hillside and bounded on the other side by sheer drop into a river and known as The Ledge. Blowing the hillside on to the road would cause the Japanese invasion force considerable delay. Thailand Forces Royal Thai Police Opposing this Commonwealth invasion force was the resistance of the policemen and volunteers from Betong under Major Prayoon Rattanakit, who caused further delays to the column. The Thai Police were, at the same time combating the Japanese 5th Division at Pattani, prior to a ceasefire between the two sides. Japanese Forces '''IJA 5th Infantry Division'’' 42nd Infantry Regiment - Colonel Tadao Ando Battalion, 42nd Regiment - Major Shigeharu Asaeda 2 Companies, 14th Tank Regiment Battle of Betong Krohcol crossed the frontier some 14 hours after the landings at Kota Bharu, on 8 December, and met opposition force from Thai policemen and civilian volunteers led by Major Prayoon Rattanakit, police commissioner of the town of Betong. This force harassed the British column from the safety of the surrounding forests and felled rubber trees across the narrow road, slowing down the progress of the Bren gun carriers. In the meantime much of the Thai population of Betong evacuated the town, leaving behind Chinese and Indian merchants. Thai resistance delayed the Punjabis until the following afternoon and they did not reach the town of Betong, only five miles (8 km) inside the frontier, until the evening of 9 December. When Krohcol entered Betong, a Thai constable commanding a police unit allowed them to pass through unopposed. He then approached Lt Col Moorhead and courteously apologised for the "mistake." However, it is not known why Moorhead did not immediately push on to the Ledge, but the delay proved fatal. Race for the Ledge 10 December On the morning of 10 December, 3/16th Punjab set off from Betong and headed for the Ledge, 26 miles (42 km) away. The Japanese 42nd Regiment of the 5th Division with two companies of light tanks, which had landed at Pattani at 03:00, won the race, reaching the Ledge at midday on 10 December. About 14:00, while advancing through a ravine above the Pattani River and still a mile (1.6 km) short of the Ledge at km 37, Krohcol's advance A (P.M.) Company (Subadar Sher Khan) came under fire again, this time from the Japanese 5th Division. A Company had advanced around a hill and was out of sight when it