The Iron-Blooded Army of Beacon Fire

Chapter 434 Attack!

More than one hundred Japanese soldiers quietly attacked the blockade line of chevaux de frise obstacles halfway up the mountain in front of Hill 201, and used intensive blasting tubes to destroy the blockade line, using fierce bombardment to blast many gaps in the blockade line of chevaux de frise obstacles, thus opening the curtain for the attack on Hill 6 by the 11th Infantry Brigade of the 201th Division of the Japanese Army.

The dust and black smoke produced by the explosion of the engineer's blasting tube had not yet dissipated, and more than a thousand Japanese infantrymen from the 11rd Infantry Battalion, 13th Infantry Regiment, 3th Brigade, who were following closely behind the engineers, rushed up immediately.

After successfully blasting away the obstacles, the Japanese attacking forces launching an assault on the high ground no longer needed to maintain the cautious principle of engaging the enemy in secret, but instead launched a swift and fierce attack.

The three infantry squadrons of the 3rd Battalion rushed to the front and quickly crossed the front halfway of Hill 201 along the gap opened by the engineering troops in the obstacle blockade line. Then they deployed in a standard skirmish group attack formation, shouting and rushing to the front.

The heavy machine gun squadron and infantry artillery squadron of the 3rd Battalion also passed through the gap in the obstacle blockade line after three infantry squadrons and rushed to the middle of the mountain.

After the 3rd Battalion completely broke through the obstacle blockade line, the Japanese engineering squadron stranded near the obstacle blockade line once again used the large number of blasting tubes they carried to carry out thorough supplementary blasting and manual clearance operations on the remaining obstacles halfway up the hill. They eventually destroyed the obstacle blockade line composed of a large number of chevaux de frise, forming a wide passage.

Without the obstruction of the obstacle blocking the line, the Japanese mortar squadron at the end of the Japanese attack formation that rushed up the hill also began to accelerate and pounce on the top of the hill.

将近200名日军手扛着，拎着12门处于零件状态的94式90毫米轻型迫击炮和将近1000发90毫米迫击炮弹轻松的冲过了几乎被日军工兵破坏殆尽的拒马障碍物阻塞线，随即停止了前进的脚步。

Under the commands and shouts of Japanese officers and non-commissioned officers, the Japanese gunners stopped advancing and switched to firing formation.

The Japanese gunners, who were skilled in combat movements, quickly completed the installation of the Type 94 mortar's tripod, base plate, sight, gun mount and gun body with buffer machine.

很快，日军迫击炮中队的12门94式90毫米迫击炮纷纷开火，口径为90毫米的滑膛迫击炮炮口吐出了团团白烟，向201高地顶端的中国军队阵地呼啸着打出了一排排94式榴弹。

Boom
Boom
Amidst continuous explosions, a large number of mortar shells were fired by the Japanese mortar squadron along a high-altitude curved trajectory and hit the top of Hill 201.

The Japanese infantry units were not equipped with mortars in their regular combat structure. All mortars of the Japanese units were centralized and organized into independent mortar battalions and mortar regiments, which were then assigned to various units for use during wartime.

Moreover, the original intention of establishing the Japanese army's mortar unit was not to fire conventional bombs to support infantry operations, but it was positioned as a chemical warfare unit mainly responsible for firing poison gas bombs, and the mortar was only used as a tool for launching chemical warfare poison gas bombs.

It can be said that its main job is to shoot poison gas mortar shells, and its side job is to shoot mortar shells with conventional lethal properties.

However, since the Japanese army had not yet begun to use poison gas bombs on a large scale, the Japanese mortar squadron that was firing heavily on Hill 201 was currently firing conventional lethal grenades as a "side job".

Although this mortar squadron, which served as a poison gas chemical warfare unit, did not fire poison gas bombs, the power of the 90mm mortar explosive grenades was also quite terrifying.

The shells whistled as they flew towards the top of the hill. Under the rapid-fire tactics, 12 Type 94 mortars created densely packed explosion points on the top of Hill 201. The rumbling sound of the explosions was like waves, one after another, one after another.

Rows of artillery shells whizzed and exploded at the top of Hill 201. Before the smoke had dissipated, another explosion different from the mortar shells sounded at the top of the hill. The infantry artillery squad under the 3rd Battalion that was charging forward also stopped advancing and opened fire with two Type 92 70mm infantry guns.

The heavy machine gun squadron of the 3rd Battalion followed closely behind, stopped in front of the infantry artillery squad, and organized suppressive fire at the top of the hill with 8 Type 92 7.7mm heavy machine guns.

92式重机枪亢亢的沉闷射击声中，一道道机枪弹的火流扑向了201高地的顶端，12门90毫米迫击炮和2门92式70毫米步兵炮投射出的密集落弹次第落在高地顶端，腾起了一朵朵黑白相间的烟团。

"Onboard!"

At this point, the Japanese army's own covering firepower that was attacking Hill 201 all began to attack. Under the escort of heavy machine gun fire and artillery fire, three Japanese infantry squadrons shouted and killed, with their bayonets flashing coldly, and attacked to the top of the hill with ferocious faces, rapidly advancing to the top of Hill 201 in standard and strict battle formation.

