“Smit decided to send forward a dismounted scouting party to reconnoitre the area. They soon returned to report several burning M113 C&V wrecks a few hundred metres beyond the village, confirming to Smit that the enemy was definitely to the immediate east. He sent a couple of the men back with a radio to keep an eye on the situation, then gathered his platoon commanders. He spread a map of the area out on the ground behind his tank.

“This wood to the east must be where the Soviets have a force, likely a forward detachment that has by-passed our covering forces. We’ll deploy the infantry in the village,” Smit looked at his Pansterinfanterie Peloton commander, van Hoorn, “I want to be notified of anything approaching that village.”