The Iron-Blooded Army of Beacon Fire

Chapter 40 Attack
October 26, [-]th year of the Republic of China, morning, Yongxing Village

As the morning sun emerged, the Tsutsumi detachment finally received support and supplements from the regiment commander, Major General Seiichiro Shinohara, in the early morning. The Fourth Tank Battalion directly under the Shinohara Corps, led by the captain Toshio Murai, drove to the front line of Yongxing Village. The Infantry No. 16 Regiment under the Corps also spread out on the flank of the Di Detachment and made an attack stance on the Chinese army positions along the Great and White Rivers. A large amount of ammunition, baggage supplies and equipment were also transported.

The attack launch line of the entire Shinohara Corps stretches from the defense area of ​​the 80th Division in the Yanzhuang and Dabaishui areas to the front of the high ground on the west side of Xinkou (the high ground on the west line is the defense line of No. 85 30 and [-] Division, consisting of The Infantry No. [-] Regiment and Oizumi Detachment under the Shinohara Corps are responsible for the attack)

Outside Yongxing Village, the infantrymen of the Di Detachment watched from the trenches built overnight outside the village as the tanks belonging to the Fourth Tank Battalion drove towards the outside of the village. The roar of their engines was deafening.

The Fourth Tank Battalion was originally an elite tank unit stationed in Shenyang. It was affiliated to the Gongzhuling Command of the Kwantung Army. It was established in the [-]th year of Showa. It has been "invincible" since it moved from the northeast and entered the Guanzhong operations, breaking through the Chinese army's defense lines many times. The own losses are slight.

The Fourth Tank Battalion has three tank squadrons. The first squadron is a light tank squadron, equipped with 15 Type 17 light tanks, the second squadron is a heavy armored vehicle squadron, equipped with 15 Type 20 heavy armored vehicles, and the third squadron is equipped with [-] Type [-] heavy armored vehicles. The squadron is a medium combat convoy, equipped with [-] Type [-] medium tanks, and the Fourth Squadron is a light armored vehicle squadron, equipped with [-] Type [-] light armored vehicles.

Cooperating with the Tsutsumi detachment in the operation are 17 Type [-] heavy armored vehicles of the Second Heavy Armored Vehicle Squadron of Major Hyakutake Toshikichi as the base, and strengthened by one squadron each of the medium tank squadron and the light armored vehicle squadron, totaling Type [-] medium tank and Type [-] medium tank vehicles. Five each of Type IV heavy armored vehicles.

An armored column consisting of 17 Type 5 heavy armored vehicles, 5 Type [-] medium tank vehicles and [-] Type [-] heavy armored vehicles lined up in a concealed manner outside Yongxing Village.

A Type 13.2 heavy armored vehicle stopped slowly. The squadron leader, Major Toshiyoshi Hyakutake, jumped out of the vehicle holding the barrel of the [-]mm vehicle-mounted machine gun and ran quickly towards the hidden command trench equipped with camouflage nets.

Although Hyakutake Shunkichi is a newly promoted major, he is a star figure in the Japanese Army. He is a veteran figure who participated in the creation of the Japanese Army's tank unit. During the Manchuria Incident (September [-]th), Hyakutake Shunkichi led the founding tank unit. He fought throughout the entire Northeast, and then served as the captain of the first temporary combat convoy to fight against the Chinese army in the Great Wall, Jehol and other battles. He defeated the Chinese army many times. He has extremely rich practical experience and can be said to be able to fight in every battle.

Since then, he has served in the tank force for a long time. He was just promoted to Army Major in August, making him a rising star in the military world.

Striding into the trench, Toshikichi Hyakutake saw Tsubuzaki and several infantry squadron captains with command swords in front of the Type [-] artillery mirror.

