The Iron-Blooded Army of Beacon Fire

Chapter 395: Annihilation of a Battalion's Artillery Bombardment (Part )

"Onboard!"

Amid deafening shouts and cries, three Japanese infantry companies, with nearly 1 Japanese soldiers, rushed out of the trenches nearly kilometer away from the Japanese engineers, with bayonets pointed, and quickly deployed in the standard three-row, three-advance attack formation in the infantry drill manual. With red eyes, they rushed towards several breakthroughs that the Japanese engineers had blasted open in the obstacle area under the Big and Small Bear Mountains.

Da da da

Da da da

boom

boom

Just as the three Japanese infantry squadrons charged forward in a battle formation 200 meters wide on each side, the dense sound of machine gun bullets firing and the sounds of mountain artillery shells and infantry artillery shells being fired and exploding also rang out.

进攻的日军台岛步兵第1联队第3大队所属重机枪中队的8挺92式7.7毫米重机枪，大队炮小队的2门92式70毫米步兵炮全都轰响了起来，开始了掩护射击。

The four Type 1 4mm mountain guns of the artillery company directly under the 41st Infantry Regiment of Taiwan Island were also converted to anti-personnel grenades and launched a fierce bombardment on the Big and Small Bear Mountain Heights.

The charging Japanese troops rushed madly and determinedly towards the Big and Small Bear Mountain Heights amidst the shouts of "onboard" and roars of "Long live the Emperor" and "The Imperial Army is invincible". The morale of the Japanese infantry who could launch an attack with such momentum was naturally high, so the speed of the assault was also extremely fast. They soon rushed to the place where they were advancing side by side with the Japanese engineers, and then, with the encouragement and cheers of the Japanese engineers, they quickly approached the obstacle area 500 meters away from their attack formation.

The heavy machine gun squadron and infantry artillery squad that provided cover also advanced forward in an orderly manner along with the advancing infantry.

The four teams of the heavy machine gun squadron advanced in groups of two, providing cover and support in turns. While moving closer to the Big and Small Bear Mountain heights, they were also able to provide continuous machine gun fire support to the infantry.

With the skilled shooting techniques of the Japanese heavy machine gunners, one stream of the Type 92 heavy machine gun bullets shot from the two wings of the Japanese infantry attack formation towards the Big and Small Bear Mountain heights, while the other stream whizzed over the heads of the charging Japanese infantry with a more difficult machine gun overtaking shot, providing direct frontal cover for the charging Japanese infantry with the indirect trajectory.

The two Type 92 70mm infantry guns of the infantry artillery squad also kept on providing cover and advancing alternately, continuously firing at the front of the Big and Small Bear Mountain Heights with high-throwing curved ballistics, smashing one 70mm infantry gun blasting grenade after another onto the hillside in front of the heights, creating a bunch of fire spots with white smoke.

At the same time, yellow and white explosions from the four Type 1 4mm mountain cannons of the artillery company directly under the 41st Infantry Regiment of Taiwan Island also exploded one after another on the mountain ridges of the Big and Small Bear Mountains.

The dense covering fire composed of machine gun bullets, mountain artillery shells, and infantry artillery shells created rows of mud flowers on the front and ridges of the Big and Small Bear Mountain heights, and blew up pieces of smoke and columns of smoke.

The attack of the 1rd Battalion of the 3st Infantry Regiment of the Japanese Taiwan Island was very smooth. Whether it was the charge of the three infantry companies or the cover of the battalion artillery squadron and heavy machine gun company, they were all in line with the requirements of the Japanese Army's infantry drill manual and combat training. It can be said that they demonstrated excellent combat quality and tactical qualities.

The roars and crazy shouts added more power to the fast-moving yellow waves of Japanese troops.

Soon, the charging Japanese infantry vanguard reached the obstacle area at the foot of the Big and Small Bear Mountains. Dozens of Japanese soldiers holding needle-nosed pliers and demolition shears quickly moved forward with skilled combat movements, rushed into the obstacle area through several gaps blasted open by the engineers, and began to destroy the barbed wire, stakes and chevaux de frise that had not been completely destroyed by the engineers.

The main force of the assaulting Japanese infantry, under the command of officers and non-commissioned officers, quickly changed their skirmish line attack formation into a dense attack formation, followed by soldiers carrying out sabotage operations who poured into the obstacle area.

