The soldiers who had been working on the defenses in the outpost zone since September 1939 were generally poorly trained conscripts, entirely unprepared for the battle they would face on May 11. Their opponents that day were the highly trained and fanatical SS soldiers of the Der Führer Regiment.

The inundation that bordered the outpost zone to the north had been withdrawn shortly before the German invasion due to a breached dam. This created a dry strip that was not defended by prepared positions. The Germans took full advantage of this gap to break into the defensive line.

Attacks from the side and rear

In groups of 35 to 40 men, the Germans repeatedly attacked the isolated Dutch positions from the side and rear—positions often constructed to defend only against an enemy approaching from the front. The Dutch were also outmatched in terms of weaponry. The submachine guns used by the SS were absent on the Dutch side. Additionally, Dutch artillery could barely assist the beleaguered soldiers in the outpost zone. Due to failed communications, it was unclear where to fire without risking hitting their own troops.

In German hands

The attack on the outpost zone initially progressed from north to south. Shortly after noon, the northern half was in German hands. Major Voigt requested permission to retreat to the Grebbeberg, but this was denied. Slowly, the southern part of the outpost zone was also overrun. In the afternoon, Voigt’s command post came into the sights of the German troops. Voigt wrote about this moment:

"Due to the enemy’s advance, orders were given to burn all messages, maps, and documents in the trench stoves. At approximately 16:00, the command post was surrounded after being subjected to artillery fire. At 16:30, resistance was abandoned when the exits of the command post were under enemy machine gun fire, and further resistance was futile and served no purpose."

The Surrender

Soldier Peters witnessed the surrender. He recounted:
"The Germans stood at the entrance and shouted, ‘Holländer, heraus!’ So we did. Major Voigt asked me if I would carry his briefcase. I thought: I’d better do it, because with a high-ranking officer nearby, you have a better chance of getting through safely than with the common soldiers."

The men from the command post were driven toward Wageningen. "Just as we entered Wageningen, we received a burst of machine gun fire from the foreground. The man next to me was shot in the head. Several others also fell."

Later, Peters and a few comrades were forced to pull a piece of German field artillery toward the Grebbeberg. They found themselves caught in the crossfire between the Germans, who were taking cover in the ditch behind them, and the Dutch soldiers on the Berg. Peters felt bullets whizzing past his head and feared this was the end. But he was lucky. Eventually, they were allowed to leave the artillery piece behind, and with their hands behind their necks, he marched away from the battlefield.