Haktang-ni (Korean: 학당리, Hakdang-ri) is an isolated ridge about 1,500 meters long, extending from south to north and dominating the surrounding plain for hundreds of metres in each direction.

[8][9] The Belgian battalion arrived at Haktang-ni at 14:00[10] in the no-man's land 4 miles (6.4 km) in front of other UN positions[11] held by the US 65th Infantry Regiment between UN and PVA lines on 10 October 1951 and dug in.

[12] The Belgian Contingent was badly under strength at the time of the battle (comprising only 560 men instead of the more usual 900) since the battle occurred in the middle of a troop rotation in which many soldiers who had been in Korea since February 1951 (including a Luxembourg detachment, which formed part of A Company) had returned home in September 1951 – and reinforcements had not arrived.

[14] As evening fell on the night of 11 October, the Belgians again came under fire – this time from PVA 60mm mortars from neighbouring Hill 317.

A second patrol from the Reconnaissance Platoon reached nearby Hill 317 found a PVA ammunition dump, which they destroyed, and then returned to Haktang-ni.

[16] The thick fog that had covered the battlefield during the day dispersed at 23:30 at the same moment as the main PVA assault began on the Heavy Weapons Company.

The PVA troops were advancing on the front line of the Reconnaissance Platoon in perfect silence, moving through the barbed wire, when they can under fire from machine guns and flamethrowers.