The Iron-Blooded Army of Beacon Fire

Chapter 381 The most tragic day for the Japanese Marines 4
Just before and after He Wei ordered the mountain artillery company to launch counter-artillery suppression fire on the Japanese artillery, in the open space in the center of the Japanese position, a temporary small artillery group composed of the artillery squadrons under the 4th Special Marine Corps and the 5th Special Marine Corps of the Japanese Navy Wu Naval Base were frantically pouring shells on the wide deployment position.

Amid the continuous booming of artillery fire, blue smoke continued to emerge from the muzzles of seven 7mm Type 75 mountain guns, and in the hot air waves, 41mm grenades were fired at the main attack force of the first battalion that had already reached the front-line positions of the Japanese army.

Since the Japanese Marine Corps commanded by Kitaro Tsuchiji launched a landing operation on the west bank of the Fuchi River, these two artillery squadrons have been the core artillery firepower of the Japanese landing force.

Although these two artillery squadrons were badly beaten by the mountain artillery company of the assault corps in the failed river crossing and landing operation, not only did they suffer many casualties, but they also had a Type 41 mountain cannon damaged, which was quite embarrassing.

But even so, they were still valuable artillery firepower pillars for the Japanese Marines who were retreating into their positions at this time.

In order to use artillery fire to stop the Chinese troops that were about to attack the front-line positions, the two mountain artillery squadrons were firing at the fastest speed. The squadron leader, team leader, and gunner's open fire orders came one after another. The Japanese Marine Corps gunners operating the mountain artillery were overwhelmed by the continuous and intensive commands and had to fire at the fastest speed.

In order to open fire as quickly as possible, the Japanese Marine Corps gunners no longer followed the artillery drills and combat shooting procedures in the artillery drill manual that was regarded as the golden rule during daily training. All procedures that were considered redundant and time-wasting were simplified.

The ammunition handlers half-knelt and held the shells. After setting the fuse on the shells, they quickly removed the safety of the shells. They did not hand the shells to the ammunition carriers as required by the manual, but directly held or even dragged the shells to the loaders.

After receiving the shells, the loaders guarding behind the mountain artillery stuffed the shells into the barrel as quickly as possible. As soon as the shells were loaded into the barrel, the Japanese gunner in charge of firing would pull the gun rope hard and fire.

Seeing that the bunkers, machine gun nests and even communication trenches in their front-line positions had been suppressed by the Chinese army's artillery fire and the front-line positions were in danger, the Japanese artillery in the center of the position became furious. They fired frantically, completely disregarding the ammunition reserves and the mechanical properties of their artillery. It didn't take long for the artillery blocking fire of the main attack force of the battalion in front of the position to use up the pre-stored shells in the ammunition storage fortifications in the artillery position, and the artillery position was littered with yellow cartridges.

Not only did the Japanese Marine Corps infantry who were fighting hard on the front line suffer an unprecedented blow, but for the two squadrons of Japanese artillery, the intensity of the battle was also unprecedented in the Chinese battlefield.

After the shells stored in the ammunition storage fortifications were used up, in order to speed up the firing rate of the artillery, two Japanese artillery squadrons risked the risk of explosion and moved the mountain artillery ammunition auxiliary vehicles filled with shells and boxes of unopened 75mm mountain artillery shells to the vicinity of the artillery positions to directly supply each gun with their own weapons. This risky behavior indeed greatly increased the firing rate of the Japanese artillery.

Boom
Whizzing
The "whoosh" sound of the shells breaking through the air came from far away and was accompanied by dense rumbling sounds that kept sweeping over the Japanese army's front-line positions. The Japanese army's seven Type 7 mountain cannons kept bombarding the main attack force of the first battalion in front of the front-line positions.

而中国军队的6门94式75毫米山炮、18门布朗德式60毫米迫击炮和4门布朗德式81毫米迫击炮则如雨点一般向日军的一线阵地砸下去，双方的炮兵射击猛烈程度已然达到了最顶峰。

In the field command post of the artillery squadron of the 5th Special Marine Corps, the squadron leader, Captain Arita, had red eyes and kept shouting into the telephone transmitters leading to various artillery positions: "Fire! Fire hard! Blast these damn Chinese soldiers to death!"

"Open fire! All squadrons, open fire!"

