The Iron-Blooded Army of Beacon Fire

Chapter 278 Battle of Annihilation 11
While the Japanese return troops were tortured by the mobile team sent by He Wei with the mountain artillery captured from the Japanese army, the attack team on the main position also launched an operation against the Japanese troops facing them.

However, the tactical plan for the general attack on the main position has changed.

According to He Wei's original plan, the main force of the 103rd Division would be responsible for a comprehensive raid and conduct a comprehensive attack on the main positions occupied by the Japanese army. Then the special agent battalion troops led by He Wei would use the weak points of the Japanese army learned from the comprehensive raid. Make a little breakthrough.

Finally, the troops of the 103rd Division carried out a dense formation attack from the opened breach and captured the Japanese position in one fell swoop.

However, after the on-the-spot investigation by He Wei and his colleagues, they believed that the current military situation was urgent and it was probably too late to carry out a full-scale harassment. At the same time, He Shaozhou was also determined to rely on actual combat, relying on iron and blood to defeat his troops, and did not want to put the first The troops of the 03rd Division were consumed in feigning attacks and harassment.

Moreover, based on his many years of experience in the military, He Shaozhou expressed to He Wei another hidden concern about adopting harassment tactics, which is that former local army units with poor combat effectiveness, such as the 103rd Division, lack fighting will and fighting spirit. Perhaps the biggest gap compared with elite troops is the so-called "combat toughness."

Elite troops, those who can fight, can often achieve repeated defeats in battles, and they can work hard and continue unfailingly even three times. However, troops with poor combat effectiveness may not have this ability, and they are most likely to work hard at one go. Then it declined and even collapsed.

This is exactly what He Shaozhou meant. If the 103rd Division is allowed to organize a comprehensive raid, and the Japanese army gives a tough counterattack or even a counterattack, then the 103rd Division will be at risk of collapse.

Once a defeat occurs, it may be very difficult to organize the troops of the 103rd Division to launch a further attack. With the current combat effectiveness and combat resilience of the 103rd Division, it may not be possible to quickly gather the troops after the attack fails. And the ability to continue to run the offense.

After Zhou Xiang's thinking, He Wei also believed that He Shaozhou's view was reasonable, so he adopted his suggestion and began to modify the combat plan based on this, which was to change the original plan of comprehensive harassment, a small breakthrough, and concentrated attack to a comprehensive attack. Fierce attack, one breakthrough, concentrated annihilation!

In other words, there was no such thing as harassment or feigned attack. Instead, the entire 103rd Division was used to launch a full-scale attack on the Japanese positions, while He Wei led the troops of the special agent battalion to observe the Japanese positions. At the weak point, choose the opportunity to launch an attack and assist the 103rd Division in capturing the Japanese position!

Boom boom-
Boom boom-
At the main position, amidst the continuous explosions, the artillery's fierce bombardment of the Japanese positions continued. The positions occupied by the Japanese were already filled with smoke, roaring sounds, and flashes of fire.

A small artillery group consisting of four 150mm howitzers, four 75mm mountain guns and thirteen 82mm mortars was still bombarding the positions occupied by the Japanese at the maximum rate of fire.

The shock wave generated when the artillery salvos fired from the 14th-year-old Liao-made 150mm howitzers of the Howitzer Company of the Eighth Regiment of the National Army and the Bofors 75mm Mountain Artillery Company of the Army Artillery School Training Team's mountain artillery position were like a strong wind. scraped.

The eight artillery pieces that roared neatly retreated due to the recoil. The powerful recoil kicked up waves of loess in the artillery position, sweeping into the sky together with the smoke from the muzzle and rear of the gun. At the same time, one by one, 150mm grenades and 75mm mountain artillery shells also hit the Japanese positions heavily.

On the Japanese army's position, blue-black smoke pillars and red flames mixed together and shot straight into the sky. The dense continuous firing of yellow phosphorus bombs from the August 2nd mortars set off white fireworks on the Japanese army's position, making the Japanese army's position Most of the city was shrouded in smoke, and the yellow phosphorus shell smoke spreading everywhere was like a light fog barrier suddenly dropped by God.

On this local battlefield, the Chinese army had a rare advantage in artillery firepower over the Japanese. The Japanese troops occupying the front line of the 48th Division were equipped with only six barreled artillery pieces from three infantry brigades directly under the infantry artillery squad. Type 92 infantry guns and eight Type 41 75mm mountain guns of the artillery squadrons directly under the 38th Infantry Regiment and the 41st Infantry Regiment.

Faced with the fierce shelling of the Chinese army, the highest commander of the Japanese army in the position, Captain Tetsujiro Yamada of the 41st Infantry Regiment, was also extremely angry.

