The Black Armada

Following Indonesia’s declaration of independence on 17 August 1945, the Dutch had ships loaded with military arms and personnel in Australian ports, ready to return to their colony of the Netherlands East Indies. 

From September 1945 hundreds of Dutch ships became the target of boycotts by Australian maritime workers in support of Indonesian independence and were prevented or delayed from returning to Indonesia. The boycotts were called ‘black bans’ and the Dutch ships were later described as the Black Armada.

In July 1947 the Dutch armed forces began a military push against the Indonesian Republican Army in what was called a ‘police action’. This spurred widespread anti-Dutch protests in Australia. The Australian Government under Prime Minister Chifley referred the police action to the newly-formed United Nations Security Council. The UN established a Good Offices Committee to sponsor negotiations between the Dutch and Indonesia. The Indonesian Republican government nominated Australia as its representative on the committee.