The Iron-Blooded Army of Beacon Fire

Chapter 515 Melee
Regardless of how distressed He Wei was about the factional issues at his superiors and how to urge them to send more troops as soon as possible, on November 11, after the landing Japanese troops completed their landing and combat preparations, the brief tranquility that had lasted for many days between the Chinese and Japanese armies was finally broken by the large-scale offensive of the Japanese army.

The large-scale attack of the Japanese army was accompanied by a combat order issued by the commander of the 21st Army, Toshiyoshi Ando, ​​to attack in the direction of Nanning. Given the current situation of the Chinese and Japanese armies, if they wanted to attack Nanning, they would have to maneuver and pursue along the Qinzhou-Fangchenggang highway leading to Nanning.

Continuing to attack the Chinese troops facing Qisha that had already made a breakthrough, and then breaking through the coastal defense line guarded by the 46th Army and defeating all Chinese defenders along the coastal defense line is the only way to seize these roads.

In the early morning of November 11, the Japanese attack quietly unfolded as the landing Japanese artillery units launched fierce bombardment on Qisha’s second line of defense.

Boom, boom, boom

The rumbling sound of artillery was the first to break the silence of days.

第5师团下属的野炮兵第5联队，所属的三个装备有合计36门改造38式75毫米野战炮的炮兵大队，和一个装备有12门91式105毫米榴弹炮的炮兵大队首先发难，以联队级的齐射轰击，向企沙方向新19师第56团和野战补充团守备的第二道防线发起了炮火准备。

The Japanese Guards Mixed Brigade, which had not participated in the combat since the landing, was not willing to fall behind, and its subordinate Guards Field Artillery Battalion's 12 modified Type 38 75mm field guns also joined the battle.

A battery of up to 60 guns unleashed a fierce fire on Qisha's second line of defense.

The shells fired by the two types of artillery made different whistling sounds in the air, and flew from the various artillery positions of the Japanese army to the second line of defense, with sharp whistling sounds breaking through the air.

75mm grenades and 75mm shrapnel continued to fall in Qisha’s second line of defense, producing dense explosions. The rumbling sounds were continuous, bursting like lightning and thunder, almost covering the entire line of defense.

After more than an hour of concentrated fire, a yellow crowd rushed out from the defensive position of the 56th Regiment that had been occupied by the Japanese army. Amid the noisy shouts and screams, the 21nd Infantry Regiment of the 42st Brigade of the Japanese Army launched a large-scale infantry attack on Qisha's second line of defense under the cover of artillery fire.

Five minutes later, the Japanese artillery barrage that escorted the 42nd Infantry Regiment, which launched the attack, to the front of the Chinese army's position began to slowly extend, and the vanguard of its assault force immediately exchanged fire with the Chinese defenders in the second line of defense.

The battle was extremely brutal from the beginning. The fortifications of the second line of defense were far less solid than the positions of the original 56th Regiment that had been lost. Under the bombardment of a Japanese artillery group consisting of 60 field guns, some insufficient fortifications were severely destroyed and the officers and soldiers inside suffered heavy casualties.

After losing the protection of sufficiently strong fortifications, the officers and soldiers in the second line of defense had to face the firepower of the Japanese army's large-scale team artillery groups.

The battle was extremely brutal for the Chinese officers and soldiers in Qisha’s second line of defense, and it was definitely not an easy battle for the attacking 42nd Regiment of the Japanese Army.

When the 42nd Regiment rushed into the firing range of the Kuomintang officers and soldiers, they were greeted by intensive mortar fire coming from a hidden artillery position behind the second line of defense. In this mortar position, there were deployed 81mm mortar companies of three battalions of the assault corps, as well as two regimental mortar companies of the 19th Regiment of the New 56th Division and the New 19th Division Supplementary Regiment of the second line of defense.

This mortar position was naturally He Wei's masterpiece. Although he was determined not to reinforce his assault corps to the defense line to assist in the battle, He would definitely not be stingy with the basic firepower support.

The artillery battalion of the assault corps is still in Nanning. Therefore, the strongest area-killing artillery firepower currently available to He Wei is the battalion-affiliated mortar company of each battalion.

