Miena and Coos Daamen

Story

This story is about the ‘Daamen\’ family. Miena (Mum), Coos (Dad), Ann, John, Mary, Chris, Henk, Cor & Thea. We came from a farming background in southern Holland. After the war it was not good in Holland. Mum & Dad lost everything. We were evacuated in late 1944. Mum was about 6mths pregnant. We walked day after day after day. It was winter; we had poor food & clothing. My 3 year old brother drowned during our time away in one of the canals.

But by 1954 we had a government house. My father had work but by this time they also had 7 children. Immigration was a big thing in Holland at the time. Some of my father\’s family had left for Canada. Several families in the village had left & mum & dad then started thinking seriously about leaving. Dad said, ‘We have nothing to lose\’. They decided to try for either Canada or Australia. I was the oldest at 17yrs. Mum asked what I thought about leaving Holland, family, friends & all things familiar. I thought, what a big adventure – it was fine by me.

My father didn\’t want to work as a farmer, & as Canada was looking for more farmers with big families, they set their sights on Australia. It was 6 mths from applying to the appropriate offices; medicals, gathering references & selling furniture, then packing up.

In October 1954 we left on the ‘SS Zuiderkruis\’ & sailed for 5 weeks via the Gulf of Biscay (everyone was sick) to Algiers, staying there for 3 days for repairs, then Port Said & via the Suez Canal to Aden, then Fremantle & Melbourne. Mum was sick all the way, so Dad & I looked after the little ones. I spent a lot of time in the child care centre. They gave me a paid job to help look after other children as well.

At Melbourne, a nice sunny day with blue skies greeted us along with friends from Holland. From there by train to ‘Bonegilla\’, Wodonga. The accommodation (corrugated iron huts) was very ordinary. Mum & Dad played cards & games with us. The library had Dutch books donated by the Dutch Red Cross. We had English lessons & the younger children went to school. There was a big dam where we children went for a swim. This was not allowed. We went to church on Sundays. There was a Dutch priest. Bonegilla also had a movie theatre.

We spent only a couple of months in Bonegilla. Some families found work there & stayed for years. Dad, Mum & I got pocket money. We didn\’t like the mass produced food. Mum had a little kerosene stove & used to make vegetable soup. This was not allowed – it was a fire hazard.

Around this time a Dutchman arrived from Canberra to sell life insurance. Dad laughed, \’We have only pocket money\’. Dad said ‘You find me a job & a house in Canberra, & I\’ll buy life insurance from you.\’ He found Dad a job & a house in Hall, & Dad took a life insurance from him.

Dad, John, (my 15yr old brother) & I left Bonegilla by bus as instructed by the Dutch Immigration officer to check out the job & accommodation in Hall. Mum wasn\’t happy as she had to stay behind with the 5 little children. The house was great & the job fine. Mum was supposed to wait in Bonegilla until our furniture was moved from Melbourne to Hall, but she couldn\’t wait & packed up her few belongings & the children & hopped on the bus to Canberra.

People in Hall gathered around (Dutch as well as Australians) to collect bedding, & a few pots & pans for cooking. Dad bought a fridge on lay-by. I can\’t remember about table & chairs. It didn\’t matter to Mum & Dad, the family was together – all that mattered.

They grew vegetables & kept chickens, worked very hard & ended up buying the house. The younger children went to school in Hall. I lived in Canberra & worked at the Canberra Hospital. On days off I spent time with Mum. They needed moral as well as financial support. Dad bought his first car & learned to drive around 1961. My sister, Mary was killed at the age 15 in a car accident near Yass.

Mum & Dad were naturalised in the Albert Hall in 1960. They were very proud to be Australian citizens. They moved from Hall to Canberra to be closer to high schools & work. Dad\’s last job was as a gardener at the Canadian High Commission\’s residence in Mugga Way. He was there for 19yrs & paid into a super fund. At 65 he received a small pension.

My brothers & sisters all did well. My brother John went back to Holland. I married a Dutch boy from Hall & we went to live in PNG for 14 years & returned to Canberra in 1972.

Mum died at the age of 57. Dad lived until the age of 82. They loved Australia & especially Canberra. They loved the climate the easy way of life.

We, their children are proud of our parents & happy they moved to Australia. We also have embraced the way of life in Australia. This is our country now.

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