriate all the imprisoned soldiers, despite being reluctant to heed earlier requests for assistance.[10]

1945–1950

Following World War II, the KNIL was used in

Republic of the United States of Indonesia.[12]

The KNIL was disbanded by 26 July 1950 with its indigenous personnel being given the option of demobilising or joining the newly formed

Royal Dutch Armed Forces and serving in Papua or Suriname. Some of them were involved in the Dutch contingent in Korean War (1950–1953).[14]

Recruiting

Recruitement poster – Versterkt onze gelederen! (1944)

During its formation, it was stated that the KNIL would include both European and indigenous soldiers. In the beginning the KNIL was equally divided, which meant that half the army consisted of European soldiers, while the other half was made up of indigenous soldiers.

Ashanti (Ivory Coast and Ghana) were recruited in limited numbers for service in the East Indies (see Belanda Hitam).[19] The ratio of foreign and indigenous troops to those of Dutch origin was reported to be 60% to 40%. After the Aceh War, the enlistment of non-Dutch European troops ceased and the KNIL came to consist of Dutch regulars recruited in the Netherlands itself, Indonesians, Indos
(Eurasians), and Dutch colonists living in the East Indies and undertaking their military service.

In 1884 personnel strength was numbered at 13,492 European, 14,982 Indonesian, 96 African (though some sources put the number of Africans much higher [20]) and at least 1,666 Eurasian recruits. The officer corps was wholly European and was probably close to 1,300. There were also about 1,300 horses.[21] Recruitment was carried out in the Netherlands and Indonesia, with over 1,000 Dutch subjects and 500 foreigners enlisting annually. The foreign troops consisted of Flemish, German, Swiss, and French volunteers. Walloons, Arabs, and nationals of both the United Kingdom and United States were forbidden from serving. Other foreigners who could not prove fluency in either Dutch or German were also not accepted for service.[21]

It was against the law to send Dutch conscripts from the Netherlands to the East Indies but Dutch volunteers continued to enlist for colonial service in the KNIL. In 1890 a

POW
camps.

During the

Republic of Indonesia's military throughout 1950.[12]

  • Isaac Israëls, Het transport der kolonialen (Transport of the Colonial Soldiers), showing recruits for the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army marching through Rotterdam to their transport to the Dutch East Indies[24]
    Isaac Israëls, Het transport der kolonialen (Transport of the Colonial Soldiers), showing recruits for the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army marching through Rotterdam to their transport to the Dutch East Indies[24]
  • Cavalry of the Royal Dutch East Indies Army in 1906 during the Dutch intervention in Bali (1906)
    Cavalry of the Royal Dutch East Indies Army in 1906 during the Dutch intervention in Bali (1906)
  • Paratroopers are being prepared for an action (1948)
    Paratroopers are being prepared for an action (1948)
  • Decorated indigenous KNIL soldiers, 1927
    Decorated indigenous KNIL soldiers, 1927
  • Indigenous KNIL troops, 1938
    Indigenous KNIL troops, 1938
  • The Vickers light amphibious tank was used by Dutch forces in the East Indies.
    The Vickers light amphibious tank was used by Dutch forces in the East Indies.

Ranks

Officers
Rank group General / flag officers Senior officers Junior officers Officer cadet
Royal Netherlands East Indies Army
(1942–1950)
Generaal[25] Luitenant-generaal Generaal-majoor[26] Kolonel[26][27] Luitenant-kolonel Majoor Kapitein[28] 1e Luitenant[29][30] 2e Luitenant[31]
Others
Rank group Senior NCOs Junior NCOs Enlisted
Royal Netherlands East Indies Army
(1942–1950)
Onderluitenant Adjudant Sergeant majoor Sergeant[32] Sergeant der 2e Klass[27] Korporaal 1e Soldaat Soldaat

Commanders

See also

Notes

  1. ^ The complicated story of the disbanding of the KNIL is set out briefly here. For a more extended analysis see Manuhutu (1987); Steylen (1996: 33–63); van Amersfoort (1982: 101–108). The psychological impact of the dissolution of the KNIL on the Ambonese servicemen is described in Wittermans (1991).
  2. ^ Javanese was always the largest indigenous element of the colonial army.[22]
  3. ^ The KNIL statistics of 1939 show at least 13,500 Javanese and Sundanese under arms compared to 4,000 Ambonese soldiers.[23]