He Wei deployed these three 81mm mortar companies, together with two regimental 82mm mortar companies of friendly forces, on the reverse slope behind a small hill behind the second line of defense, built a solid concealed position and completed the shooting and geodesy work near the second line of defense.

He Wei also deployed the anti-aircraft artillery company directly under the assault corps near the mortar position, and set up an anti-aircraft artillery anti-aircraft firing position to protect the mortar group.

He Wei also drew personnel from the three mortar companies and organized a forward observation team to be deployed in the frontline positions.

When the Japanese artillery fire began to extend and large groups of infantry advanced to the front of the second line of defense, the three 4-gun battalion-owned 81mm mortar companies of the assault corps responded quickly and immediately fired projectiles at a maximum rate of 25 rounds per minute in accordance with the pre-determined shooting organization plan.

Dense 81mm mortar shells smashed down on their heads, and the high-quality original French 81mm mortar grenades blasted away, causing rain of shrapnel to burst out among the Japanese charging skirmishers, knocking many Japanese infantrymen to the ground.

After the Japanese attack formation advanced several hundred meters under mortar fire, the National Army officers and soldiers in the second line of defense and the two companies of six domestically-made 19mm mortars of the 56th Regiment of the New 6th Division and the Field Replacement Regiment also began firing.

The machine gun firepower of one and a half infantry regiments, with the support of 18 81mm and 82mm mortar groups, launched a fierce attack on the sudden attack of the Japanese 42nd Regiment.

Although the officers and soldiers of the 19th Regiment of the 56th Division suffered heavy losses and only half of the regiment was left in the main position of Qisha, this new force was also trained and grew in bloody battles and casualties, and the command ability and combat effectiveness of officers and soldiers at all levels were greatly improved.

Facing the attack of the 42nd Regiment, officers at all levels were able to calmly command their subordinates to resist and fight. Even the poor performance of firing prematurely and indiscriminately, which was once criticized by He Wei, was almost reduced. Its regiment commander Yang Tian also made a desperate determination and directly placed the command post in the communication trench behind the second line of defense.

Led by the 56th Regiment, the new 19th Division's Field Replacement Regiment, which engaged the Japanese Army for the first time, did not pull up its pants. Although its performance was not as good as the 56th Regiment and there were some indiscriminate firing, fortunately there was no major chaos. Under the cover of fierce mortar fire and the leadership of friendly forces, they were able to fire steadily in the trenches. The equipment of the new 19th Division's Field Replacement Regiment was also quite good. Its weapons were no different from those of ordinary infantry regiments, and it was fully equipped with both light and heavy machine guns.

Therefore, the fire network formed by the 56th Regiment and the new 19th Division Field Replacement Regiment was not sparse.

For a time, there was thick smoke and flying bullets inside and outside Qisha's second line of defense. The 42nd Infantry Regiment of the Japanese Army attacked with all its might under the cover of superior artillery fire. The National Army defenders in the second line of defense, under the cover of mortar fire and with the advantage of one and a half infantry regiments, resisted the fierce attack of the Japanese Army.

The attacking 42nd Regiment of the Japanese Army was also an elite force with strong combat effectiveness. Although it suffered a considerable blow at the beginning, it would never retreat easily. Instead, it advanced step by step and attacked with all its might against the firepower of the National Army.

At the same time, the infantry artillery squad of the battalion following behind the Japanese infantry vanguard, as well as the rapid-fire artillery company and the regiment artillery company of the regiment also advanced rapidly towards the front line of the fierce fighting.

With the cover of fierce artillery fire, the Japanese 42nd Regiment, which had higher combat quality, struggled to advance under the mortar fire of the National Army. The 19th Regiment of the New 56th Division and the Field Replacement Regiment relied on the fortifications of the second line of defense and resisted with all their might under the cover of mortars. For a time, the battle was very fierce.

In the second line of defense of the new 19th Division, the thick smoke gradually dissipated. As the firepower of the Japanese artillery group extended, the Japanese field artillery shells that fell directly on the second line of defense gradually became sparse.