In the command post in the rear, Hata Shigeichi held up a telescope and looked at the officers and soldiers of the 1rd Battalion of the 3st Infantry Regiment of the Taiwan Island, who rushed into the obstacle area of ​​the Chinese army with excellent combat skills and fearless shouts of killing. He couldn't help but shout "good job" loudly, and his heart was relieved. He also felt a lot of emotions and sighs that shouldn't have appeared at this time.

Being able to command and lead such skilled and fearless officers and soldiers, what battle can I not win? It must be my honor to lead such a tenacious and strong army to fight.

Looking at the 3rd Battalion advancing rapidly, Shigekazu Hata even felt that this exploratory attack had the potential to severely damage or even defeat the Chinese troops on the high ground in front of them.

"Long live the Emperor, long live the Imperial Army!"

As if infected by the emotions of the officers and soldiers of the front-line attacking troops, Shigekazu Hata, who was observing with a telescope held high, couldn't help but roar along with the deafening shouts in front of him.

At the top of the Big and Small Bear Mountains, in the command post of the 385th Infantry Regiment of the 1125th Brigade, which was also He Wei's forward artillery command post, Chen Xinsheng, the artillery battalion commander of the assault corps, looked at the Japanese troops rushing towards the foot of the mountain through the artillery telescope and shouted into the telephone transmitter: "Captain, there are more than a thousand Japanese troops, which should be an infantry battalion, with heavy machine guns, infantry artillery, and covering engineering troops. They are charging fiercely and with great momentum. Their infantry vanguards have already attacked the obstacle area under the high ground. The heavy machine guns, infantry artillery and other supporting firearms troops that are responsible for covering are also moving forward. At present, they have all rushed to within about to meters from the foot of the high ground."

After that, Chen Xinsheng added: "This group of enemies has high combat quality and good morale."

Chen Xinsheng spoke highly of the attacking Japanese army, but there was no panic in his tone. Instead, it was full of excitement and anticipation.

"Are you sure you can defeat them with artillery fire?"

On the other end of the phone came He Wei's nonchalant answer.

"Captain, it's absolutely possible!"

"Okay, it's just a battalion of enemies. I'll leave it to you. No need to hide. All artillery can be opened fire. As long as you can destroy the attacking enemies, it will be fine."

"Yes!"

Chen Xinsheng hung up the phone and nodded to Hu Rizhen, the commander of the 150mm heavy artillery battalion beside him. Then, the two of them connected two phones to the positions of their respective artillery units. Chen Xinsheng was the first to shout: "Mountain artillery group, mortar group, target enemy infantry, No. 81 firing area, mountain artillery grenade group fire, 82 mortar grenade, mortar yellow phosphorus bomb rapid fire, open immediately!"

The commander of the 150mm heavy artillery battalion, Hu Rizhen, said calmly: "Target, firing area A, all battalion grenades fire!"

The two men's combat firing orders were quickly transmitted to the artillery positions they commanded.

在十几秒后，大小熊山的高地突然传来了震动山地的巨响，陈信生指挥的突击总队两个山炮连和三个突击总队步兵营属迫击炮连与第18师直属炮兵营组成的迫击炮群率先开火，放列射击阵地部署在山脚下的6门94式75毫米山炮和6门苏俄造m1909式76毫米山炮的炮口闪出火花和白烟，射出了一颗颗75毫米和76毫米的杀伤榴弹。而部署在大小熊山高地反斜面上的12门布朗德81毫米迫击炮和12门民国20年式81毫米迫击炮则分别以爆破榴弹和黄磷弹的急速射轰击开始了对日军步兵的火力突袭。

However, the vibrations and loud noises caused by the firing of the mountain artillery company and the mortar group were soon suppressed by another more brutal and violent rumbling sound.

The deafening sound and loud noise produced by the firing of the 150 German-made SFH8 18mm howitzers of the 150mm heavy artillery battalion commanded by Hu Rizhen exploded like a bolt from the blue. Amid the deafening roar, together with the mountain artillery and mortar groups that had fired before, formed a torrent of bullets, which crossed the mountain ridge on the top of the Big and Small Bear Mountain with a sharp whistling sound, and then smashed down on the madly rushing Japanese infantry from a high position.

