NEI Aircraft and Personnel Pool (NEI APP) was formed at Canberra, ACT to provide trained personnel and logistical support to the operational squadrons. On 28 December 1943 the NEI APP comprised of 263 men of the NEI-AF, supported by 119 men of the RAAF. The NEI APP consisted of two major parts, the Fighter Section (often called Fighter Pool) and the Bomber Section (the Bomber Pool). It also had a Maintenance Section that worked for both the Fighter Section and the Bomber Section.

The NEI PEP Establishment provided for 74 NEI Officers as at 25 January 1944 however its strength at that time was 111 NEI Officers and the C.O. anticipated that additional postings would bring the total strength to 160 NEI Officers, well above the approved Establishment of 74 NEI Officers. Wing Commander N. Mulroney of Eastern Area Headquarters expressed concern on about 5 February 1944 with these numbers which he believed would lead to overcrowding. He indicated that no further space could be made available at Canberra until either or both 120 (NEI) Squadron and 13 Squadron moved away from Canberra. The issue was raised with the RAAF Liaison Officer, Royal N.E.I. Army Forces in Australia, Squadron Leader Dawson asking him to take the "matter up with the N.E.I. authorities with a view to adjusting the strength of N.E.I. personnel at Canberra to establishments agreed upon."

N.E.I. authorities negotiated to obtain use of the Queanbeyan Hotel for accommodation for the extra Officers expected. In mid February 1944, Dutch authorities undertook to divert further postings until the Queanbeyan Hotel was finalised.

On 28 February 1944, Squadron Leader Dawson met the Army Hirings' Officers, and in the presence of Lieutenant Versteeven, the Hotel Queanbeyan owner's representative and an impartial valuer, a complete inventory was taken of all hotel goods, equipment, etc. A guard was then placed over the premises and they were placed out of bounds to all personnel including civilians. Sergeant Buierman and the Dutch hostess from Brisbane arrived later on and took up duties at the Hotel.

Squadron Leader Dawson proceeded to Dubbo on 1 March 1944 and obtained 800 blanket (about 6 per man) plus some other incidentals and transported them back to Canberra on 6 March 1944. He then proceeded to Sydney on 7 March to requisition all cutlery, crockey and kitchen utensils need for the Hotel Queanbeyan. The C.O. of No. 2 Stores Depot at Roseberry arranged to have all these items available at Mascot Airfield at 0900 hours on Friday 9 March 1944. Whilst in Sydney Squadron Leader Dawson met with Lieutenant Verrsteeven to discuss other necessary arrangements.

Army Hirings Board and the Department of Railways Sydney agreed that the Netherlands Forces would hire interior furnishings for 46 rooms on the second floor of the hotel. Rental was based on 10% per annum of the actual market price of the bedroom furnishings which comprised beds, mattresses, wardrobes, etc. Army Hirings, Lieutenant Versteeven and representatives of the Railways Department proceeded to Kosciusko where inventory and handover of the interior furnishings took place. NEI APP in Canberra made two or more trucks available to transport the goods the 100 miles to Canberra.

Squadron Leader Dawson and Sergeant Buierman interviewed the Army Ordnance Food Supply Section in Canberra and made arrangements for drawing rations as and when required for the Queanbeyan Hotel.

Twenty ladies were made available by Manpower Sydney for interview on Friday 10 March 1944 for duty as waitresses, housemaids etc. Squadron Leader Dawson estimated that the staffing needs for the hotel would be as follows:-

One room was reserved for the General and at least one other was reserved for future use by senior officers. Lieutenant Colonel van Haslen drew up barrack rules and regulations for the well being and proper management of the hotel. Squadron Leader Dawson suggested that it would absolutely be a serious offence for any Officer to take a woman into his bedroom. He also suggested to prevent probable scandal and talk by local civilians in the town of Queanbeyan, that the admittance of female guests to the establishment for meals or drinks should be rigidly policed. He suggested a system similar to the Hotel's Guest Register as used by the Netherlands Club in Melbourne, should meet those requirements. On 14 March 1944, Squadron Leader L. R. Dawson expected that 100 Royal Netherlands Forces' Officers would be quartered in the Hotel Queanbeyan by the end of March 1944.

On 17 March 1944, Major B. J. Fiedeldij, Director of Military Airforce, for the G.O.C. of the R.N.E.I. Army advised the Secretary of the Air Board at Victoria Barracks in Melbourne that the NEI Aircraft and Personnel Pool was renamed to the NEI Personnel and Equipment Pool NEI PEP.

The Bomber Pool gave refresher training to operational crews (ML plus RAAF air gunners). It also gave full B-25 OTU training to newly trained (at RAAF schools) ML pilots and NavBs. This started with small numbers in 1944-45 and fairly large numbers from about October 1945 when also former PoWs were trained. From about 1 May 1944, it also gave B-25 conversion courses (2nd phase Operational Training) for RAAF personnel for 2 Squadron. There were in total eight courses, with the final one starting about 1 August 1945. The students usually came from a RAAF Hudson OTU.

NEI Personnel and Equipment Pool relocated to Bundaberg in several echelons in the period of 1 August to 15 September 1945. The advance party that had to ready the base had arrived there on 25 June 1945. The RAAF Station at Bundaberg was transferred to the Netherlands Military Forces with LKol M. van Haselen who took over command of the P.E.P. from LKol D.L. Asjes, MSc on 10 September 1945, becoming CO of the RAAF Station at the same time.

NEI PEP left Bundaberg on 26 April 1946.

Netherlands East Indies Government
in Exile in Australia during WWII