Commando News issue 15 2019

Why was an Indonesian the only AIB Operative
to wear a VC?
Visit the Julius Tajhija Family Museum in Jakarta!
By
Jim Truscott & Rick Moor
It is a little known fact that there is a significant story
about Indonesian, Dutch and Australian military
history hidden right under the noses of the
Australian Embassy in Jakarta. The Julius Tahija Family
Museum is a memorial to the only Operative in the
Allied Intelligence Bureau (AIB) to wear a VC. To
understand the reason why, you must appreciate the
strategic significance of the Tanibar Islands in the
defence of Australian air-sea gap in WWII.
Operation PLOVER was an Australian-Dutch military
operation in July 1942 to regain control over several
small Indonesian islands in the Dutch East Indies north
of Darwin. In March 1942 the islands were not yet under
Japanese occupation but there were strong pro-
Japanese sentiments on many islands. The Nether lands
did not maintain any military garrisons on most islands
relying on local police instead. In June 1942 the local
people on Saumlaki in the Tanimbar Islands and Toeal
on Kai Island rebelled against Dutch authority but the
uprising was quelled by the police.
Realizing the strategic importance of these islands
on 27 June 1942, General MacArthur ordered HMAS
Warrnambool and HMAS Southern Cross to land 80
soldiers from the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army
(KNIL) including Sergeant Julius Tahija and 12 men on
Saumlaki to defend the islands. They did not expect any
Japanese reaction but the RAAF made several
reconnaissance flights and bombed the islands just
before the landing at Dobo on the Aru Islands on 12
July and at Saumlaki on 13 July in order to intimidate
the population.
On 28 July HMAS Southern Cross and HMAS
Chinampa were sailing to strengthen the small garrison
on Saumlaki but at 0410 on 30 July a Japanese force of
about 300 soldiers in two destroyers landed on the
island. The defenders killed about 200 Japanese but
seven KNIL soldiers were also killed. The remaining six
soldiers withdrew into the bush and six hours later the
island was in Japanese hands and the Japanese ships
moved away. At 0930 the engine on HMAS Southern
Cross failed and HMAS Chinampa anchored off shore
Saumlaki. The commander went ashore but was shelled
and returned on board awaiting the arrival of HMAS
Southern Cross. The next morning HMAS Chinampa
approached the Saumlaki jetty to destroy it but it was
fired on by Japanese, killing the Commander and one
sailor. The two ships withdrew and returned to Darwin
on 2 August.
Anticipating that his force would be wiped out by the
overwhelming odds they faced Sergeant Tahija planned
their defences and escape route in detail. After
engaging the force as it approached the beach he
Jean & Julius Tajhija
conducted a very effective fighting withdrawal,
decimating the enemy and saving his own force.
Sergeant Tahija and five other KNIL soldiers evaded for
3 to 4 days to Larat Island and with refugees they sailed
and landed on Bathurst Island on 14 August 1942. In the
family museum in Jakarta you will see the compass and
the map used by Sergeant Julius Tahija as he sailed
south to Darwin with what was left of his small force.
He was awarded the Militaire Willems Orde, the
Dutch equivalent of the VC and the full citation is on
display at the family museum. Only two such Dutch
awards were made during WWII and he was the only
Indonesian in the in the Royal Netherlands East Indies
Army to receive it and only one of four awarded to
Indonesian soldiers throughout 200 years of colonial
rule. After the award ceremony in Melbourne on 27
October 1942 he was invited to join Z Special Unit. The
Dutch, along with the UK and Australian Governments
provided the initial funding to establish the Inter-Allied
Services Department (ISD) which was the forerunner to
the Services Reconnaissance Department (SRD) and the
original cover name for Special Operations Australia
(SOA). The NEI Section was an integral part of ISD until
May 1943 when a new division, NEFIS III, was
established as part of the overall reorganisation of the
allied Special Operations Forces within the AIB. NEFIS
was split into three sections, NEFIS I General Intel -
ligence, NEFIS II Security and NEFIS III Special Intel -
ligence and Special Operations. NEFIS III had little
success as the agents lacked experience and expertise.
It was also difficult to win support from the local
population as they feared Japanese reprisals. NEFIS III
and its predecessor the NEI section of the ISD sent 36
teams into enemy territory. Over 250 agents were
involved in these operations and 39 lost their lives.
It is likely that Julius Tahija was initially posted to ISD
COMMANDO NEWS ~ Edition 15 I 2019 45