The Germans had positioned heavy guns at Nansum, Delfzijl, Fiemel, and along the banks of the River Ems. Although these guns were originally intended to engage aircraft and ships, they could also be used effectively against troops on the ground. The flat Groningen countryside made the Canadian advance especially difficult and dangerous. There were few places where soldiers could find cover. Ditches, waterways, and dikes forced the troops to move cautiously and slowly.

While the end of the war already seemed near in many parts of the Netherlands, fierce fighting continued here in the Eemsdelta region. On the evening of 23 April 1945, the battle for the Delfzijl Pocket began in earnest. Two platoons of C Company, The Perth Regiment, moved eastward from Godlinze. Passing through Grote Nes and Kleine Nes, two farmsteads located between Bierum and Holwierde, they advanced toward Holwierde. By the following morning, they had reached their positions, but almost immediately came under heavy German fire.