I am in receipt of your letter of 18th January [1] in regard to
the despatch of a Military Mission from Australia to the
Netherlands East Indies for secret staff conferences. [2]
The Commonwealth Government are in agreement with the proposals
made in your letter and will despatch a Delegation consisting of a
Naval officer, an Air Force officer and a technical officer from
the Ministry of Munitions to the Netherlands East Indies for
secret conversations at an early date, on the understanding that
they do not imply any political commitments on either side.
It is proposed that the Delegation should leave Australia in 10 to
12 days' time. I shall arrange for further advice to be sent to
you as to the names of the officers and the proposed date of
departure as soon as possible. [3]
My Government also agree to the proposed visit of the Chief of the
Indies General Staff to Australia at a later date. [4]
ROBERT G. MENZIES
1 On file AA:A816, 58/301/79.
2 On 12 January, while on a visit to the Netherlands East Indies,
the Minister for the Army (P. C. Spender) had obtained the
agreement of the Governor-General of the Netherlands East Indies
(Jonkheer Dr A. W. L. Tjarda van Starkenborgh Stachouwer) to these
staff talks taking place. See Spender's report to Full Cabinet of
16 January on file Defence: Special Collection I, Box 626, Report
by the Minister for the Army (the Hon. P. C. Spender) on his Visit
to the Middle East.
3 On 31 January the Acting Prime Minister (A. W. Fadden) advised
the Netherlands Consul-General in Australia (Tom Elink Schuurman)
that the Australian delegation would leave Sydney for Batavia on 7
February and would include Wing Commander W. L. Hely and Squadron
Leader H. W. Berry of the R.A.A.F.; Commander V. E. Kennedy of the
R.A.N.; and R. H. Doyle, Controller of Production and Statistics,
Munitions Dept. See file AA:A981, Defence 143A. For a full report
on the visit see file AA:A816, 58/301/79.
4 Maj Gen H. ter Poorten planned to visit Australia during
February 1941, but was prevented from doing so by the political
situation in the Far East. See Elink Schuurman's letter of 7
February on file AA:A981, Defence 143A.
