Two parter:
The 'Escape' of KLM Assets

First some important background information: Many KLM pilots had obtained their licence through the military, and as such were progressively called into active service from august / September 1939 onwards as the Dutch armed forces mobilized in face of the growing hostilities of Nazi Germany, and the formal outbreak of the war with the invasion of Poland on September 1st 1939. Even the founder and director of the KLM, Albert Plesman, had been a military aviator in the early days of the Dutch Air Force.

As such the bonds between military and civil aviation in the Netherlands were very tight. Additionally the main operating base of the KLM, Shiphol Airport near Amsterdam, in that time doubled as a military airport as well, hosting a BomVa (Bomber squadron) which due to the high percentage of KLM personnel was dubbed ‘Kleine KLM’ (Small KLM). Next to an internal route network and an European route network the KLM operated a route to the Dutch East Indies. An other important note is that the KLM was a largely state-owned company.

Threats of war, and actual warfare combined with staffing shortages prompted the KLM to shrink their route network, in which the internal route network was stopped first, followed by the European route network on September 1st 1939, with the exclusion of the East Indies route, and the routes to Paris, London , Copenhagen, and Oslo. By September 10th Civil aviation was severly curtailed by most nations and the routes to London and Paris were blocked by the French and British governments as well. By September 16 the KLm was forced to make Napels, Italy the end-point of their service to India and conduct the section Amsterdam-Napels by train.

Various incidents occurred between September 1939 and May 1940 in which Dutch aircraft were attacked, due to being mistaken for enemy aircraft.On 13 September 1939 a Fokker T-8W of the Dutch naval military air service (MLD) spotted a German Heinkel He 115 just oustside of Dutch territorial waters. Upon closing the Fokker was peppered with machine gun fire. The German government formally apologised and paid for the damage, no one was injured. In response all KLM aircraft were marked “HOLLAND” in big capital letters spanning about half the upper fuselage.On September 26th a the KLM DC-3 “Mees” was attacked over the North sea whilst operating a flight from Copenhagen, one of the passengers died. Again the German government apoligised and claimed a case of mistaken idendity. In response the KLM, and several other airlines of neutral states, painted their aircraft Orange. By December 1st 1939

By Oktober 1939 the board of KLM was contemplating moving some of its HQ operations and staff from Amsterdam to Lisbon, Portugal with the thought that this might make a more suitable departure/end point for the Dutch East Indies operation. Also this enabled a connection with the US Clipper network, as they operated a service from New York to Lisbon. Although the HQ move did not happen, a route was opened to Lisbon.On April 9th Germany invaded Norway and Denmark during operation Weserübung. Three KLM DC-3’s and their crew’s were caught amidst the events. One in Oslo, and two in Malmö. On April 16th the DC-3 from Oslo returned to Schiphol.

After the invasion of the neutral states of Denmark and Norway the Dutch government grew ever more wary of a German invasion, despite their official neutrality. The armed forces were mobilised to maximum capacity. The KLM took measures as well. The DC-3’s still in Italy for the Dutch-East Indies operation were ordered to fly directly to Bandoeng in the Dutch East Indies on May 7th 1940.