Without the suppression of artillery, all kinds of firearms of the National Army in the second line of defense were fired almost simultaneously, including light and heavy machine guns and rifles. The equipment of the new 19th Division's field supplementary regiment was no different from that of an ordinary infantry regiment. The battalion had a heavy machine gun company and the squad had a light machine gun. Together with the 56th Regiment, which was half of the infantry regiment left, the density of the National Army's automatic firepower in the second line of defense, which deployed a full infantry regiment, was also considerable. More than two dozen Type Maxim heavy machine guns and nearly a hundred Czech light machine guns roared, spewing long tongues of fire from their muzzles, and quickly poured bullets into the Japanese scattered soldiers attacking from the front. The sound of "boom boom boom!" rang out in pieces.

Japanese soldiers were continuously knocked down in the intensive fire network attack. Coupled with the concentrated fire of the Chinese riflemen on the position and the accurate and rapid mortar fire support, the sharp attack of the 42nd Regiment was forcibly blocked in an open area less than meters away from the second line of defense.

The new 19th Division deployed one and a half regiments of troops in the defense line, and the total force in the position reached more than 42 people. The attacking Japanese army also deployed a lot of force. The nd Regiment deployed two infantry battalions to participate in the attack at one time, and its manpower and firepower were also very strong.

Therefore, the Japanese army, which was unable to advance due to intensive firepower attack, did not retreat. The infantry at the forefront crawled on the spot in the formation of a skirmish group, the riflemen covered each other and advanced on the ground with their guns, while the light machine gunners and grenade throwers built firing fortifications on the spot and fired at the Kuomintang positions opposite with light machine gun fire and grenade throwing.

Soon, the Japanese Taisho 11-year type Type 99 light machine guns in front of the position started firing, followed by the Japanese front-line infantry grenade throwers, whose Type 89 grenade launchers fired one after another, launching 50mm caliber grenades at the national army's position.

In the hail of flying bullets, grenade explosion points soon appeared on the Kuomintang positions. Several grenades accurately hit the Kuomintang's light and heavy machine gun fire points. The violent explosion of the 50mm grenade brought a rain of shrapnel, which immediately destroyed the light and heavy machine guns and shooters that were directly hit, and the machine gun crew.

Although more grenades did not directly hit the light and heavy machine gun fire points, the shrapnel produced by the dense grenade falls also killed and injured many officers and soldiers.

The fierce firepower from the Japanese grenade launchers and light machine guns immediately threw the defenders in the positions into chaos, especially the officers and soldiers of the new 19th Division's Field Replacement Regiment, who were fighting the Japanese for the first time. They had never seen an ultra-light mortar like a grenade launcher, and were immediately shocked by the power of the grenades thrown by the Type mm grenade launcher. Panic immediately broke out in the positions of the Field Replacement Regiment.

"Onboard!"

Seeing that the suppression of light machine guns and grenade launchers had achieved results, the Japanese infantry who had been crawling and advancing in the rain of bullets with difficulty quickly stood up and launched a charge while shouting. The attack formation of the advancing troops, which had been blocked, suddenly advanced rapidly again.

The crawling Japanese soldiers had just gotten up and were shouting as they charged forward quickly. Not long after they went far, they heard bursts of sharp whistling sounds in the air. Mortar shells were fired one after another, piercing the air at an angle, followed by the Japanese charge formation smashing down. The mortar unit of the Assault Corps, which had been keeping a close eye on the Japanese, saw the Japanese approaching and promptly switched to the more powerful 81mm heavy mortar shells with more explosive charge.

The 81mm heavy shells bombarded and blew up the Japanese army's scattered attack formation. The two 82 mortar companies of the friendly forces also opened fire in unison with the shooting rhythm of the assault corps' mortar units. After a fierce attack, the gray-black smoke and dust directly covered the Japanese army's vanguard attack formation.

Amid screams, bloody bodies were thrown into the air by the air waves, and the Japanese troops at the forefront were instantly covered by the powerful mortar fire.
Then, another wave of whistling sounds passed by, and the 12 81mm mortars of the assault corps began to extend their firepower. The landing points of the mortar shells moved forward according to the shooting map measured before the war, and covered the Japanese grenade throwers and light machine gun groups who were providing cover and suppressing fire in the rear.

The heavy shells fired by 12 81mm mortars exploded one after another, suddenly silencing the Japanese light machine gun and grenade launcher groups that were firing fiercely.

