 A Company 's forward observer , Lieutenant Neville Clark , a Citizens Military Force ( CMF ) officer , had moved to the forward platoon and proceeded to calmly direct artillery from the guns at Fire Support Base Giraffe on to the Viet Cong . Meanwhile , the Viet Cong attempted to use " hugging tactics " to remain in close contact under the artillery barrage , while utilising rockets , grenades , machine @-@ guns and small arms to inflict casualties on the Australians . Finally , with the communists massing for an all @-@ out attack Clark adjusted the artillery to within 50 metres ( 55 yd ) of his own position , disregarding his own safety in order to break up the attack . Firing from over 10 @,@ 000 metres ( 11 @,@ 000 yd ) away , the Australian 105 mm howitzers were nearly at their 11 @,@ 000 @-@ metre ( 12 @,@ 000 yd ) maximum range , yet they proved to be highly accurate and the rounds caused heavy casualties among the assaulting troops as they stood up to charge the Australian positions , while a few Australians were also slightly wounded after one of the rounds struck a tree . In total , the 106th Field Battery and the supporting American battery of the US 2 / 35th Artillery Battalion fired 1 @,@ 026 rounds in support of A Company during the fighting , while American 8 @-@ inch and 175 mm heavy artillery fired another 156 rounds . A number of airstrikes had also supported the Australians . 
