Guide to the Dutch War Veterans Archive

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MS 10405

National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record

Created: 2018

Collection Summary

Creator
Dutch War Veterans in Australia Oral History Project
Title
Dutch War Veterans Archive
Date Range
1922 - 2013
Collection Number
MS 10405
Extent
3.8 metres (10 ms boxes + 2 medium folios + 1 map folio + 11 digital carriers + 6 sound/av carriers)
Language of Materials
English
Repository
Special Collections (Manuscripts)

Introduction

Scope and Contents

This collection comprises the papers and memorabilia of Dutch World War II veterans who migrated to Australia. This material was collected by Edith van Loo as part of the Dutch War Veterans in Australia Oral History project. The bulk of the collection comprises papers of Dutch war veteran Paul Couvret. There are also papers of Dutch war veteran Jacobus Johannes (Jack) Dalmayer, together with other material collected during the project.

Preferred Citation

Items from this collection should be cited as 'Dutch War Veterans Archive', National Library of Australia, MS 10405, [series/file/item number(s)]'.

Finding Aid Source

Please note: This finding aid may comprise or contain descriptive information provided by donors, researchers and/or volunteers.

Biographical Note - Paul Couvert

Originally a Dutchman, Paul Couvret was born and educated in Batavia (present day Jakarta). When war broke out in the Pacific he joined the Dutch Fleet Air Arm as a Cadet Pilot Officer. In March 1942 he was evacuated from Java to continue training at Pearce Airfield in Western Australia. However, two days from Fremantle, his ship was captured by the Japanese and he was taken first to Macassar and in October 1942 transferred to Nagasaki where he worked in a shipyard as a prisoner of war. He survived the rigours of prison camp and finally the atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki. After liberation he spent a month in Okinawa and three months in the Philippines before being repatriated to Holland. Couvret arrived in Australia with the Dutch Fleet Air Arm in December 1945 to assist with the evacuation of prisoners of war from the East. Both his parents had been killed in Indonesia in the war, and Couvret applied to live in Australia. He was accepted and arrived at Cowra Migrant Camp in February 1949. It was here he met and married his wife Hilja, an Estonian refugee. They had four sons. He joined the NSW Department of Education and taught for 17 years in country towns before coming to Sydney in 1966. He was elected to Warringah Shire Council in 1973 and completed seven terms in local government, including four as Mayor. He retired in 1995, but continued to work tirelessly promoting peace and the abolishment of nuclear weapons, taking interest in Dutch War Veterans in Australia, as well as local and community issues. Paul Couvret died in 2013.

Item Descriptions

Series. Papers of Jacobus "Jack" Dalmayer

Written in Dutch and English

5 pocket diaries of Jack Dalmayer;1945,1946,1947,1948,1974, 1945-1974 (File 1) - Box 1

Written in Dutch and English

Captioned photographs;Kampeerkaart (Camping Card) of Jacobus Dalmaijer;newspaper clipping on Casino camp; papers in Dutch relating to war volunteers, 1945-1946 (File 2) - Box 1

Arriving in New Zealand, arrival Australia, Victory Camp Casino, funerals of Simon Snepvangers and Kees Van Esch,LSK volunteers, Het Camp Casino, sea voyage home with survivors from Japanese POW camps in Indonesia; in Parramatta

Captioned photographs of Jack Dalmayer; uniform flashes, pins, badges and identity disc; postage stamps featuring Jack Dalmayer; list of Ex Victory Camp personnel who have died, 1921-2009 (File 3) - Box 1

Photographs of childhood, Camp Casino, Victory Campers reunions

Camp Newsletters 'Awakening Organ'; correspondence with Ministry of Defence Netherlands, 1946-2004 (File 4) - Box 1

Dutch air force neck tie; identity papers; personal papers of Jack Dalmayer, 1945-1984 (File 5) - Box 1

Naturalization Certificate, mobilisation papers, air force papers

Two books -'Jack's Story' and 'The 'Casino Boys', 2004,2007 (File 6) - Box 1

Jack's Story - unpublished; The 'Casino Boys' Dutch Air Force Volunteers in Australia 1945-1946 published by Karla Weller, NSW 2007