The artillery group commanded by He Wei, consisting of 12 mountain cannons, 8 heavy howitzers and 24 mortars, has already opened fire.

Long before He Wei led the assault corps to the defense zone of the 385th Brigade, the staff of the assault corps and the officers of the various artillery units under the Banbishan Garrison Command had completed the investigation of artillery firing parameters near the 385th Brigade's defense zone and the drawing of artillery firing command maps. They made detailed compilation and measurements of the locations, numbers, directions, distances, and heights of various surrounding shooting targets, and even made corresponding plans for the shooting methods adopted by different types of artillery against the same shooting areas and different shooting targets.

Therefore, after Chen Xinsheng and Hu Rizheng issued a simple firing order, the artillery group could begin bombarding with an extremely fast firepower response speed.

In an instant, amid the whizzing sound of artillery shells breaking through the air, densely packed artillery shells landed accurately on the Japanese attack formation at the foot of the Big and Small Bear Mountain plateau. Dozens of 75mm caliber explosive grenades, shining with yellow-white flames, exploded one after another in the Japanese attack formation. The Japanese army was caught off guard and had no way to avoid the sudden and extremely accurate fierce artillery bombardment.

Immediately, a hell of artillery fire and a catastrophic disaster consisting of a stream of blazing bullets befell the Japanese army that was attacking with great momentum.

75mm and 76mm caliber explosive grenades, 150mm caliber heavy explosive grenades, 81mm mortar blasting grenades, and 82mm yellow phosphorus bombs gathered into a furious thunder and smashed into the Japanese attack formation.

The first to bear the brunt of the attack were the heavy machine gun company of the 1rd Battalion of the 3st Infantry Regiment of the Taiwan Island and the infantry artillery squad directly under the battalion, which were providing cover behind the Japanese infantry. These two heavy weapons units were covered by dense artillery fire in the first round of mountain artillery bombardment.

Amid the rumbling explosion, eight Type 8 heavy machine guns and two Type 92 infantry guns were instantly blown into pieces, and then thrown into the air along with a large number of Japanese soldiers' broken limbs and flesh.

Nearly a hundred Japanese soldiers from the demolition squadron of the 3th Independent Engineer Regiment, who were not far from the heavy machine gun squadron and infantry artillery squad of the 8rd Battalion, were also affected. More than a dozen mountain artillery shells fell one after another on the concealed position of the Japanese engineers, knocking over and mowing down large groups of Japanese engineers. Six of the latest Type 6 8mm engineer obstacle-clearing mortars that had just been equipped to the 98th Independent Engineer Regiment were also turned into scrap metal.

The next to suffer were the Japanese infantry who were rushing towards the heights of the Big and Small Bear Mountains. One shell after another landed in the middle of the Japanese infantry's charging team with a shrill scream. The 81mm mortar explosive grenades and the 75mm and 76mm mountain artillery grenades exploded on the ground, emitting countless dense shrapnel, knocking down rows and groups of Japanese soldiers.

As the three assaulting Japanese infantry squadrons were rapidly pouring into the obstacle area from the open area at the foot of the mountain, their battle formation was in the process of transitioning from a dispersed attack formation to a dense formation.

Therefore, the more crowded attack formation of the Japanese infantry further increased the effect of the bombardment. The shrapnel produced by the exploding shells flew around in the Japanese attack formation, sweeping across and sweeping away the flesh and blood of the Japanese infantry.

The broken Type 38 rifles, the tattered Type 90 steel helmets of the Japanese army, the Taisho 11-year light machine guns, the Type 89 50mm heavy grenade launchers, and the broken limbs and arms of the Japanese army were constantly lifted into the sky and then scattered everywhere.

更为可怕的是胡日贞所部重炮营8门150毫米榴弹炮射出的重磅榴弹，这些与德国造sfh18型150毫米榴弹炮一同从德国兵工厂原厂进口的150毫米口径爆破榴弹的爆炸威力实在是极为骇人。

When a 150mm explosive grenade explodes upon hitting the ground, it will immediately create a huge crater on the ground. The massive shrapnel and shock waves that burst out will also blow the nearby Japanese troops into pieces of meat and bloody masses at the same time as the crater is formed, and quickly throw them into the air.

