The plan
Tuesday, 31 October, is the last day of Operation Colin. After taking Raamsdonk that morning, the final objective is in sight. It is now only three kilometres to the bridge at Keizersveer. There are two possible routes. As a result of the heavy losses during the fight in Raamsdonk, the Highlanders decide to try the shortest route. It starts in the Raadhuisstraat and passes by Saint Lambertus Church. Lieutenant Colonel Cathcart's 7th Battalion of the Black Watch is assigned the job. The battalion will be supported by a number of Sherman tanks from the Northamptonshire Yeomanry. Cathcart orders his men to shoot at anything that moves in order to reach Raamsdonksveer as quickly as possible. The church is code-named ‘Terrier’. The first group, a platoon of the Black Watch (about 20 men) is transported in two Kangaroos, tanks without turrets. In front and behind them are two Sherman tanks each. At 4pm, the six vehicles set off.

The fight
Cathcart, however, has miscalculated, because it is  right here, around the church, that a substantial German rearguard is lined up. No fewer than five haltracks with 2 cm guns and three tracked vehicles (including two so-called Sturmgeschütze) have taken up concealed positions. Two are behind farms next to the narrow lane, the other one is  near the church. The British vehicles have barely left when all hell breaks loose. The front British tank spots the two German tracked vehicles and takes them out at lightning speed. Then things go dramatically wrong for the attackers. Because of the dense smoke and narrow road, the first three British vehicles end up in a ditch. The following tank blasts the halftracks to pieces. The rear British tank also ends up in the ditch and the second Kangaroo is fired upon by the last German tracked vehicle. Despite being in the ditch, one of the British tanks manages to knock it out. As the smoke and fumes lift, 13 wrecks remain on the battlefield, eight German and five Allied. Seven Hghlanders and two Englishmen are killed, as are 23 Germans. The miniature battle enters the annals of the units involved as the ‘Terrier Battle’. Raamsdonksveer is eventually liberated via the second, longer route. At 10 pm the bridge at Keizersveer goes up. Operation Colin is over.