Several light machine gun groups and grenade launcher groups were destroyed under the fierce mortar fire. The damaged Taisho Type 11 light machine guns turned into pieces of scrap metal and were blown into the sky along with the bloody bodies of the light machine gunners.

The three mortar companies of the Assault Corps made full use of the precise artillery geodesy work before the war. According to the surveyed maps and shooting parameters, the mortar group of the Assault Corps can accurately and quickly adjust the mortar's firing targets, or carry out rapid fire extension.

Of course, this is also inseparable from the excellent performance of the French Blonde 81mm mortar equipped by the Assault Corps. The two friendly forces' domestically-made 20th-century 82mm mortar companies, following the Assault Corps' mortar unit's example, also exerted a power far beyond their own capabilities.

After the mortar troops unleashed their fire, dozens of small steaming craters and Japanese corpses lay scattered on the open ground between 500 and 800 meters in front of Qisha's second line of defense.

Seeing such fierce firepower from their own mortars, the officers and soldiers of the new 19th Division's Field Replacement Regiment, who had been in chaos for a while, gradually regained their composure and returned to their positions to fire. The officers and soldiers of the 56th Regiment, who already had certain combat experience, cheered loudly.

The firepower of the light and heavy machine guns, which had just been hit by the Japanese light machine guns and grenade launchers and were unable to raise their heads, was restored and a dense firepower network was reorganized.

After being attacked by such fierce and accurate mortar fire, the attack momentum of the two Japanese infantry battalions that were originally about to advance rapidly was once again sharply reduced.

However, although the Japanese attack formation was caught in a chaotic situation, it did not collapse.

Under the command of Japanese officers and non-commissioned officers, the two Japanese infantry battalions temporarily gave up their advance and retreated to a position about 19 meters away from the Chinese army. They began to build fortifications and fire on the spot. Light machine guns, grenade launchers, and riflemen gradually restored their firepower after building simple shooting bunkers and engaged in a melee with the new th Division troops in the position.

Obviously, the fierce mortar fire just now has made the attacking Japanese army realize that they cannot take the position in front of them by relying solely on infantry assaults and infantry firepower.

For a moment, bullets rained down again, and the dense fire from the light and heavy machine guns and rifles of both sides crossed each other in an irregular manner.

On the battlefield, machine gun bullets and grenades were flying everywhere. From time to time, Japanese soldiers crawling on the ground were screaming and groaning as they were knocked down. The officers and soldiers of the New 19th Division who were shooting at the Japanese in the position were also suffering casualties.

After the shooting battle between the attacking and defending sides lasted for three or four minutes, another large group of Japanese troops appeared behind the Japanese infantry attack formation, and the Japanese heavy weapons and siege firearms units finally followed up.

配备4门41式山炮的步兵第42联队直属联队炮中队，配备4门94式37毫米速射炮的42联队直属速射炮中队，以及参与攻击的两个步兵大队的重机枪中队（各配备8挺92式重机枪）与步兵炮小队（各配备2门92式70毫米步兵炮）依次推进到位。

After these heavy weapons arrived, 16 bulky Type 92 heavy machine guns immediately joined the shooting. The 16 Type 92 heavy machine guns of the two squadrons were all deployed along the attack formation of the two infantry battalions and fired fiercely. Streams of heavy machine gun fire were directed at the Chinese army positions ahead. The muffled sound of the Type 92 heavy machine guns resounded throughout the battlefield.

Amid the dense gunfire, the Japanese artillery that was pushed up was also making intensive preparations for firing. At present, the two biggest threats to the attacking Japanese army were the fierce mortar fire attack just now and the light and heavy machine guns in the Chinese army positions ahead.

However, the mortar group that had just caused heavy casualties to the Japanese army had now ceased firing. The reason was very simple. In the mortar group's salvo just now, whether it was the 81mm mortars of the Assault Corps or the domestically-made Type 19 56 mortars of the 20th Regiment of the New 82th Division and the Field Replacement Regiment, they all fired at a rate of fire of more than 20 rounds per minute, which was close to the limit. After a long period of high-intensity shooting, the mortar group had to suspend firing for the sake of protecting the artillery.

With the mortars ceased fire, the newly arrived Japanese artillery fire was directed at the light and heavy machine guns of the Chinese army in the main position.

(End of this chapter)