Show the sword, start from the guerrillas

Chapter 324 Chapter 323, Cavalry Platoon, go!
Chirp, chirp...Boom, boom, boom...the mountain cannons of the artillery battalion fired together. The hot bullets drew streaks in the air and exploded heavily on the city defense fortifications outside the west gate of Shexian County.

The brick, stone and earth machine gun bunker was quickly turned into a pile of rubble by the bombardment of mountain artillery shells, with smoking wood burning on the rubble.

Boom boom boom... Ga, gag... The heavy machine guns mounted on the river bank launched a suppression attack on the Japanese positions on the other side of the river. During this time, grenade launchers also fired grenades across the river and exploded on the Japanese river defense fortifications.

The Japanese who had occupied Shexian for a long time did not expect that the Eighth Route Army would have such confidence to attack them, so the entire city defense and river defense fortifications were not that strong. Moreover, because Shexian was the garrison of the First Independent Mixed Brigade, it was just a city on the Handan-Changzhi Avenue, and there were not many Japanese stationed here.

"What? The telephone lines are cut off? Bagaya Road... Immediately send a telegram to Handan and Wu'an, asking them to send emergency reinforcements!" In Shexian County, Major Morishima slammed the table and shouted.

"Report to His Excellency the Major, the telegram has been sent, and the brigade has dispatched reinforcements. We only need to hold on for four hours!" More than ten minutes later, the signalman reported.

"Wow, four hours! Where is the observation post? Tell me how the fortifications on the riverside are doing?" asked Major Morishima.

"Brigade Commander, the Japanese fortifications on the other side of the river have been destroyed! This time, the guerrilla artillery platoon performed well, using 8 artillery shells to blow up the Japanese's 6 heavy machine guns!" At the brigade headquarters, a soldier reported the latest news to the brigade commander.

"Tell the Independent Regiment to create the illusion of crossing the river and try to attract the enemy's attention! Tell the 772nd Regiment to move from the north to the south immediately and separate and surround the enemy defending the river from the enemy defending the city!"

"Yes, I'll send the telegram right away!" After confirming the order, the signalman hurried to send the telegram.

"According to early intelligence, there were only two squadrons of Japanese invaders in Shexian County. Even though an additional squadron was urgently added later, the number of troops was only more than 600, and that had to include the puppet army. Even so, the Japanese invaders dared to separate a part of their forces to guard the river! Don't they know the principle of uniting their forces and clenching their fists?" Chief of Staff Zhou said, holding a telescope and looking in the direction of the county town.

"The Japs were so successful that they let their guard down! And now their main attention is on the Baijin Highway, not here. Don't forget, before the attack on Licheng, we had always been focusing on harassment and guerrilla warfare. Moreover, the Japs thought that if they blocked us on the Qingzhang River, we would have no way out. But they didn't know that our 772nd Regiment had already secretly crossed the river in the north!"

"Now, just wait for the 772nd Regiment to come down from the north and surround the county town!" The brigade commander was very calm, waiting for the battle to begin.

At the same time, in the east of Shexian County, the independent guerrilla detachment, the advance detachment, the youth column and the 3rd Battalion of the Division Special Service Regiment were secretly transferred to the vicinity of Ma'anshan, intending to block the reinforcements of the Japanese. The st and nd Battalions of the Division Special Service Regiment, however, joined forces with a regiment of the Ji'nan Military Region to attack the east gate of Shexian County from Ma'anshan.

In other words, the headquarters secretly mobilized at least four regiments of troops to surround Shexian County, and even sent troops to attack reinforcements.

The reason why the headquarters made such a big move was not only to capture Shexian County, but also to Wu'an to the east of Shexian County. After all, the Baijin Railway had been temporarily abandoned, and the Handan-Changzhi Avenue could not be given to the devils. On the west bank of the Qingzhang River, Lao Kong of the Independent Regiment had lost his hat somewhere, and he didn't feel cold in the winter.

"What does this mean, Brigade Commander? We have organized so many fishing boats just to cross the river and fight the Japanese, why are we still feinting? Forget it, let's just follow orders! Tell the first battalion commander to split up the team at the riverside, and have one squad carry a fishing boat and head towards the riverside. Remember to go slowly and make a loud noise. Also, mobilize two heavy machine guns to fire at the Japanese bridgehead, so that the Japanese will think we are going to cross the river!"

After Lao Kong's order was issued, the soldiers of the independent regiment carried the fishing boats and ran to the river under the cover of machine guns, pretending to cross the river. At the same time, two Type 92 heavy machine guns deployed on the river bank suppressed the bridgehead built by the Japanese at the original location of the wooden bridge.

Here, there was originally a wooden bridge, which was built after the Japanese crossed the river in July. But yesterday, the Japanese suddenly burned the bridge.

Of course, this was not the main point. Although the battle was lively, it was not a very important battle in the eyes of the brigade commander and his men. The truly important battle would not come until 10 minutes later.

"Captain, we have agreed that the devils on the river bank will be handed over to our guerrillas!" In the north of Shexian County, Captain Guo, with the 772nd Regiment and the guerrillas, finally appeared in everyone's sight. The person who spoke was not someone else, but our captain Zhao Danian.

"Go ahead, don't let a single Japanese soldier go, kill them all by the river!" Captain Guo looked at Zhao Danian and said seriously.

"Don't worry!" Zhao Danian raised his hand, then suddenly put it down, and ran towards the guerrilla team: "Everyone, all the grenade throwers, step out, Old Xing, you lead them, first fire three high-explosive bombs and one pepper bomb at the devils by the river! Hu Lanzhou, your cavalry platoon prepares to charge, the first and second companies get ready, and the heavy machine gun company, stop in the woods ahead and set up positions!"

Zhao Danian had already seen the terrain and calmly began to arrange the tasks. At this time, the Japanese also noticed the 2,000-strong team coming from the north, and the Japanese on the riverside were all scared.

"Baga... abandon the position and return to the city... quickly..." A captain in charge of guarding the riverside gave the order loudly with a tearing voice.

Just when the Japanese abandoned their fortifications and planned to return to the city, the guerrillas' grenade launchers fired a volley. As the grenade launchers of the guerrillas, they were already familiar with how to cooperate with each other to blow up a death belt on the enemy's position. So, after Xing Weiguo called out, the sound of firing rang out, followed by four consecutive volleys.

And how did the Japanese feel? ? Looking at the dozens of grenades falling from the sky and the sparks exploding around them, the Japanese decisively jumped back into their trenches. Of course, those who were slow didn't need to make a choice at this moment, because the fragments and shock waves from the shells made the choice for them.

"Very good, cavalry platoon, charge, go straight to the Japanese position! First and second companies, follow the cavalry platoon and kill all the Japanese!" Zhao Danian shouted as he saw the Japanese being covered by wave of grenades.

(End of this chapter)