Tactically the cave complex on Nui Thi Vai was an extremely difficult thing to approach. The system was a jumble of rocks some the size of houses with trees and scrub growing up between. Think of a bucket of lap stones filled with sand, now wash out some sand, and this is what the complex resembled on a larger scale. They covered a large area high above the plains below. Though called caves, they were really a pile of huge boulders; a sniper's paradise; these would give any defender a multitude of possible firing points; to strike when and where he wished, with the possibility to change position without being seen. The slope this complex occupied was very steep; around an ratio of 3 in 1 or a little less than 45 degrees. The Anti-Tank Platoon had lost one NCO killed, and an officer with Support Company HQ accompanying them, was wounded by snipers while trying to get passed the cave complex the day before the action below.

18th October 1966: The platoon had no allusions as to whether this enemy would defend the cave complex or not. It was thought highly probable they would! The platoon being at this time drastically under strength (approximately 22 men out of 30). The normal three sections were blended into two groups. (From hereon, referred to as 2 and 3 sections). The platoon commander 2/Lt John Macaloney, with the 2 Section forward scout Pte G. H. D'Antoine, worked up to what appeared to be the main cave entrance. As 2 Section followed up alternately covering and moving, agitated hand signaling from nervous NCOs, was the order of the day. There had been many incidences with booby traps during earlier operations (Canberra) on the mountain. Every man was dreading that the next step might hurl him into the air in a turmoil of smoke, dust and debris, or the man standing in front could disappear in a red-black flash!

Up to this point there had been absolute silence as 2 Section's machine gun moved to the high ground above the main cave and 3 Section were covering from the front. 2/Lt. Macaloney accompanied by the rest of 2 Section, eventually got close enough to carefully peer around the rock face into the largest cave entrance and he could see what appeared to be the workings of a booby trap device when suddenly a single gunshot rang out! All were instantly frozen; no one had seen where the shot had come from. Pte Gordon D'Antoine made some comment, and Macaloney replied to the forward scout to "take cover." The platoon was now extremely uneasy, but there was nothing to shoot at and no one appeared hit. There is little that can compare to the sensation of thinking a gun-sight might be on you from somewhere! In deadly anticipation we stared at each other in the gloomy half light of the forest floor. There had been no cry of contact! Was it an A D? (accidental discharge). The answer came perhaps five seconds later when a second shot hit D'Antoine in the back. The sniper had fired from one of the many gaps between the large boulders and Gordon D'Antoine collapsed to the ground. Still We could not fire! No one could see the snipers position. 2/Lt Macaloney worried that the platoon might explode into uncontrolled fire among the angled rock faces that surrounded us, was now forced to identify himself to the enemy as the leader. He ordered the platoon to hold its fire "unless you have a target" and 2 Section's machine gun to be brought into position to cover him as he was going to attempt to recover the mortally wounded D'Antoine now lying exposed near the base of the cave. He yelled to his frustrated platoon that he wanted only controlled fire! 2 Section and its machine gun crew rapidly moved into position. An M79 Grenade Launcher was fired into the deeper gaps between the rocks. Macaloney ordered 2 Section machine gun group of privates Chris Kuchenmeister and David Goodman to open fire into the sniper's likely firing position; he then rushed out to pull D'Antoine back. Meanwhile the platoon tried to cover every possible entrance or opening a sniper might possibly fire from. A sniper was suddenly sighted adjusting his position within the cave system, when Corporal Burge, Section Commander 2 Section took a carefully aimed shot and hit the man in the upper body, he was heard to fall down and strike the floor of the cave complex. Cpl Burge yelled out to Macaloney that "I hit him!" I saw him clearly." This sniper was almost certainly trying to position himself to kill Macaloney who said later "I actually heard the man fall to the cave floor!" Macaloney having now recovered the wounded D'Antoine, 2 Section was ordered to continue controlled fire into the cave system to suppress the snipers while 3 Section withdrew some distance and a hasty re-assessment was made of the situation.

Medical assistance was quickly organised for D'Antoine and a stretcher party was ordered to get him to A Company's position at a temporary 'LZ' (Landing Zone) further down the mountain as fast as possible. It was decided the platoon needed to change tactics. The natural formation of the cave complex offered snipers' endless opportunities to change positions. As quickly as one felt secure from one position a sniper would be able to fire from another. It was decided a flamethrower was the answer and two were immediately ordered to be prepared and delivered by chopper from the base at Nui Dat. These were duly delivered via an LZ on the mountain. When the equipment arrived, a quick test and familiarisation was made to ensure everything was in order. After all one would not wish to step out in front of the cave, have the thing go pop! and blow smoke rings at 'Charlie!'

The platoon now prepared to attack the cave complex a second time, using one flamethrower team, covered by the 2 Section machine gun. 3 Section was nominated to provide the 2 man flamethrower team and it was suggested by 2/Lt Macaloney that Pte Allen "Snowy" Walden, might perhaps volunteer to carry the flamethrower device? And Pte "Bugs" McKenzie might -- err -- volunteer also to be his number two? Macaloney, being as confident as ever of success, would accompany them in person as the third team member. (Hereafter to be referred to as the F.Team)

It was a pivotal moment; all were now thinking of the consequences for Allen Walden if this flamethrower device were to be hit by small arms fire -- theirs or ours, as it would mean almost certain death engulfed in a ball of fire! It was also obvious that if this were to happen, it would be impossible to separate Walden from the apparatus as there would be no way of suppressing the burning chemical! And all the while the enemy snipers would be able cover the area. It was an horrendous thought! And in light of the accuracy demonstrated by the enemy over 2 days, it was an appalling risk to take. It was never said but you could read it in the mens' eyes ...'poor Snowy he's probably a goner mate!' Close combat in war, shatters all pretensions about ones self. (Truth! in a moment, is here discovered, that in all conscience, "might torture you for life!") For no one offered to take his place.

