During phase 1 of Operation Mallard, which started on 14 November 1944 and in which 180,000 British soldiers took part, the Scottish 51st Highland Division had been instructed to cross the Wessem-Nederweert Canal south of Nederweert at the hamlet of Schoor and to establish a bridgehead on the other bank of the canal. A little bit further to the north, they had to capture the lock at Hulsen by crossing both the canal and the Noordervaart towards Nederweert-Eind. This phase of the liberation of Central Limburg has gone down in history as the Battle of the Canals.

 From the new bridgeheads on both canal banks, phase 1 of Operation Mallard would then be continued towards the more easterly villages of Heythuysen and Roggel, to finally push on to the villages of Neer, Horn, Beegden, Heel, and Buggenum, all located in Central Limburg on the river Meuse. This marked the completion of Operation Mallard.