At first, in order to counterattack the Chinese artillery, Tetsujiro Yamada ordered his two regiment artillery squadrons to fight back with Type 41 mountain cannons. However, the eight Type 41 mountain cannons of these two squadrons had just been launched from their positions and had only completed test firings. The first round fired against the Chinese army's artillery position was too late to be fired. The Chinese army's 75mm Bofors Mountain artillery shell accurately hit the Japanese mountain artillery position.

As a result, in this ridiculous artillery counterattack by the Japanese army, the eight Type 41 mountain cannons failed to fire a total of 20 shells, and not a single shell hit the Chinese artillery position. Instead, two Type 41 mountain cannons were fired. The Chinese army's 75mm Bofors Mountain Cannon fired in counter-artillery operations was blown up.

The reason why the Japanese artillery met this fate was that the Chinese artillery they faced included the Mountain Artillery Company, the most elite training team of the Army Artillery School in all Chinese artillery.

This company is affiliated to the Army Artillery School, which is responsible for the further education of artillery officers across the country. The officers and soldiers are proficient in combat skills. All officers at all levels are graduates of the Artillery Department of Huangpu Military Academy. The sergeants and soldiers are also well-trained veterans.

More importantly, this company is not only equipped with the most advanced Swedish-imported Bofors 75mm mountain gun in the national army, but also carries a full set of German-imported observation equipment equipped by the artillery school.

With the addition of these observation equipment, the Chinese artillery on the battlefield has a far better perception of battlefield conditions than the Japanese army. Therefore, the Japanese army's eight Type 41 mountain cannons were locked by the mountain cannons of the artillery school training team during the test firing stage. , followed closely by the accurate and brutal blow of the Qiwu Mountain Cannon.

After this, the Japanese artillery on the main position no longer dared to fire back at the Chinese artillery on the battlefield.

In addition to the artillery equipped by the Japanese troops in the main position, the only ones that can provide support to the Japanese troops in the position are the two mountain artillery brigades of the Third Independent Mountain Artillery Regiment and a 75mm field artillery brigade deployed in the rear. .

Needless to say, the two mountain artillery brigades of the Third Independent Mountain Artillery Regiment were first attacked by Zhao Huzhen's tank company and lost all their equipment. Even the mountain artillery they were equipped with were used by the Chinese army to attack the Japanese army. Not to mention any fire support.

Although the field artillery brigade in the rear was firing safely, it was also powerless because the Japanese troops occupying the 48th Division's position were close to the Chinese army's positions, and they were intertwined. More importantly, because the Chinese The army's 82mm mortars continued to fire with yellow phosphorus bombs. The position occupied by the Japanese army was filled with white smoke, which seriously affected the observation effect of the Japanese field artillery.

In order to avoid accidental damage, the Japanese field artillery brigade arrayed in the rear did not dare to risk firing.

As a result, on this partial battlefield, the Chinese army's artillery rarely gained dominance, and the Chinese army's artillerymen also rarely had a good time.

At the forward position, He Wei and He Shaozhou stood side by side, surrounded by the whistling sound of artillery shells. He Wei raised his telescope, listening to the whistling sound of the artillery shells as they flew, and observing the impact point of the artillery bombardment.

The position was also buzzing with people. The trenches were filled with officers and soldiers of the 103rd Division holding Hanyang-made 103rd Division. The two regiments of the 103rd Division that were scheduled to participate in the attack were all in place and entered the front line. Attack starting position.

He Shaozhou stood in the trench, looking puzzled at the rows of pits in front of the position. The officers and soldiers of the 103rd Division in the position, like He Shaozhou, looked at the position with curiosity and confusion. There are rows of pits in front of me.

These pits are not ordinary pits. There is a thick wooden board in the pit, and a group of tied explosive blocks are placed on the wooden board, and the tail of one of the explosive blocks is tied with an attachment. The small rope on the wooden stick and this pit are the explosive flying thunder cannon pioneered by He Wei during the Battle of Xinkou. Now that the combat plan has been changed to a direct fierce attack, He Wei naturally wants to add firepower and spices to the attacking troops. In order to increase the firepower of the attacking troops of the 103rd Division, He Wei directly uses this of his own He took out the flying thunder cannon that had not been used for a long time and taught it to He Shaozhou and the troops of the 103rd Division without reservation.

The original intention of this kind of flying thunder cannon was actually to open up passages in minefields or to destroy obstacles. However, after a series of practices, He Wei found that it could be used directly to blow up people and be used as an explosive ejector. It's also very good.

Therefore, He Wei coordinated with He Shaozhou and asked the officers and soldiers of the special agent battalion to teach the construction method of the flying thunder cannon to the engineer company directly under the 103rd Division.