Series. Miscellaneous papers

Dutch-Malay Dictionary of shipping terminology; 2 x Dutch Navy sailors berets, 1924 (File 7) - Box 2

Cartoon booklet, 1946-1949 (File 8) - Box 2

Written for army unit

Book 'Between Sawahs and Mountains' (File 9) - Box 2

Unpublished book on the life of a soldier in the tiger brigade

Manuscript 'Een Tikkeltje Tropenkolder' (File 10) - Box 2

A tad in the tropics'

Correspondence between Edith van Loo and Mr Bronsgeest;annotated photographs from Indonesia in war years, 1945-2013 (File 11) - Box 2

Series. General papers - Paul Couvret

Hilja is the wife of Paul Couvret

Hilja's papers, 1987 (File 12) - Box 3

Hilja is the wife of Paul Couvret

Ilmar Seitam's papers, 1991 (File 13) - Box 3

Manuscript 'From Karu to Cowra' the autobiography of Estonian born post-war migrant

Papers and correspondence relating to tracing the Couvret family tree, 1980s-1990s (File 14) - Box 3

Papers, photographs and correspondence relating to the Couvret family tree, 1980s-1990s (File 15) - Box 3

4 small scrapbooks and leather jewellery box containing pin, Comitas Gentium medal and WW2 ribbon bar, 1945-1950 (File 16) - Box 4

After liberation in the Philippines; Arrival in Australia; Honeymoon logbook; Military theory

Cards and correspondence for Diamond Wedding Anniversary; Eulogy and copies of the funeral service of Paul Couvret, 2011-2013 (File 17) - Box 4

Cards from the Governor General, Queen Elizabeth and Prime Minister

Documents and papers relating to Dutch prisoners of war in Japan, Thailand; copies of school magazine from Batavia 1938-1939;photographs of Paul Couvret, 1950s-2005 (File 18) - Box 4

Peter Thysee, John Franken, Pieter Tromp, Johannes Budding, David Brandon, Ben Brodie, Peter Couvret

Chapter precis for Paul Couvret's autobiography; research notes and correspondence for this book, 1945-2006 (File 19) - Box 4

Research notes and correspondence for Paul Couvret's autobiography, 1945-2006 (File 20) - Box 4

Series. Nagasaki - Paul Couvret

Footprints of Nagasaki'; 'The Records of the Atomic Bombing in Nagasaki'; 'We of Nagasaki'; 'The Atom Bomb'; 'Last Stop Nagasaki'; 'Peace Ribbon Hiroshima'; 'Nagasaki Under the Atomic Bomb'; 'A Song for Nagasaki'; 'The Meaning of Survival'; 3 Japanese language books

Books collected by PC on Nagasaki; notes, clippings and speeches given by PC in Japan at Peace Conferences, 1990s (File 21) - Box 5

Footprints of Nagasaki'; 'The Records of the Atomic Bombing in Nagasaki'; 'We of Nagasaki'; 'The Atom Bomb'; 'Last Stop Nagasaki'; 'Peace Ribbon Hiroshima'; 'Nagasaki Under the Atomic Bomb'; 'A Song for Nagasaki'; 'The Meaning of Survival'; 3 Japanese language books

Series. Personal effects - Paul Couvret

Order of Australia folder and other awards, 1998 (File 22) - Box 6

Monogrammed leather pouch containing notebook, PC's mothers leather spectacles case; slim handmade cloth-bound diary from war years; chest x-ray 1949; 2 small notebooks, 1940s-1965 (File 23) - Box 6

loose diary entry (in Dutch)dated 14 August 1945 - the day Japan surrendered unconditionally to the Allies

PC correspondence relating to his military service and eligibility for Philippines and American service medals, 1940s-2004 (File 24) - Box 6

diagram showing strength and disposition during the construction of the Thai Burma railway

