This is another MarDav miniatures model.

In the late 1930s the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army, began taking modest steps toward mechanising parts of its artillery. The defence of the Netherlands East Indies had long relied on a mixture of horse transport and civilian trucks, which were adequate for routine colonial duties but clearly insufficient in the face of a modern industrial power.

As tensions rose in the Pacific, the Dutch authorities recognised that artillery would need to move quickly between coastal sectors, airfields, and inland defensive lines, particularly on Java. Among the vehicles acquired for this purpose were Vickers artillery tractors, commonly known as Dragons.

The Dragons were not purchased in large numbers. Budget limitations, shipping constraints, and the relatively small scale of KNIL mechanisation meant that they appeared only in selected batteries. Nevertheless, they represented some of the most modern transport available to KNIL gunners.

The tracked chassis gave them better cross-country performance than wheeled trucks, especially on soft plantation ground, volcanic soil, and during the heavy rains typical of the region. They were used primarily to tow field guns, including 75 mm pieces, and to move ammunition and gun crews as a self-contained team.

By the time the Japanese offensive began in early 1942, these mechanised elements were concentrated largely on Java, where the main defensive effort was expected. The Dragons were employed in shifting artillery between threatened points and in supporting improvised defensive lines as Japanese landings expanded.

In theory, this mobility offered flexibility; in practice, it was constrained by air attack, fuel shortages, and the rapid collapse of coordinated Allied resistance. Columns moving by road were vulnerable, and frequent redeployments under pressure wore down both men and machines.

The Vickers tractor’s presence illustrates the KNIL’s late and incomplete transition toward modern warfare. They stood alongside older systems in an army that was attempting to modernise just as it was overtaken by events.

In the next few weeks I will finish of its tow a US37mm light anti-tank gun used by the KNIL.