 On 13 or 14 January Masselink's group met up with 27 former soldiers who had retretated from Tanahwangko.As they began preparing for the guerrilla fighting, the high desertion rate had shrunk Masselink's group to 5 troops.The Abbink / Masselink group soon learned of the Dutch forces' surrender in Manado and lost contact with Schillmöller's group.