Dutch_slith
Posts: 330
Joined: 7/21/2005
From: the Netherlands
Status: offline
|
The only units capable of fighting the Japanese, were the Mariniers Brigade, one maybe two KNIL Battalions and of course the 'December 7' Division (available from 1947 onwards). All other units were made up from freed pows and untrained volunteers.
The core of the Mariniers Brigade was made up by marines stripped of the remaining warships of the RNN, and from marine units defending Suriname. The others came - after the german surrender - from pre-war marine units in the Netherlands or were volunteers. This brigade (actually a reinforced regiment) was trained to fight the japs alongside the US Marine Corps. -> USMC TO/E
There was a KNIL Battalion in Australia (actually a half battalion). This unit was made up by KNIL soldiers, who escaped from Java. This unit took part in Operation Oboe (2nd company at Tarakan, 1st at Balikpapan). -> Australian TO/E
The 'December 7' Division was formed/trained in Great Britain. This wasn't a KNIL Divison but a KL (Royal Army) one. -> British TO/E
Overview dutch forces 1945/1946:
1st KNIL Battalion (2 companies) formed 44-11-15.
the other 2 companies were added on 45-08-30 (at Tarakan).
later attached to V-brigade
2nd KNIL Battalion (3 companies) formed on 44-11-15
2 companies at Balikpapan, 1 company at camp Darley/Australia
later attached to U-brigade
Mariniers Brigade formed in 1943, left the United States on 45-09-15.
3 infantry battalions, some engineers (NOT combat engineers). They took tanks, armored cars, AT guns and such with them, but these units weren't operational. An artillery unit was formed later on Java, using 25pdrs from the British/KNIL. All other equipment was US made.
The KL-volunteers (shipped head over heels from europe to asia) and KNIL battalions (pows) were formed after the japanese surrender. These units were not trained to fight the japs, but to maintain peace and order in the NEI (read: to support the british forces on java!). They were organized in brigades in the beginning of 1946.
T-brigade on 46-01-15 at Port Dickson/Malaya (= Tijger Brigade)
U-brigade on 46-01-22 at Soengei Patani/Malaya
V-brigade on 46-01-25 at Ipoh/Malaya
W-brigade on 46-02-15 at Chaah/Malaya
X-brigade on 46-02-23 at Chaah/Malaya
On march/april 1946 they were shipped to Java. A-divisie was made up by Mariniers Brigade and X-brigade at Soerabaja. B-divisie was made up by U-, V- and W-brigade at Batavia. T-brigade was shipped to Semarang.
Medio 1946 a Y-brigade was formed on Bali and shipped to Palembang/Sumatra on 46-10-25. End of october 1946
Z-brigade was formed at Medan. This brigade was made up of 1-1 RI and KNIL Inf IV.
The 'December 7' Division left Great Britain in October 1946 for Java, this division was known as C-divisie (deployed in western Java).
Only 1st KNIL Battalion, maybe 2nd KNIL Battalion and the Mariniers Brigade should be included in AE. All other units were simply not trained to fight the japs or couldn't be trained until at least 1947 (like December 7 Division).
possible Upgrade of KNIL forces in Java 1941/42
There was a so-called 'Brigade plan' to reorganize KNIL forces in Java in 1941/42. All necessary material was ordered and paid in advance. But it didn't reach Java before the japanese attacked. The 5 infantry regiments (1st, 2nd, 4th, 6th and Groep Zuid) should be reformed into brigades. Each brigade had a cavalry (recce) squadron with an attached tank-platoon, a tank battalion with 2 squadrons of light tanks and 1 squadron with medium tanks, 90 tanks in total, obviously 45 of these were reserve, 2 battalions of infantry, one motorized infantry company, one AA/AT battalion with 27-37mm AT guns and 27-20mm AA guns, one motorized artillery battalion, one pioneer company. This should be possible in AE, IF enough units could escape from Java OR if the jap invasion is postponed.
_____________
One last remark regarding the KNIL forces in 1941/42. About 30% of the KNIL forces were made up of europeans (that is europeans and 'indian dutchmen' = half dutch/half indonesian), 2/3rds were natives. MLKNIL and artillery had a higher proportion, infantry and cavalry a lesser. The units on the outer islands (anywhere outside of Java/Madoera) were only used to fight in formations as large as a squad. Troops on Java were so-called 'veldbataljons' = Field Battalions, capable fighting in company/battalion formation. Each Battalion had one european company. Some units did fight well (within the bounds of possibility) when ably lead, some didn't. Sometimes regulars fled in face of the enemy like 10-2 RI, sometimes 2nd-line units completely made up of natives did do all the fighting (like the reservekorps at Menado). But in general the native soldiers deserted when the cause was lost.
One could say KNIL lost the fight because they lacked adequate material like tanks and guns, because of very bad logistics, decreasing morale (jap air superiority) and their inadequate (pre-war) doctrine.
On the political situation (in short)
The Dutch East Indies wasn't on the eve of a revolution in 1941, but like in india they were 'nationalist' movements. Rioting/Looting occured when police/KNIL forces left, nothing unusual during a war. In 1945 however things had considerably changed (Bersiap).
|
Printable Version
RE: Admirals Edition Land Thread - 
Dutch
This is the first I have heard of this. 
New Messages
No New Messages
Hot Topic w/ New Messages
Hot Topic w/o New Messages
Locked w/ New Messages
Locked w/o New Messages
Post New Thread