page_title: First Battle of Maryang-san
section_title: The Hinge, 6–8 October 1951
hierarchical_section_title: First Battle of Maryang-san / Battle / The Hinge, 6–8 October 1951
caption_attribution_description: AWM caption: Korea. October 1951. Unidentified Australian medium machine gunners stand by ready to give supporting fire to mates of C Company, the 3rd Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (3RAR), as they move up to attack a hill in the smoke of an earlier New Zealand artillery barrage. Note the piles of expended .303 cartridges and used ammunition belts below the gun.
context_page_description: The First Battle of Maryang-san, also known as the Defensive Battle of Maliangshan, was fought during the Korean War between United Nations Command forces—primarily Australian and British—and the Chinese People's Volunteer Army. The fighting occurred during a limited UN offensive by US I Corps, codenamed Operation Commando. This offensive ultimately pushed the PVA back from the Imjin River to the Jamestown Line and destroyed elements of four PVA armies following heavy fighting. The much smaller battle at Maryang San took place over a five-day period, and saw the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment dislodge a numerically superior PVA force from the tactically important Kowang san and Maryang san features, in conjunction with other units of the 1st Commonwealth Division.
  Using tactics first developed against the Japanese in New Guinea during the Second World War, the Australians gained the advantage of the high ground and assaulted the PVA positions from unexpected directions. They then repelled repeated PVA counterattacks aimed at re-capturing Maryang San, with both sides suffering heavy casualties before the Australians were finally relieved by a British battalion.
context_section_description: With both sides exhausted from the fighting the night of 5/6 October was less eventful than expected, and the Australians used the opportunity to develop their position. To add further depth to their defences and to probe the PVA positions, Taylor ordered the Australians to capture the central remaining PVA position, the Sierra feature—a wooded knoll halfway between the summit of Maryang San and the Hinge—the next day. Meanwhile, the Fusiliers would renew their attack on Hill 217. The southern approach to Hill 217 had proved to be too strongly defended by the PVA and it became obvious that if it was to be overcome Taylor would need to split the fire of its defenders. To do this the high ground to the north-west of Maryang San, known as the Hinge, would be vital. Indeed, adjacent to Hill 217, the Hinge dominated it from the north. As such for the next assault, planned for the morning, the Fusiliers would detach their reserve company to attack the Hinge from the east, using the Australian positions on Maryang San as a firm base and thereby allowing them to outflank their opponents on Hill 217.
  At 07:00 on 6 October, 9 Platoon C Company—under the command of Lieutenant Arthur Pembroke—moved forward to Sierra, using the heavy mist to conceal their movements. Under-strength and not expecting the feature to be occupied, instead the Australians found a large number of PVA in well prepared defensive positions. Without fire support and outnumbered, the Australians immediately conducted a quick attack and, using grenades and bayonets, they inflicted heavy casualties on the PVA before forcing the survivors to withdraw. Although subjected to constant shelling, 9 Platoon continued to hold the knoll, repelling several counterattacks over the next 13 hours, cutting down each assault through the tree-line and long grass with accurate rifle and machine-gun fire, forcing the PVA to withdraw leaving their dead and wounded behind. One Australian was killed in the initial assault on Sierra, while a number were later wounded during the defence. PVA casualties included 19 killed, 30 wounded and seven captured. Pembroke was later awarded the Military Cross.
  During the day the Fusiliers again assaulted Hill 217 from the south, and attempted to work their way around the eastern and western flanks of the feature. Despite preparation by the divisional artillery and the 3 RAR Machine Gun Platoon firing their Vickers machine guns in support from Maryang San, the Fusiliers were unable to make progress due to PVA machine-guns located in bunkers at the top of their objective. Meanwhile, their flanking movements were also blocked by PVA small arms fire and grenades. 1 RNF had now taken over 100 casualties during two days of fighting and by the afternoon they were a spent force. Sensing the Fusiliers' weakness, the PVA then launched their own assault, forcing them to withdraw in contact. Previous plans for an assault on the Hinge had not occurred due to issues with resupply and the dangerous approach march that would have been required. Again, despite their efforts, the Fusiliers had failed to capture their objective. It seemed that the only way to finally secure Hill 217 was along the ridge from Hill 317, via the Hinge, and as such the Australians would be tasked with capturing the Hinge the following day. B Company was subsequently allocated the attack. In preparation, they ascended Hill 317 late in the afternoon of 6 October, finally securing the crest, and at last light joined 9 Platoon on the knoll northwest of the summit where they would form up the next day to conduct the assault.
  In the early hours of 7 October the allied artillery and mortar bombardment began, targeting PVA positions on the Hinge. Hassett moved the 3 RAR tactical headquarters on to Hill 317 just before the assaulting troops stepped off the line of departure, allowing him to direct the battle from a forward position and to co-ordinate fire support. Waiting for the fog to lift so that the artillery could fire until the last safe moment, the attack finally began at 08:00. B Company m
caption: Australian Vickers machine-gunners firing in support of the assault by C Company 3 RAR on Hill 317.
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