One hundred meters behind the command post, four Type 41 mountain cannons of the artillery squadron of the 41th Special Marine Corps were firing continuously. Under the high-intensity continuous firing, the four Type mountain cannons kept bouncing up and falling from the ground. The recoil impact waves of the mountain artillery shells when fired stirred up pieces of dust and dead branches and leaves, which swept into the sky together with the smoke escaping from the muzzle and tail of the gun.

The Japanese Marine gunner, sweating all over and shirtless, was panting and trying his best to repeatedly reset, reload and fire the gun.

The same scene also occurred at the position of the 41th Special Marine Corps, which was 7 meters away from the position of the th Special Marine Corps. The three Type mountain cannons of the th Special Marine Corps were also firing continuously. The barrels of the mountain cannons of the Japanese artillery were all hot from firing, and almost all of them reached the theoretical maximum firing rate.

The Japanese artillery's blocking fire on the main attack force of the 1st Battalion of the Assault Corps in front of the front-line positions did not require any precise shooting parameters at all. It was completely intensive free shooting. The shooting command issued by Captain Arita was more of an emotional catharsis than a command.

The fierce fighting, the heavy artillery fire from both sides, the dense bombardment and the billowing smoke on the front-line positions had made the Marine artillery captain's eyes red and even somewhat lost his mind.

"All squadrons, open fire! Shoot!"

Captain Arita roared again, and before he finished his words, the artillery fire from the Chinese army on the Japanese front-line positions suddenly weakened, and then a whistling sound of breaking through the air suddenly came, and the sudden sound of the artillery shells breaking through the air became louder and louder, and closer and closer.

Captain Arita regained his senses instantly, he realized that it was the sound of artillery shells hitting the air. There was no doubt that it was the Chinese army's artillery firing at their artillery positions. Captain Arita's face changed, he was about to order the troops to hide, but the artillery shells hit before he could give the order.

Under the astonished and panicked gaze of Captain Arita, dense artillery shells accurately landed on the deployed positions of the friendly 90th Special Marine Corps Artillery Company. One by one, the Type 75 3mm explosive grenades exploded, and the positions of the three Type 41 mountain guns of the th Special Marine Corps Artillery Company were instantly covered by artillery fire.

Amid the frequent bombardment of grenades, a large number of Japanese Marine gunners dressed in navy blue Marine combat uniforms were knocked down by dense shrapnel. Then, the gun shields, breech blocks, sights, elevation mechanisms and other structures of the two Type 41 mountain guns were destroyed by shrapnel and then overturned by the blast and shock wave generated by the explosion of the shells.

Another Type 41 mountain gun happened to be in the firing state when it was bombarded. A 75mm shell equipped with a instantaneous fuse was hit by shrapnel produced by the Chinese army's shells before it was fired out of the barrel. The instantaneous fuse on the shell was extremely sensitive and it immediately detonated the shell after colliding with the shrapnel, causing a muzzle explosion.

The "self-destructing" 41mm mountain gun was twisted and deformed on the spot, and the deployed position of the th Special Marine Artillery Squadron was also covered by dense gray-black soil columns.

Realizing that this was Chinese artillery counter-artillery fire, Captain Arita was so shocked that he rushed out of the command post immediately, waving his hands and shouting to his subordinates who were still firing hard, "Move the firing position quickly, move the firing position!"

The Marine artillerymen under Captain Arita's command also reacted quickly. After stopping firing, they hurriedly dragged the four Type 41 mountain cannons on their bulky one-legged stands and prepared to move their positions. However, whether it was Captain Arita's order or the Japanese gunners' relocation actions, it was too late. The firepower response speed of the six Japanese latest Type 6 94mm mountain cannons of the Mountain Artillery Company of the Assault Corps Artillery Battalion would not give them time to drag the guns to move their positions.

Before they could run a few steps with the mountain artillery, the second round of anti-artillery fire from the mountain artillery company of the assault corps artillery battalion hit them.

Captain Arita and his officers and men of the 5th Special Marine Artillery Company faced an even more miserable fate than their friendly neighbors, the 4th Special Marine Artillery Company.

Because the shells that hit their heads directly hit the mountain artillery ammunition auxiliary vehicles near their positions. These auxiliary vehicles are used to transport ammunition for mountain artillery. Each of them can carry thirty artillery warheads. Once this auxiliary vehicle is hit by a shell, it will instantly become an extra-large gunpowder barrel!

