Battle of Derapet The Battle of Derapet was fought near the village of Derapat in the Tangi Valley in Deh Rahwod , Orūzgān Province , southern Afghanistan , between a combined Australian Army and Afghan National Army patrol and Taliban forces on 24 August 2010 . Australian forces had only recently taken over responsibility for Deh Rahwod as part of a major expansion of their area of operations which took place following the Dutch withdrawal from Afghanistan in August . The combined coalition patrol included 20 Australians and 20 Afghan National Army troops . The small Australian force from 1st Mentoring Task Force ( MTF - 1 ) based in Tarin Kowt included two sections of dismounted infantry and two ASLAV - 25 guncars and was tasked with a fighting patrol to find and inflict damage on insurgent forces known to be in the area . The patrol used an aqueduct to move into Derapet after engineers nearby had identified fighting - aged males moving into the area while women and children were seen leaving the valley . Initially contacted by a large Taliban force of 90 – 100 insurgents from positions less than away , the Australian and Afghan troops counter - attacked from six different positions , engaging the insurgents with small arms , machine - gun fire and anti - armour rockets , while the cavalry engaged from the high ground in fire support . AH - 64 Apache attack helicopters also provided close air support , while one round of precision - guided medium artillery from a US M777 howitzer was also used in support . A quick reaction force ( QRF ) was available nearby but was not required . Finally , after three and half hours of intense fighting the Australians and Afghans were running low on ammunition and broke contact , moving back through the QRF which was holding the rear , to their Bushmaster PMV s at the vehicle drop - off point , prior to moving back to the patrol base at Anar Juy . One Australian soldier was shot and killed during the fighting and was subsequently evacuated by helicopter which took fire in conducting the medical evacuation , while no Afghan National Army casualties were reported . The ASLAVs had proven decisive , with the range and accuracy of their weapons and sensors allowing them to provide very effective support to the Australian infantry . Over 30 Taliban insurgents were reportedly killed during the battle , while more were thought to have been killed or wounded and then carried away by other fighters as they retreated . The surviving Taliban subsequently retreated into the mountains . Corporal Daniel Keighran was awarded the Victoria Cross for Australia for his actions during this battle . Keighran " with complete disregard for his own safety , broke cover on multiple occasions to draw intense and accurate enemy fire to identify enemy locations and direct return fire from Australian and Afghan fire support elements " . Later in the battle Keighran " when his patrol sustained a casualty , again on his own initiative and in an act of exceptional courage , . . . moved from his position of cover to deliberately draw fire away from the team who were treating the casualty . " Other soldiers awarded for their actions in the battle were Lieutenant James Fanning ( Distinguished Service Medal ) , Sergeant Sean Lanigan and Private Paul Langer ( Medal of Gallantry ) and Private Sean Parker ( Commendation for Gallantry ) .