As the top elite main division in the Japanese Army, the 6th Division does have a very glorious history. It has performed well in the Sino-Japanese War, the Russo-Japanese War, the Great Wall Campaign, the North China Campaign and the Nanjing Raid.

These soldiers of the 6th Division, who came from Kumamoto, Oita, Miyazaki, Kagoshima and other southern areas of Kyushu, and were known for their "black skin and bright red blood", fought with their usual "passionate, brave, proactive and decisive" spirit. They shouted and screamed madly, charged forward at the fastest speed possible, stepped on the lush soil in front of Hill 201, and quickly approached the Chinese army positions on the top of the hill.

After being improved by the 6th Division, the new highland attack tactics that eliminated intensive artillery preparation achieved remarkable results. The 13rd Infantry Battalion of the 3th Regiment, an engineer squadron and a mortar squadron composed of nearly attack forces, from concealment and lurking to clearing obstacles, suppressing fire from heavy machine guns and infantry artillery mortars and infantry assaults, the entire process took less than four minutes.

In just four minutes, the originally silent front of Hill 201 was filled with nearly two thousand Japanese troops, and the top of the hill was shrouded in fierce artillery fire.

Boom, boom, boom! Amid the fierce artillery bombardment, white smoke billowed from the top of Hill 201 and sparks flashed. The violent explosions echoed back and forth from the top of Hill 201 and the many hills and foothills outside Tianjia Town, and spread to farther places.

In the Japanese hidden command post below Hill 201, the commander of the 6th Brigade of the 11th Division, Katsuji Imamura, and the commander of the 13th Infantry Regiment, Shoichi Yasuda, held up binoculars and looked at the Japanese infantry attack column less than 201 meters away from the Chinese army position at the top of Hill , and both breathed a sigh of relief.

In more than four minutes, the charging infantry had reached a position so close to the Chinese troops on the top of Hill 201 that the Chinese artillery on the other side of the mountain had not yet opened fire to carry out blocking fire.

Even the Chinese army defenders on the top of the hill did not fire a single shot. Seeing this scene, Katsuji Imamura and Shoichi Yasuda finally felt a little more confident and confident about capturing Hill 201.

Not only the two of them, but even the Japanese soldiers who were watching the battle in the fortifications below Hill 201 were cheering, as if victory in capturing Hill 201 was just around the corner.

In the command post, Katsuji Imamura pursed his lips, and the telescope in his hand moved with the fast-moving infantry attack column on the hill. Soon, the Japanese infantry attack column on the hill advanced to a position less than 200 meters away from the top of the hill. Yasuda Shouichi on the side, regardless of the brigade commander being right next to him, cheered loudly: "Good attack, speed up and hit it!" Just as Yasuda Shouichi's voice fell, suddenly, the top of the hill suddenly rang with the dull sound of rifles equipped by the Chinese army that fired 7.92mm bullets. A burst of irregular and chaotic rifle volleys of fire came at the Japanese infantry attack column less than 200 meters away from the top of the hill, knocking down more than a dozen Japanese soldiers.

Then, figures wearing German M35 helmets and grass-green military uniforms appeared vaguely on the top of the high ground covered by artillery fire.

Immediately afterwards, there was another burst of continuous automatic weapons shooting and bang bang explosions. The firepower of the Chinese army on the top of the hill suddenly increased again. Hearing the unique gunshots, the commander of the 11th Brigade, Katsuji Imamura, immediately determined that the fire was from the Chinese army's Czech light machine guns, and the explosion was caused by the explosion of a long-handled grenade.

When the vanguard of the Japanese infantry's attack was less than 201 meters away from the top of Hill , the Chinese defenders on the hill finally began shooting. Rifles and light machine guns opened fire, and long-handled grenades were thrown down from above, knocking down a group of Japanese infantrymen who were charging.

The elite 201th Division of the National Army stationed on Hill 9 began their firepower counterattack.

"Onboard!"

However, the sudden gunfire and explosions from the Chinese defenders on the high ground were soon suppressed by the shouts of the Japanese troops charging towards the high ground. Dozens of Japanese infantrymen who were killed or wounded and fell in a pool of blood in front of the high ground had no impact on the charging Japanese troops. The gaps in the Japanese attack formation were quickly filled, and the fierce soldiers of the Kumamoto Division continued to attack at a faster speed.

The Japanese heavy machine guns, mortars and infantry guns taking cover on the high ground also opened fire repeatedly, increasing the intensity of the fire suppression.

One mortar shell after another, infantry artillery shells and heavy machine gun bullets whizzed over the heads of the attacking Japanese troops and fired at the Chinese army position on the top of Hill 201. Amid the smoke and dust, the firepower of the defenders on the hill suddenly dropped, and several Chinese soldiers were blown out of the trenches by the violent explosion. Suddenly, there were more than a dozen incomplete bodies of Chinese soldiers on the top of the hill. Several light machine gun fire points that had been firing continuously on the hill were also destroyed. Even those that were not shot down by the Japanese army were suppressed and could not raise their heads.