With a loud bang, an artillery ammunition auxiliary vehicle was hit first. After the shells exploded on the ammunition auxiliary vehicle, they immediately caused the shells on the auxiliary vehicle to explode. The 75mm grenades and shrapnel shells loaded on the auxiliary vehicle, as well as a small number of incendiary bombs and smoke bombs, exploded one after another. The exploded ammunition vehicle, coupled with the dense shells fired by the mountain artillery company of the assault corps, almost completely covered Captain Arita's artillery squadron under the barrage. Suddenly, a strong light flashed, shrapnel from the exploding grenades and bullets from the exploding shrapnel flew everywhere, and various smoke columns from the explosions of smoke bombs and incendiary bombs rushed straight into the sky.

Under such fierce bombardment and explosions, some boxed shells scattered on the ground by Japanese artillery were also detonated, which caused a chain reaction. Several ammunition trucks were detonated. The successive violent explosions turned the position of the 5th Special Marine Artillery Squadron into a powder keg that was instantly ignited.

A large number of Japanese Marine Corps artillerymen were blown away, and all kinds of limbs, observation equipment, artillery parts, rifles, helmets and other miscellaneous objects were blown everywhere by the air waves. Almost all the soldiers of the 5th Special Marine Corps Artillery Squadron were killed, including the squadron leader Captain Arita.

This massive chain explosion also affected the artillery squadron of the 4th Special Marine Corps. The artillery squadron of the 4th Special Marine Corps had been bombarded before the artillery squadron of the 5th Special Marine Corps and had already suffered heavy losses. It was also hit by the chain explosion along with the 5th Special Marine Corps and was completely wiped out.

The Japanese artillery had just been forced to use methods such as pushing artillery carts and piling up ammunition to increase the firing rate, but at this moment, they greatly accelerated the destruction of the Japanese artillery.

The rumbling sound of explosions resounded through the sky, and the smoke produced by the explosion of a large number of artillery shells and the huge fireballs produced by the burning suddenly rose from the ground, forming an extremely spectacular and terrifying scene.

The Japanese artillery, which had just been firing fiercely, was immediately silenced, and the artillery position became a bloody battlefield. Two artillery squadrons, seven Type 7 mountain guns and nearly three hundred Japanese Marine Corps artillerymen were almost completely wiped out.

The Japanese commander Kitaro Tsuchiji who was in the command post naturally saw clearly the tragic scene on the artillery position. The violent explosion caused the ground under Kitaro Tsuchiji's feet to tremble continuously, and waves of hot air with a bloody smell also continuously hit Kitaro Tsuchiji's command post.

Kitaro Tsuchi felt the heat waves around him, looked at the fire and smoke from the artillery positions in the distance, as well as the Marine artillerymen who were blown away one by one. For a moment, Kitaro Tsuchi felt suffocated.

Ever since the Marine Corps was deployed to the Chinese battlefield and fought against the Chinese army in the Battle of Shanghai, although the processes of each battle and operation were thrilling and dangerous, they all ended in victory. But now, right in front of him, not only were the infantry in the front-line positions beaten badly by the Chinese army, but the artillery was also hit by the counter-fire of the Chinese army's artillery!
Kitaro Tsuchiji felt that all the honors and achievements he had made in the past were turned into nothing and wasted in this battle. This day was simply the most painful day in his career as a Marine officer, or it would not be an exaggeration to say that it was the day with the greatest losses and the most tragic day since the establishment of the Japanese Marine Corps!
The scene of the Japanese artillery position exploding almost shook the entire battlefield. Be it He Wei, the mountain artillery company of the assault corps artillery battalion who were commanding the shooting, or the officers and soldiers of the main attack force of the first battalion in front of the main position of the Japanese army, they were all equally shocked by the sudden explosion.

He Wei was also stunned for a moment as he watched the billowing smoke rising from the Japanese artillery position. After guessing what happened at the Japanese artillery position, He Wei grabbed the telephone transmitter leading to the mountain artillery company and shouted, "Damn it, good job, it makes me feel relieved and relieved! You must have blown up the ammunition of the Japanese artillery position!"

At the position of the 1st Mountain Artillery Company, the company commander was staring at the thick smoke above the Japanese artillery position with his mouth wide open, unable to speak. He never expected that he had just organized a counter-fire against the Japanese artillery position, and the entire company only fired a few rounds of rapid fire and actually blew up the Japanese artillery position!

