History of Sorts

In the West, when we think about World War II, we predominantly think about the war against the Nazis. However, there were quite a large number of Europeans who were fighting the Japanese in the Pacific. We also often forget that the Japanese Imperial Army, Navy, and Air Force were just as brutal and sometimes even crueler than the Nazis.

Indonesia used to be one of the Dutch colonies; this meant that during World War II, the Dutch were also fighting in the Pacific. There are quite a few Dutch who have had wartime experiences on both the European and Pacific front. I have heard the stories about the war in the Netherlands from my parents, aunts, and uncles; I have also heard the stories about the war in Indonesia, then called The Dutch East Indies, from my stepfather. The Dutch Indonesian army was called KNIL (Koninklijk Nederlands Indisch Leger—The Royal Netherlands East Indies Army).

Timor, an island in Southeast Asia, was strategically significant during World War II and was divided into two parts: Portuguese Timor (modern-day East Timor) and Dutch Timor (part of present-day Indonesia). The Japanese forces invaded Dutch Timor on February 20, 1942. Despite the efforts of the Allied forces, the Japanese quickly overwhelmed the defenders due to their numerical superiority and better supplies. Although Portugal was neutral during the war, the Japanese also occupied Portuguese Timor to secure their strategic interests.

Australian commandos, known as the 2/2nd Independent Company, were sent to Portuguese Timor to assist in resisting the Japanese occupation.

On the night of February 19 and 20, 1942, approximately 4,000 Japanese troops landed on the south coast of Dutch Timor and 1,000 Japanese troops at Dilly, Portuguese Timor. It was the start of the Battle of Timor and the subsequent guerrilla war that would last until February 10, 1943. Soldiers of the Royal Dutch East Indies Army (KNIL), together with Australian and some British soldiers, fought against Japanese forces.

To strengthen the defense of Dutch Timor, approximately 1,400 Australian and later British soldiers landed at Koepang on December 12, 1941. For the defense of Portuguese Timor, a force of approximately 300 Australian and 600 KNIL soldiers, partly from Dutch Timor, landed at Dilly (Portuguese: Dili) on December 17 and 20, 1941.

On the afternoon of February 20, 1942, and the following day, approximately 600 Japanese paratroopers landed in Dutch Timor between the Australian staff and support services and the main force. After heavy fighting with the paratroopers and later the Japanese main force, the Australian-English main force surrendered on February 23, 1942, and the KNIL on March 4, 1942. The Australian staff and some KNIL soldiers were able to escape to Atamboea, an army base in Dutch Timor near the border with Portuguese Timor.

After landing at Dilly overnight, the Japanese captured the nearby airfield late in the morning. The neutral Portuguese troops remained aloof from the conflict. The section of Australians at the airfield could join the Australian main force, located 45 kilometers from Dilly, consisting mainly of commandos from the 2nd Independent Company. The KNIL troops, who managed to escape the Japanese superior forces, traveled for eight days through the inhospitable interior to Atamboea.

The Australian soldiers who escaped from Dutch Timor emerged with the Australian commandos in Portuguese Timor. These commandos forced the Japanese troops to remain in Dilly with ambushes until August 1942. In April 1942, they managed to make contact with Darwin using a self-built transmitter, allowing supplies to resume.

The KNIL troops from Atamboea were divided into smaller groups and reunited in Portuguese Timor in April 1942. Until August 1942 they defended the central and southern border areas of Portuguese and Dutch Timor against raids by Japanese and hostile Timorese from Dutch Timor.

KNIL Guerrilla Fighters.
To expel the Australian and KNIL troops from Timor, the Japanese launched a major offensive on August 10 from Dilly and Dutch Timor by landing on the south coast. Both sides suffered heavy losses during the fighting, and after, the KNIL troops dispersed. After the Japanese withdrawal on August 19, Australian troops retook that area. The regrouping of the KNIL troops failed, and the troops no longer had adequate equipment, clothing, or footwear. After an arduous journey, part of the KNIL troops defended a north-south road in the east. The occupying forces replaced the Japanese landing army, which then initiated a reign of terror against the Timorese people and the Portuguese administrative structure that had previously supported the Allies. Support for the Allies crumbled. Groups of armed Timorese attacked the Allies. At the end of September, Australia reinforced its troops. Unfortunately, the ship carrying replacement KNIL troops—was torpedoed.

In December 1942, KNIL troops, part of the Australian forces, and a large number of Timorese—were evacuated to Australia—in three missions with the destroyer Tjerk Hiddes.

In early January 1943, the evacuation of the remainder of the Australian guerrillas and some KNIL soldiers began on the Australian destroyer Arunta. On February 10, 1943, the last Australian soldiers were transported by submarine U.S.S. Gudgeon of Timor evacuated.

The photograph at the start of the blog is the cover of the book Zij wilden niet buigen—De guerrilla van het KNIL op Timor 1942. (Translation: They Didn’t Want To Bow—The Guerilla of the KNIL on Timor 1942).

On March 8, 1942, the KNIL (Royal Dutch East Indies Army) unconditionally capitulated to the Japanese Empire. At least, almost the entire KNIL. A small group of the KNIL, together with Australian units, had been conducting a guerrilla battle in Timor since February 19, 1942. They later did not respond to the capitulation. On this island on the edge of the former Dutch East Indies, they held out for almost a year under temporary and dire circumstances. Despite the Japanese threat and with death on their heels, the fighting continued. The story of the Battle in Timor (as known in Australia and the Netherlands) is a book about these heroes. I have not read the book yet, but I have ordered it. It was recommended to me by a friend, Evert Bopp; this is a great link to mention Evert’s Grandfather, who fought and died in Timor.

Evert Marius Wilhelm Bopp
Evert Marius Wilhelm Bopp was born on September 29, 1907, in Harderwijk, the Netherlands. He was well-loved by his family and friends. He married Elisabeth Igno on February 26, 1936, in Bandung, a city in West Java, Indonesia. They had five children. In 1930, he moved to Indonesia (Dutch East Indies). He joined the Indonesian army. After his marriage, he reluctantly enrolled in sergeant training. In 1942, shortly before the battle, Sergeant Bopp was stationed in Timor. Before he went into battle, he wrote to his wife and told her, ” If I fall, I will have died for the Fatherland.” On August 11, 1942, he died in battle in Loloto1, Timor; he died at age 24, leaving behind his widow and five children.

It only dawned on me today that our grandfathers both died in the war, only three months apart, as a result of being in the military. My Grandfather died on May 12, 1942, and Evert’s Grandfather on August 11, 1942.

Sources

https://www.4en5mei.nl/oorlogsmonumenten/zoeken/2654/nunspeet-oorlogsmonument

https://oorlogsgravenstichting.nl/personen/17709/evert-marius-wilhelm-bopp

https://oorlogsgravenstichting.nl/personen/17709/evert-marius-wilhelm-bopp

https://www.deslegte.com/zij-wilden-niet-buigen-3534563/

Slag om Timor 1942

https://www.jarnob.nl/knil/theo-s-story/fighting-the-japanese

https://www.tracesofwar.nl/articles/2172/Slag-om-Timor.htm

https://www.oorlogsbronnen.nl/tijdlijn/a765b89d-1c89-4d61-8ef4-5d4663a50dc2