As the platoon moved back up to assault the cave complex it was noticed that D'Antoine's rifle, an M16 Armalite automatic rifle, was still lying where it had fallen when he had been shot. In this position, it would be destroyed by the flamethrower. 2/Lt Macaloney decided this must be recovered first. In view of the morning's action many felt this to be almost foolhardy. Often things are decided in the heat of battle that on later reflection might be considered to have been unwise at the time. He went on to inform the platoon he was going to retrieve this weapon himself, using once again 'controlled fire', to cover his movement.

Grenades were now thrown into the cave mouth and the platoon opened fire. Lt Macaloney quickly moved foreword to recover the Armalite. As ricochet and rebounding rounds from the platoon's covering fire smacked the rock faces around him, he seized the rifle, but as he turned to come back, suddenly he cried out! He appeared to stagger, go down on one knee and drop the weapon. It was not clear at first what had happened, it appeared he had been shot by the enemy and we all thought "well that's Macaloney done for!" When he suddenly recovered himself, snatched the rifle from the ground, and dashed back to cover. It was believed he had in fact been struck in the temple by a ricochet from the platoon covering fire. Though bleeding profusely from a head wound, he now insisted on immediately leading the flamethrower team forward to the cave complex, covered by the M60 machine gun.

Due to the angled rock faces all around us, and having already been wounded possibly by the platoon's covering fire, the danger of once again risking a ricochet, rebound or worse from the platoon's weapons, was obvious in such a rocky confined space. (Macaloney was heard to say later in reference to the recovery of the rifle incident above -- "it was better to risk perhaps being shot by my own people, than to be shot for certain, by the enemy!").

In light of this earlier experience, along with the plan to have 3 men of F.Team now moving across the front of this confined rock space, the risk from the platoon's covering fire would be unacceptable. This covering fire would have to be stopped the moment the flamethrower team began to move. The plan was that the team would quickly move to the front of the caves, spray the chemical unburned into the main entrance and withdraw; only then would the chemical be ignited and flames engulf the caves. Pte Walden was unsure about this, as he felt not lighting the device would leave him rather vulnerable to enemy fire. It was explained that 'not' to ignite the flame thrower device at first, would maintain the element of surprise. (The platoon had been careful to camouflage their intentions by keeping this device out of sight). This would also lesson the risk to Walden if the device were struck by small arms fire. He would always be covered by 2 Section's machine gun situated high and to the left along with the riflemen of 3 Section from cover in front of the caves but there could be no actual suppressive fire once the F. Team began to move! And though it had been some time since the enemy had reacted, there could be no guarantee they were not just laying low merely waiting for us to attack. If so, the F.Team could then be simply 'shot down' as soon as the platoon stopped its covering fire! The lives of the F.Team would now depend on how! This was done.

Late afternoon the second assault on the caves began. The two men of the F.Team accompanied by 2/Lt Macaloney prepared to advance from the right side of the cave. As the machine gun opened fire. Fading afternoon light amplified the sparks flickering off the granite-like hard rock as the bullets struck. Now and then between the steady bursts of machine gun fire, a tracer round would ricochet and shriek out though the canopy like some demented firefly. Then all firing was suddenly ordered to stop! The F.Team were now reliant on only their own weapons and the vigilance of the 2 Section's machine gun along with 3 Section's riflemen behind rocks in front of the caves. The F.Team had been waiting against a vertical rock wall on the right side of the cave mouth, they rushed forward, across the front of the caves, and the cave entrance was spayed with chemical; this only took about 20 seconds or so, but these were the slowest 20 seconds of their lives! The chemical was then ignited; roaring flames suddenly appeared from gaps all around the Cave complex. The platoon had not realised until now, just how many firing points for the snipers had existed. Pte Walden soon found himself standing in the mouth of the main cave, silhouetted against the reflected light of the flamethrower. He stated later that for him this was the most terrifying point in the action, with the real possibility of being shot from the front by the enemy, and from behind by his own platoon; at one point he felt he could easily have been shot in the head by his own number two! He rounded on the equally nervous and unfortunate Pte Mackenzie at the time and left him in no doubt as to the opinion in the matter, in a way only a son of the Southern Cross could! (He has re-lived this whole scene on many occasions since) The F.Team now withdrew back to cover. In the face of flames and grenades, the enemy had been forced to withdraw back though the complex, taking possibly one casualty with them. The objective had been gained, hard won but not yet secured, for the caves were found to be infested with booby traps. It was now almost dark. Unfortunately booby traps and the dark do not compute!

2/Lt Macaloney was now faced with a conundrum; the platoon had been fighting for over six hours, lost one killed and over 500 rounds had been expended by 2 Section's machine gun alone!. The objective had been achieved, however it was almost dark. Occupying these caves infested with booby traps in the dark was out of the question. But if he withdrew, the enemy could re-occupy the cave complex and it would all have to be done again tomorrow! The platoon could not harbour in front of the caves, for if the enemy re-occupied the position during the night, this would give them a lethal advantage at daybreak! There was also the real risk, during the night, the enemy might get inside our defensive perimeter via the large number of unknown tunnels and exits around the area. There was no option; he ordered the platoon to withdraw from this hard won position, back to the company's position on top of the mountain. We would have to move back up quickly as it was already getting dark. All understood the implications, the enemy would most probably realise we had withdrawn; they would then re-occupy the caves. During the following early hours, a mortar bombardment on the caves tried to discourage "Mr. Charles" from preparing a reception for us in the morning. We had doubts as to its effectiveness, maybe it would interfere with his reception of "Hanoi Hanna."