"Reporting to the commander, Toshiyoshi Hyakutake, commander of the second squadron of the fourth tank battalion, led the report under the order of the commander of the Shinohara Corps! Our division has a fully-manned heavy armored vehicle squadron and a medium tank squadron, and a squadron of light armored vehicles, totaling There are 17 heavy armored vehicles, 5 medium tank vehicles, and 5 light armored vehicles, fully fueled and loaded with ammunition, ready to attack at any time!"

Tsubuta no Kagui stepped aside, slightly bent down, pointed at the artillery mirror and said: "Hakutake-kun, please look at it!"

Hyakutake Shukichi came to the observation position as a matter of course. Through the Type [-] artillery mirror, what came into view was the endless plain. A few kilometers in front of Yongxing Village, there was a village still smoking black, surrounded by tall walls. , the field positions can be vaguely seen outside the village wall. There is no vegetation in the plain area outside the village, except for the sweet potato fields, which are low tree stumps. "Jun Baiwu, have you seen that village? Your mission is to coordinate with the infantry to attack this village. The main position of the enemy's main force is behind this village. Defending the village are the defeated Chinese soldiers who were defeated by my detachment in the morning. , the number is about one battalion. From the firefight yesterday afternoon, it can be seen that the enemy is equipped with heavy machine guns and mortars. Only by expelling the enemy in this village can our army be free to attack the enemy's main position."

Tsubuzaki pointed to Lia Jiuxiong: "The main attacker is the first infantry squadron of our detachment Lia Jiuxiong. It was his squadron that defeated the Chinese army yesterday. You must cooperate well and strive to capture Yanzhuang in two hours. , defeating the defeated Chinese troops in the village, this glorious task will be left to you two."

The two said in unison: "Hey Yi, you must do your best in this humble position!"

Suddenly, Shuichi Uno, the adjutant of the detachment, ran to the command trench, held a still warm telegram, stood at attention solemnly, and said: "Your Excellency, the detachment captain, Your Excellency, the commander of the Shinohara Corps, sent a telegram. Ten minutes later, the aviation force began to bomb the enemy's Oshiroshima line. Position, 10 minutes after the bombing, the artillery of the regiment began to bombard the enemy position."

"Half an hour after the shelling, all units of our corps attacked the enemy in front of them according to the order. The No. 16 Regiment was responsible for attacking the main enemy positions on the Dabaishui front line. The No. 30 Regiment and the Daquan Detachment attacked the high ground on the west side. Our detachment was driving away Yan After clearing the enemy's troops, coordinate with the No. 16 Regiment to storm the enemy's main position!"

Tsubujiagui said: "Reply the call to the commander of the corps immediately, and our unit will launch the attack on time. I ordered the tanks attached to the first squadron to attack the enemy troops in Yanzhuang when the attack was launched, and the heavy machine gun squadron pulled out a squad to follow the attack. The first squadron attacks and covers the advance of the infantry. The second squadron enters the attack starting position of the first squadron, and the third and fourth squadrons serve as reserves in the trenches outside Yongxing Village, ready to attack at any time!"

...............

Hyakutake Shukichi led 27 tanks and armored vehicles into two horizontal lines and slowly drove to the front of Yongxing Village. In the trench at the rear, nearly [-] infantrymen of the [-]st Infantry Squadron of the Tsutsumi Detachment who participated in the attack stood silently in the trench, staring ahead. .

Before the First Squadron entered the attack position, soldiers transferred from the neighboring squadron made up for the combat casualties and became a fully-manned infantry squadron. In the traffic trench behind were heavy machine gun squad soldiers advancing with the infantry. The bayonet-mounted [-]-meter rifle flashed a bloodthirsty red light in the morning sun.

A few minutes later, the silence was broken by the whistle of artillery shells. Several [-]-caliber mountain artillery smoke grenades flew over Yanzhuang and accurately landed on the main position of Dabaishui of the [-]th Division behind Yanzhuang. After several explosions, they were Thick red smoke rose from the hit area.

There were roars in the sky...

(End of this chapter)