 On 7 November , the 24th US Infantry Division and 27th British Commonwealth Brigade followed up the Chinese withdrawal with a limited probing advance . That morning Australian clearing patrols killed seven Chinese soldiers , before 3 RAR prepared to advance with the remainder of the brigade . C Company occupied Hill 74 2 @.@ 5 kilometres ( 1 @.@ 6 mi ) to the north @-@ east without opposition , only to discover a North Korean company on the reverse slope . The Australians engaged the North Koreans with machine @-@ gun fire , inflicting heavy losses on the defenders and capturing five before forcing them to withdraw towards Tang @-@ dong harried by artillery and airstrikes . The remainder of the battalion deployed on the right , while the Argylls occupied two hills further north . The brigade 's advance had forestalled a planned North Korean attack on the night of 7 / 8 November , while large numbers of Chinese dead from the previous fighting were also discovered . On 9 November the advance wheeled to the north @-@ west around Pakchon , with 3 RAR moving forward another 3 kilometres ( 1 @.@ 9 mi ) to the east , encountering little resistance and taking a number of prisoners in the process . From 11 November the 27th British Commonwealth Brigade advanced slowly north . On 16 November 3 RAR occupied Hill 117 , on a bend in the Taeryong River 3 kilometres ( 1 @.@ 9 mi ) north of Pakchon . Over the following weeks they remained in the Pakchon area , conducting extensive patrolling up to company @-@ size , and clashing with small groups of Chinese and North Koreans . As winter approached the weather became bitterly cold amid snow and strong winds . Unprepared for the extreme conditions the Australians increasingly suffered health problems , particularly among the older members of the battalion . Lacking the training and equipment for operations in ice and snow , maintenance also proved burdensome before additional US cold weather clothing and equipment was issued . 