It was not until He Wei's excited shouting came from the transmitter that the mountain artillery company commander almost jumped up in excitement and shouted excitedly to the officers and soldiers of the mountain artillery company: "Brothers, we have killed the damn artillerymen, and we have made their shells explode!"

Immediately, all the officers and soldiers of the First Mountain Artillery Company cheered excitedly, and a thunderous cheer broke out. All the officers and soldiers of the First Mountain Artillery Company were excited about the results achieved by their company. A few rounds of rapid fire completely destroyed the Japanese artillery. Such results were indeed worth getting excited about.

At this moment, the tragic scene of the Japanese artillery position after the explosion was like hell, a Shura field, a horrible and heartbreaking scene in the eyes of Kitaro Tsuchi. However, in the eyes of the officers and soldiers of the mountain artillery company, it was a very beautiful scene!

The main attack force of the first battalion in front of the main position of the Japanese army was also boiling with excitement because of the explosion of the Japanese artillery position. The main attack force of the first battalion suffered many casualties under the bombardment of the Japanese artillery. Now seeing the big fireworks exploding on the Japanese artillery position, the officers and soldiers naturally felt extremely relieved and cheered loudly.
Fu Chen, the battalion commander who was crawling on the ground and advancing with difficulty under the Japanese artillery fire, saw that the Japanese artillery position had ceased firing. He excitedly clapped the submachine gun in his hand and cheered loudly.

"Good! Our artillery did a great job. The damn artillery got beaten to pieces!"

"Battalion Commander, look behind us, the anti-tank gun company is coming!"

Fu Chen looked back at the reminder of the messenger, and saw that the tank defense artillery company directly under the assault corps was passing through the passage in the Japanese obstacle area and rushing towards the rear of the main attack force of the first battalion.

According to He Wei's order, while the First Mountain Artillery Company was conducting anti-artillery fire on the Japanese artillery positions, the tank defense artillery company also had to move forward and take on the task of attacking the bunkers and machine gun nests in the Japanese front-line positions, covering the First Battalion's main attack force in launching an assault forward. However, since the Japanese artillery was destroyed too quickly, the tank defense artillery company had not caught up yet.

However, Fu Chen did not intend to wait for the tanks to defend the artillery company. Although the Japanese artillery bombardment was fierce, the officers and soldiers of the main attack force of the first battalion still crawled slowly towards the Japanese position under the artillery fire. The vanguard had already rushed to within only 100 meters away from the main position of the Japanese army.

The 81mm mortars and 60mm mortars that had been firing have now stopped firing to prevent accidental injuries. If they were to temporarily buffer their fire in order to wait for the tank defense guns to arrive, it would most likely delay the opportunity to fight!

Fu Chen said to the messenger, "We can't wait any longer. Go now and continue the attack!"

Immediately, Fu Chen raised his submachine gun and jumped up, shouting to the officers and soldiers of the first battalion on his left and right: "Brothers, go ahead, charge in, attack forward! Blow the charge horn!"

The exciting bugle calls of the main attack force of the first battalion sounded again. The officers and soldiers jumped up one after another, shouted loudly, and charged towards the main position of the Japanese army on the front line with their submachine guns and bayonets shining with cold light.

Da da da da
Da da da

boom

The firepower of the Japanese army's main front-line positions became more intense, and they continuously strafed and fired at the main attack force of the First Battalion. However, after losing the artillery fire support, facing the main attack force of the First Battalion which was only a hundred meters away, although many officers and soldiers of the First Battalion who came to attack were knocked down by the desperate shooting of various firearms of the Japanese army, they were unable to stop the main attack force of the First Battalion from breaking in.

Amid loud shouts of killing, the officers and soldiers of the main attack force of the first battalion rushed through more than 50 meters of blood and flesh, and then the vanguard troops in the front fiercely threw rows of Gong-made long-handled grenades at the Japanese positions. A large number of grenades exploded at the front edge of the Japanese positions, and some rolled into the Japanese communication trenches and exploded. Amid the rumbling sound of continuous explosions, the grenades thrown by the officers and soldiers of the first battalion exploded like raindrops in the Japanese positions.

Amid the dust raised by the grenade explosion, the officers and soldiers of the main attack force of the first battalion, shouting and killing, accelerated their charge and broke into the Japanese trenches in a flash.

(End of this chapter)