The yellow phosphorus bombs fired by the 82mm mortars were also powerful. The thick white poisonous smoke and the incendiary filling agent produced after the explosion on the ground quickly ignited waves of fire and thick smoke in the Japanese attack formation.

The artillery of various calibers under the artillery group on the flanks of Big Bear Mountain and Small Bear Mountain fired shells at the Japanese army at the highest firing rate. Under the cover of the artillery fire, the Japanese soldiers who had just been shouting and killing frantically and charging rapidly forgot the slogans of "on board" and "long live" they had just shouted in the face of the sudden thundering artillery fire, and all they could do was struggle hard under the artillery fire.

The arrogant momentum that seemed to sweep away everything just now was completely suppressed by the mighty momentum brought by the shells that fell like hail.

Boom
Boom
After the artillery group's fierce firing lasted for thirteen minutes, Chen Xinsheng and Hu Rizheng finally ordered a ceasefire, and the 44 artillery pieces of various calibers deployed on the flanks of the reverse slope of the Big and Small Bear Mountains finally stopped firing.

At this time, the bombardment area below the Big and Small Bear Mountains had become a purgatory of blood and fire. Black and red smoke columns and white smoke from yellow phosphorus bombs rose from the ground. Heat waves with a bloody smell rolled everywhere, and there were huge charred craters everywhere, soil overturned by shells, and bloody corpses.

Except for more than one hundred Japanese vanguard infantrymen who had rushed into the obstacle area earlier, after only a dozen minutes of shelling, the artillery groups on the flanks of the Big and Small Bear Mountains engulfed and annihilated more than a thousand people from the 1rd Battalion of the 3st Infantry Regiment of the Taiwan Island and the Demolition Squadron of the 8th Independent Engineer Regiment of the Japanese Army!
However, the more than one hundred Japanese soldiers who approached the blind spot of the reverse slope artillery group of Big Bear Mountain and Small Bear Mountain because of their fast attack speed escaped the artillery attack, but the misfortune did not leave them far away.

Because, just when the shelling had just stopped, the officers and soldiers of the 385th Infantry Regiment of the 1125th Brigade stationed on the high ground opened fire. First, the six 1125mm mortars of the 6th Regiment's mortar company deployed on the ridge of the high ground began to bombard.

Immediately afterwards, rifles, light machine guns and heavy machine guns from the three infantry battalions opened fire one after another.

Although the equipment of the 1125th Regiment could not be compared with that of the Assault Corps, it had been greatly improved with the assistance and reinforcement of He Wei during this period. More than 7 Type 1125 water-cooled heavy machine guns and Type water-cooled heavy machine guns, dozens of Qilali ke light machine guns and thousands of Hanyang-made rifles, under the shouts of the officers and soldiers of the th Regiment whose morale was greatly boosted by the artillery bombardment, spewed dense tongues of fire at the more than surviving Japanese soldiers who had not yet rushed out of the obstacle area.

bang bang

Boom
Da da da

Faced with the dense rain of bullets coming from high above, more than a hundred Japanese infantrymen who were advancing hard in the obstacle area were knocked to the ground one after another. Every second, Japanese infantrymen were killed with screams by 1125mm mortar shells fired by the mortar company directly under the 82th Regiment, or knocked down by machine gun bullets on the chevaux de frise, barbed wire and stakes.

After losing the fire support of the battalion's direct infantry artillery squadron and heavy machine gun squadron, the more than 1125 Japanese infantrymen, who only had rifles and a small number of Taisho -type light machine guns, were unable to organize any effective fire counterattack. They could only move forward with difficulty in the obstacle area under the dense rain of bullets from the th Regiment, looking for opportunities to use machine guns to offer some resistance that was better than nothing. After firing a few shots, they were hit by shrapnel from machine guns and mortars and fell in a pool of blood.

In less than eight minutes, the Japanese troops who survived the shelling all fell under the firepower of the 1125th Regiment, which also meant that the 1rd Battalion of the 3st Infantry Regiment of the Japanese Taiwan Island that attacked the Big and Small Bear Mountain Heights had been completely wiped out.

In the command post at the rear, Hata Shigeichi's expression had frozen, with shock, frustration, horror and disbelief written all over his face. His hands tightly gripping the telescope and his arms with bulging veins were shaking constantly.

"Bastard! Bastard! Damn Chinese army!"

(End of this chapter)