 In order to open the road the Argylls moved to clear the Chinese off the high ground located 500 to 1,000 metres (550 to 1,090 yd) east of the road. The hill, about 45 metres (49 yd) high, offered clear fields of fire to the west over the paddy fields to the Taeryong River and dominated the Pakchon – Sinanju road running beside the river. Supported by four Sherman tanks, machine-guns and mortars, A Company captured the hill at 10: 00. Wilson occupied the summit with a reinforced platoon, before withdrawing the remainder of the company to the road, where the 3-inch mortar and Vickers medium machine-gun sections were established. Meanwhile, B Company — under the command of Major Alastair Gordon-Ingram — attacked the second Chinese road block, again supported by a number of American tanks. Back in action, the guns from C Battery also fired in support of the British infantry, and after a vigorous engagement in which Gordon-Ingram was wounded the Chinese were compelled to withdraw, leaving many of their dead on the road. A number were later found to have been carrying demolition charges, presumably for use against the bridge at Anju. With the survivors of the battle seen moving into the hills, Neilson then ordered B and C Companies to establish positions on the eastern flank in order to protect the road. Although the Chinese had been cleared from the gun-line and the hills around Pakchon, further attacks to the south continued to threaten the 27th British Commonwealth Brigade's position, which remained perilous. The fighting continued, and at 11: 00 the Chinese mounted a heavy counter-attack on the A Company outpost, wounding six men. The Argylls were then forced to withdraw from the high ground under the cover of sustained fire from two Vickers medium machine-guns sited on the road, and became pinned down on the reverse slope.