Personal documents - birth, marriage, naturalization certificates; shooters license; bank titles; Red Cross prisoner of war message card, 1920s-1960s (File 25) - Box 6

Series. Photographs albums - Paul Couvret

MLD translation 'Naval Air Fleet'

5 albums; Perth Fremantle Sydney 1946; Manila Sydney; Melbourne Sydney 1946; MLD Sydney; Sydney Amsterdam 1947, Zeist 1948, 1940s (File) - Box 7

MLD translation 'Naval Air Fleet'

Series. Department of Education - Paul Couvret

Correspondence and papers relating to PC's career and training as a teacher, 1949-1983 (File 26) - Box 8

Papers relating to physical education teaching; mainly at Cowra High School, 1950s-1960s (File 27) - Box 8

telegram appointing PC to Deputy Principal

Newspaper clippings relating to PC and his time as a teacher at Cowra and Lithgow; exercise book containing amusing things children said to PC, 1960s (File 29) - Box 8

Series. Special format carriers - Paul Couvret

VHS-Bathurst Cowra Hartley to Cowra Migrant Centre, 2 x videos of B Hilbrink Uitvaarty ZKH Prins Bernhard Deel 1 & 2; DVDs - DVA Australian at War Film Archive Discs 1-5, Temora Aviation Museum interview with PC; CDs - BE20EK Stas, It's ok to mention the war ABC RN recording 2006, 3 x discs Interviewproject Nederlandse Veteranen PC with Edith van Loo; Micro cassettes history interview tape with PC 1,2 and 3

3 x VHS tapes; 6 x DVDs; 5 x CDs; 3 x micro cassettes (File)

VHS-Bathurst Cowra Hartley to Cowra Migrant Centre, 2 x videos of B Hilbrink Uitvaarty ZKH Prins Bernhard Deel 1 & 2; DVDs - DVA Australian at War Film Archive Discs 1-5, Temora Aviation Museum interview with PC; CDs - BE20EK Stas, It's ok to mention the war ABC RN recording 2006, 3 x discs Interviewproject Nederlandse Veteranen PC with Edith van Loo; Micro cassettes history interview tape with PC 1,2 and 3

Temora Aviation Museum Unsung Heroes Paul Couvret (Item NLA.MS-DM000730) - Digital-Carriers-Box 26
1 item, Data CD (any content on recordable CD-R)
Australians at War film archive disk 1, 2004 (Item NLA.MS-DM000731) - Digital-Carriers-Box 26
1 item, Verbatim DVD-R 8X, Data CD (any content on recordable CD-R)
Australians at War film archive disk 2, 2004 (Item NLA.MS-DM000732) - Digital-Carriers-Box 26
1 item, Verbatim DVD-R 8X, Data CD (any content on recordable CD-R)
Australians at War film archive disk 3, 2004 (Item NLA.MS-DM-000733) - Digital-Carriers-Box 26
1 item, Verbatim DVD-R 8X, Data CD (any content on recordable CD-R)
Australians at War film archive disk 4, 2004 (Item NLA.MS-DM000734) - Digital-Carriers-Box 26
1 item, Verbatim DVD-R 8X, Data CD (any content on recordable CD-R)
Australians at War film archive disk 5, 2004 (Item NLA.MS-DM000735) - Digital-Carriers-Box 26
1 item, Verbatim DVD-R 8X, Data CD (any content on recordable CD-R)
BE20EK stas C vd Knaap (Item NLA.MS-DM000736) - Digital-Carriers-Box 26
1 item, Verbatim CD-R, Data CD (any content on recordable CD-R)
It's ok to mention the war, 2006 (Item NLA.MS-DM000737) - Digital-Carriers-Box 26
1 item, TDK, Data CD (any content on recordable CD-R)
Interview project Nederlandse Veteranen disk 1, 2011 (Item NLA.MS-DM000738) - Digital-Carriers-Box 26
1 item, TDK, Data CD (any content on recordable CD-R)
Interview project Nederlandse Veteranen disk 2, 2011 (Item NLA.MS-DM000739) - Digital-Carriers-Box 26
1 item, TDK, Data CD (any content on recordable CD-R)
Interview project Nederlandse Veteranen disk 3, 2011 (Item NLA.MS-DM000740) - Digital-Carriers-Box 26
1 item, TDK, Data CD (any content on recordable CD-R)
Uitvaart ZKH Prins Bernhard Deel 1 (Item NLA.MS-SAV005917) - Shelf-Tall OH1-18-029
1 item, Memorex SHQ, Consumer formats - VHS, S-VHS etc
Uitvaart ZKH Prins Bernhard Deel 2 (Item NLA.MS-SAV005918) - Shelf-Tall OH1-18-029
1 item, Memorex SHQ, Consumer formats - VHS, S-VHS etc
Bathurst Cowra Hartley Royal Nat Park Sacksville Jindabyne Smiggins Orange Cowra (Item NLA.MS-SAV005919) - Shelf-Tall OH1-18-029
1 item, Consumer formats - VHS, S-VHS etc
History Interview tape Cr Paul Couvret (Item NLA.MS-SAV005920) - Cassette-Box 325
1 item, Sanyo, Microcassette / mini cassette
History Interview tape Cr Paul Couvret (Item NLA.MS-SAV005921) - Cassette-Box 325
1 item, Sanyo, Microcassette / mini cassette
History Interview tape Cr Paul Couvret (Item NLA.MS-SAV005922) - Cassette-Box 325
1 item, Sanyo, Microcassette / mini cassette

