 During the morning , while a diversionary attack was made by the 2 / 23rd Battalion , and patrols from the 2 / 24th to the north attempted to break through , a company from the 2 / 48th , under the command of Captain Deane Hill , attempted to reach the summit at Sattelberg . Two platoons launched attacks during the early afternoon , but were beaten back by the twenty Japanese defenders that were dug in around the spur . Late in the afternoon , a third platoon , 11 Platoon , under the command of Sergeant ( later Lieutenant ) Tom Derrick , attempted another attack from further to the right of the position but it too was checked by machine @-@ gun fire and lobbed grenades . As the light began to fade , Derrick reported his lack of progress to his company commander and was subsequently ordered to withdraw , so that another attempt could be made in the morning . Derrick 's response to this order was to obfuscate , however , and instead of withdrawing , he subsequently led his platoon forward , attacking 10 Japanese positions with grenades as his men supported him with Bren and Owen submachine @-@ gun fire . 