References

Citations
  1. ^ "26 juli 1950 – opheffing KNIL". Stichting Vrienden Van Bronbeek. 26 July 2017. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  2. ^ "The Royal Netherlands Indies Army". netherlands-australia2006.com. Archived from the original on 16 February 2009. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  3. ^ Ibrahim, Alfian. "Aceh and the Perang Sabil." Indonesian Heritage: Early Modern History. Vol. 3, ed. Anthony Reid, Sian Jay and T. Durairajoo. Singapore: Editions Didier Millet, 2001. pp. 132–133
  4. ^ a b Vickers 2005, pp. 10–11.
  5. ^ Willems 1994, pp. 32–33.
  6. ^ Willems 1994, pp. 32–36.
  7. ^ Broshot, James (1999–2000). "Dutch Air Force Order of Battle in the Dutch East Indies, 30 November 1941". Dutch East Indies Campaign website.
  8. ISBN 0-85613-296-9
  9. ^ Klemen, L (1999–2000). "Dutch East Indies 1941–1942". Dutch East Indies Campaign website.
  10. ^ Gapps, Stephen (4 November 2015). "When the Indonesian revolution came to an Australian country town". Australian National Maritime Museum.
  11. ISBN 0-7195-5589-2
  12. ^ a b c d Kahin 1952, p. 452.
  13. ^ "Video footage showing the official ceremony disbanding the KNIL".
  14. ISBN 0-333-17236-1
  15. ^ Moor, J.A. de, 'Met klewang en karabijn: militaire geschiedenis van Nederlands-Indië (1815–1949)' in: J. R. Bruin en C.B. Wels ed., Met man en macht. Een militaire geschiedenis van Nederland 1550–2000 (Amsterdam 2003) 199–244, p. 201
  16. ^ Zwitser, H.L. and C.A. Heshusius, Het koninklijk Nederlands-Indisch leger 1830–1950 (The Hague 1977) p. 12
  17. ISBN 0-253-31191-8
  18. ^ Vickers 2005, p. 13.
  19. JSTOR 41406723
    .
  20. ^ "Black Face, White Heart: African recruits in the Dutch East Indies army", Radio Netherlands Archives, September 6, 2002
  21. ^
    ISBN 9781104382513
    . pp 162–167.
  22. ISBN 0810849356
    , p. 221
  23. ^ Netherlands Ministry of Defense Archived 1 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine.
  24. ^ "Transport of colonial soldiers – Isaac Israels – Google Arts & Culture".
  25. ^ "Portretfoto van generaal KNIL P. Scholten". NIMH Beeldbank (in Dutch). 1947. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  26. ^ a b "Aanbieding van het gedenkboek van de T-Brigade "Tussen sawahs en bergen" door de commandant van de Brigade, kolonel D.R.A. van Langen, aan de commandant B-Divisie, generaal-majoor J.K. Meyer". NIMH Beeldbank (in Dutch). 1948. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  27. ^ a b "Aanbieding van het gedenkboek van de T-Brigade "Tussen sawahs en bergen" door de commandant van de Brigade, kolonel D.R.A. van Langen". NIMH Beeldbank (in Dutch). 1948. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  28. ^ "Kapitein-vlieger M. van Haselen, ML-KNIL". NIMH Beeldbank (in Dutch). 1939. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  29. ^ "Guillaume, E.W." NIMH Beeldbank (in Dutch). 1939. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  30. ^ "Netherlands East Indies Air Force". Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  31. ^ "Blommenstein, E.J. van, tweede luitenant-leerling-vlieger". NIMH Beeldbank (in Dutch). 1939. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  32. ^ "Nederlands personeel in opleiding in Camp Darley. Twee Nederlandse instructeurs, toegevoegd aan het KNIL: Sergeants Zeelen (rechts) en Willemse (links), beide van Bandoeng, Java". NIMH Beeldbank (in Dutch). Retrieved 18 March 2021.
Bibliography

Further reading

External links

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