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372 DE TWEEDE WERELDOORLOG
On 26th July, 1944, two Catalina's landed on Hagers Lake and the two parties
safely reached Australia.
The Vogelkop Area
The task of the garrison of Manokwari (73 men) was to maintain order in the
Vogelkop Area, but it was not strong enough to offer resistance to an attack by
the Japanese.
At 6 o'clock in the morning of 12th April, 1942, a large Japanese fleet appeared
in the bay of Manokwari. It was then that the local Commander of the R.N.E.I.A.
Captain J. B. H. Willemsz Geeroms took the decision to withdraw towards
the mountains.
After a nine day march, one of the places, where the supplies were hidden was
reached, after which a headquarter was established.
In November 1942 the Japanese discovered the headquarters, attacked it and
the Commander was forced to withdraw with the main body of his troops to
another hiding place.
After an encirclement of the new bivouac by the Japanese in April 1944,
captain Willemsz Geeroms was taken prisonner and he and his comrades were
beheaded like common criminals.
Only a small number of the troops were able to escape. Sergeant Kokkelink
took command and successfully continued resistance and guerilla warfare.
Not until August 1944, after the landing of the Allied forces near Sausapor,
did the Dutch government get news about the existence of the guerilla fighters
in the vicinity of the Kebar Plain.
It was decided to rescue this party and on 22nd September, 1944, Sergeant
Kokkelink with his brave men were transfered to a Dutch camp in Australia.
Merauke
At the outbreak of the war Merauke was not occupied by Dutch troops; in
the interest of the defence of Australia it was found necessary however to station
a garrison in this harbour on the South coast of New Guinea.
A Merauke Force was formed, consisting of an Australian battalion of infantry,
a company of the R.N.E.I.A., one U.S.A. battery and some services.
When it was decided to construct an airfield near Merauke, the garrison was
increased. The Japanese did not try to land troops near Merauke, they restricted
themselves to periodical serial bombardments of the town.
Tanah Merah
The task of the soldiers, who were originally garrisoned in Tanah Merah,
a small civil post on the bank of the Digoel River, was to guard the 600 internees
(political prisoners).