Series. Transcript - Paul Couvret

Interview transcript from SBS interview with PC; image of PC and Edith van Loo, 1996-2011 (File 30) - Box 9

Series. Plaques - Paul Couvret

1 plaque is of 'Ardenbraught', home to 280 officers and men of the Royal Netherlands Naval Air Force who operated from the Catalina Flying Boat Base at Rose Bay from Dec 1945 to July 1947

Wooden plaque presented to PC by Vice Admiral van Aalst Inspector of the Veterans; Plaque presented by Lt Gen Zuiderwijk Commander of the Royal Netherlands Navy; framed family photo, 1997 (File) - Box 9

1 plaque is of 'Ardenbraught', home to 280 officers and men of the Royal Netherlands Naval Air Force who operated from the Catalina Flying Boat Base at Rose Bay from Dec 1945 to July 1947

Series. Books, reports and logs - Paul Couvret

Books - Zangzaad voor Kampeerders; De Gravenserie in Zuid-West Pacific; Luchtvaartwoorden; Omong Kosong; je-lah-je-rot Humor uit het Oude Indie; Die Kaapse Hugenote

2 x Pilot's Log Books; Dockyard Officers Report on Diego Suarez; 6 x books, 1942-1966 (File 31) - Box 10

Books - Zangzaad voor Kampeerders; De Gravenserie in Zuid-West Pacific; Luchtvaartwoorden; Omong Kosong; je-lah-je-rot Humor uit het Oude Indie; Die Kaapse Hugenote

Series. Political life - Paul Couvret

UFO report from Sydney University requested by PC 2006; map of Manila

Papers relating to PC's life as Warringah Councillor; Parliamentary Debates Hansard 2007; Eulogy of Dr Sir Hendrik Johan Rutgers, 1990s-2012 (File 32) - Box 10

UFO report from Sydney University requested by PC 2006; map of Manila

Series. Photographs - Paul Couvret

Photographs spanning the life of Paul Couvret (File 33) - Box 10

Photographs spanning the life of Paul Couvret (File 34) - Box 10

Oversized photographs; Orde van Oranje-Nassau Certificate; Royal Navy Certificate; 3 x Scrapbooks of PC's life, 1900-2010 (File) - Folio-Box 11

Scrapbooks of Couvret's political career 1970s

Series. Art - Paul Couvret

Works on paper from Paul Couvret's art course including comments by teachers and receipts for the course (File) - Folio-Box 12

Series. Large-format documents - Paul Couvret

Couvret family tree; Certificate of admission into Freemasons; Map of Batavia (Jakarta) (File) - Folio 13


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