However, the Chinese defenders on the high ground soon fought back. They no longer attacked the Japanese with machine gun fire, but instead threw a large number of grenades. Densely packed Gong-made long-handled grenades and modified large bundles of cluster grenades fell down with white smoke, creating clouds of green smoke among the Japanese troops.

Amid the continuous sound of grenade explosions, Japanese soldiers fell one after another. At this time, grenades had a greater killing effect than machine guns. The Chinese defenders on the high ground did not need to aim, or even risk leaning out of the trenches. They only needed to light the grenade and then throw it to cause considerable killing effect.

As the Japanese army rushed closer and closer, the killing effect of the grenade rain on the high ground became more and more effective. Dense grenades continued to explode in the Japanese attack column. Soon, dozens of Japanese soldiers' bloody bodies and wounded soldiers groaning in a pool of blood fell in front of the high ground.

Da da da

Da da da

At the same time, the light machine gun firepower of the defenders on the high ground suddenly revived. Several side-firing light machine gun firepower points that had been hidden and not fired suddenly attacked, firing obliquely at the rushing Japanese troops. Under the double blow of machine gun firepower and grenades, the Japanese fell one after another. Although the fearless latecomers in the Japanese attack team surged up one after another, the speed of the Japanese army's charge to the top of the high ground became slower and slower, and the casualties became more and more serious.

Finally, the Japanese infantry attacking the hill had to stop advancing when they were about fifty meters away from the top of the hill. Following the orders of the Japanese officers, three Japanese infantry squadrons fell down in front of the hill and started firing at the Chinese defenders on the hill.

"boom blah blah"

The Japanese grenade throwers opened fire first. The Type 89 50mm grenade launchers of the three infantry squadrons launched grenades one after another, which exploded on the top of the hill with a bang. The Japanese riflemen and light machine gunners also opened fire. All kinds of firearms of the three infantry squadrons were fully open, and the heavy machine guns, infantry guns, and mortars in the rear also continued to fire fiercely.

The salvo fire from all kinds of Japanese firearms instantly suppressed the light machine gun and grenade fire of the defenders on the high ground. The fire network composed of 201mm grenade, mm infantry artillery shell, mm mortar shell and a large number of infantry and machine gun bullets completely enveloped the top of Hill in a rain of bullets, completely suppressing the defenders on the high ground.

Immediately afterwards, the Japanese soldiers lying on the high ground jumped up one after another, shouting and rushing up. At the same time, seeing the Japanese infantry rushing towards the top position of the high ground that was close at hand, the Japanese mortars, heavy machine guns, infantry guns and grenade launchers also stopped firing.

The three infantry companies of the Japanese army, shouting and killing, rushed into the smoke that filled the top of the hill and killed their way into the trenches of the defenders. The shouting and killing of the Japanese army completely covered up the sound of gunfire and grenade explosions from the Chinese army on the top of the hill. The quickly charging Japanese infantry attack formation instantly rushed to the top of the hill and poured into the trenches of the Chinese army on the top of the hill.

In the command post below the hill, a Japanese staff officer pointed at Hill 201 and shouted excitedly: "Sir, we have taken over! Our troops have captured the Chinese positions, and the Chinese troops on the hill are retreating!"

The commander of the 11th Brigade, Katsuji Imamura, and the commander of the 13th Infantry Regiment, Shoichi Yasuda, did not respond to the staff's reminder. At this moment, the two seemed to completely ignore the battle situation on the high ground.

To be precise, the two men had become numb to this scene. In the tug-of-war battles on the high ground outside Tianjia Town in recent days, similar high ground attacks and melees occurred many times every day, and the Japanese attacking forces had no idea how many times they had broken into the Chinese army trenches on top of the high ground.

On the contrary, both of them shifted their gazes towards the direction of Banbi Mountain across the Yangtze River, staring at the Chinese army's artillery position that had caused them heavy casualties. Although the distance was too far to see clearly and was blocked by high ground, the two men still looked in the direction of the artillery trajectory from Banbi Mountain with extremely vigilant eyes.

The two men were very sure that their infantry could attack the Chinese army's position on the top of the hill, and they had enough confidence in the combat effectiveness of their infantry.

What really worried them was the Chinese artillery on Banbi Mountain. Every failed attack on the high ground in recent days was caused by the Chinese artillery on Banbi Mountain suddenly opening fire when the Japanese army was about to capture the high ground, or when they had just captured the high ground but had not yet gained a firm foothold.

Although his attack force has now broken into the defenders' trenches on the top of Hill 201, once the Chinese artillery on half the mountain opens fire, the attack will fail.

On the other hand, as long as the damn Chinese artillery had not opened fire in time, allowing the Japanese troops who had broken into the trenches at the top of Hill 201 enough time to gain a foothold and clear out the trenches of the Chinese army, they would have been able to capture Hill 201!

As the Japanese infantry swarmed into the defenders' trenches on the top of the hill, the two men stared at the direction of Banbi Mountain, their hearts in their throats.

(End of this chapter)