After that, in addition to the 103rd Division Engineer Company, He Shaozhou also mobilized the division's special agent company and the directly affiliated baggage company to assist the engineer company in emergency construction operations, and built two hundred positions in front of the 103rd Division's attack departure position. The flying thunder cannon fired at the position, and the consumption was quite huge.

Not only was the explosives in the 103rd Division's own inventory of ammunition depleted, but even the explosives in the 48th Division's inventory were borrowed by He Shaozhou, forming this large-scale flying thunder artillery position. .

Smelling the air full of gunpowder smoke and yellow phosphorus, and looking at the smoke column rising again from the Japanese army's position, He Wei nodded with satisfaction and put down the telescope. At this time, He Shaozhou also walked sideways and looked at He Wei. He asked worriedly: "He Wei, is this useless flying thunder cannon of yours really useful?"

Obviously, the handsome nephew is not very relieved about the flying thunder cannon created by He Wei, but this is human nature, after all, the flying thunder cannon is too inconspicuous.

If you don't see the effect this thing should have in actual combat, no one can connect this ordinary-looking thing with a powerful murder weapon.

He Wei smiled, patted his chest and said, "Sir, please don't worry. Just take a look. You will know in a moment."

Seeing that He Wei was so confident, He Shaozhou felt relieved and thought that since He Wei approved the flying thunder cannon, it would not be a big problem.

At this time, a sweaty colonel officer and a lieutenant colonel officer were also walking through the trenches and came to He Shaozhou. It was the main force of this attack, the 618th Regiment of the 103rd Division. Colonel Wan Shijiong, the commander of the regiment, and Lieutenant Colonel Wang Shuhuai, the commander of the 615th Regiment.

"Reporting to the division commander, our 615th Regiment is ready to attack!"

"Our 618th Regiment is ready to attack!"

The two main group leaders reported to He Shaozhou one after another.

He Shaozhou nodded, looking at the officers and soldiers on the position who were ready to attack, he felt more confident.

At this time, in the forward positions of the front line, the officers and soldiers of the engineer company directly under the 103rd Division were guarding in front of the newly repaired 200 flying thunder artillery positions, ready to be fired at any time and at any time.

Behind the flying thunder artillery position, there are the 618th Regiment and the 615th Regiment distributed in two lines, and the officers and soldiers of the He Wei Special Agent Battalion are being deployed in the communication trenches and concealment areas on the flanks of the position. After the main offensive troops rushed up, they were ready to attack at any time and attacked the weak points of the Japanese army.

It can be said that all preparations before the battle are in place, just waiting for the order of the general attack.

He Shaozhou looked at the officers and soldiers of the 103rd Division who were waiting to attack in the position, with a look of satisfaction on his face, nodded and said: "Okay, very good."

Although the current 103rd Division can't be said to have the appearance of a strong army, it has already changed a lot compared to the weak and decadent temperament of the old Guizhou Army's two-gun soldiers.

At least the officers and soldiers in the position are holding guns and preparing for battle seriously, waiting for the order to attack. At least they have the discipline of the troops. If it were placed in the past, the trenches would have been filled with smoke, and there would be smoke everywhere. The "smell" of smoke is gone.

Wan Shijiong, the commander of the 618th Regiment, continued to report: "Sir, the artillery of our division can also participate in the battle at any time. Do you want them to participate in the artillery bombardment?"

"How many cannons can be pulled up and fired?" He Shaozhou asked.

"Each of the three regiments of our division originally had a mortar company, each equipped with four 82 mortars. Now there are a total of seven 82 mortars, divided into two companies. It is time to let them Should we fire along with the friendly artillery, or should we wait for orders before firing?"

Wan Shijiong replied.

He Shaozhou looked at He Wei and said, "What do you think?"

"Sir, our artillery group has been shelling the Japanese army. The seven mortars of your division's artillery are also a powerful firepower. If they suddenly join the artillery group to bombard the Japanese positions, the Japanese army will definitely notice our artillery fire. Enhancement, and such an abnormality may arouse the vigilance of the Japanese army, so I think it is better for the artillery unit of your division to wait until our army's general attack begins before joining the artillery bombardment of the Japanese army's positions, in order to achieve unexpected results. "

He Wei immediately gave his advice to He Shaozhou.

He Shaozhou nodded slightly to He Wei, looked at his two regiment commanders, and said with pride: "Just do what Battalion Commander He said and let the artillery fire later so as not to alert the enemy. Tell the brothers, we are one zero Whether the Third Division can stand up depends on this battle. If this battle is fought and fought, our division will be a unit that can pull up and fight loudly. "

"It is said that our Guizhou army is a sheep army, a double-gunned force. Today is the day for us to change our appearance. Let the devil see the bloody nature of our Guizhou soldiers. In ten minutes, we will start a full-scale attack!"

(End of this chapter)