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DE TWEEDE WERELDOORLOG 373
In February 1941 the troops were withdrawn with the intention of reinforcing
Ambon.
In consequence of the rapid advance of the Japanese, it was thought better to
transfer all the internees to Australia.
An Australian company of infantry was sent to Tanah Merah after the decision
to construct an airstrip there.
The territory South of Hollandia
Owing to the lack of troops, the activity of the Netherlands forces in this
territory had been restricted to reconnoitring.
Already in November 1942 a Nefis party had been sent out with the purpose
of obtaining information about the general situation in Hollandia.
This Nefis party, which was called: "Whiting", did not arrive in the vicinity
of Hollandia till September 1943. The group, however, was betrayed by the
Papuans and not a single man returned to Australia.
In February 1944 two Nefis parties named "Shark" and "Garrot" were sent
to Hollandia, but now from the South. They were to operate from a base on the
bank of the Idenburg river.
The only result of the Nefis parties was that they gave very important information
about the direction of the Japanese retreat after the capture of Hollandia.
BEHAVIOUR OF THE POPULATION DURING THE TIME THAT THE
JAPANESE OCCUPIED NEW GUINEA
Opposition to the invader
The Papuans did not offer resistance to the Japanese, when they invaded their
country. They were of course intimidated by the superior Japanese forces and
soon they were forced to perform duties for their new masters. Since the Japanese
did not bother much about the prosperity of the population, soon there was not
the slightest voluntary cooperation with the Japanese.
Especially when the blockade by the Allied forces during 1943 and 1944 caused
the Japanese food situation to become very bad, they began to rob and to maltreat
the population, so that the attitude of the Papuans became very unfriendly
towards them.
Towards the end of 1944 a special Papuan Battalion was formed in Netherlands
New Guinea, which did very good work during the so called mopping-up
operations.