Anti-Japanese War: I have unlimited assistance

Chapter 437 Am I a spy?

A day later, Zhang Dabiao led the reconnaissance platoon and arrived at Pianguan County by car.

Pianguan County is the territory of the New 1st Regiment.

When the New 1st Regiment moved from Jinzhong to northwest Shanxi, its headquarters was located in Pianguan County.

After arriving at Pianguan County, Zhang Dabiao led the reconnaissance platoon and rode to Beitongpu Road to conduct reconnaissance.

The Beitongpu Road is between Ning County and Shuo County, and there are too many terrains suitable for ambushes.

Soon, Zhang Dabiao found a terrain suitable for ambush - Erdaogou.

And the most important thing is that large trucks can drive directly here.

After the mission was accomplished, the first battalion could load combat supplies onto large trucks and then retreat quickly.

After scouting the ambush terrain, Zhang Dabiao immediately scouted the terrain suitable for blocking.

In this battle, the First Battalion not only had to deal with the Japanese who were escorting combat supplies, but also had to deal with the Japanese reinforcements.

In Shuo County, there was a Japanese infantry battalion and a battalion of puppet troops stationed.

In Ning County, there was a Japanese squadron and a battalion of puppet troops stationed.

Even though these devils are no match for the first battalion if they are tied together, we still need to allocate some manpower to move the goods after the mission is accomplished tomorrow night.

Blocking is particularly important.

The next night, the political instructor of the first battalion led two companies from the first battalion and the motorized battalion and arrived near Beitongpu Road.

However, it is not easy to hide the two companies of the motor battalion, with about 300 large trucks, on the road.

Even with camouflage nets and branches and weeds, it is easy to be detected by Japanese reconnaissance plane pilots.

So, Zhang Dabiao ordered the two companies of the motor vehicle battalion to drive all the vehicles to Pianguan County for concealment.

More than 2,000 people in the first battalion found a place to hide on Beitongpu Road.

During the day on the third day, as Zhang Dabiao had expected, the Japanese from Taiyuan dispatched reconnaissance planes to conduct several rounds of aerial reconnaissance of Beitongpu Road and its surrounding roads.

Fortunately, it has been sunny recently, and the tire tracks left by the convoy of large trucks on the road are not obvious, otherwise they would be exposed.

On the third night, after dark, Zhang Dabiao called a meeting of all the company commanders.

In a hidden ravine about two kilometers away from Chenjiagou, Beitongpu.

Zhang Dabiao was half-kneeling, leaning on a PPSh submachine gun, looking at the assembled company and platoon leaders.

"This is a standard ambush."

After scanning the company and platoon leaders, Zhang Dabiao began to describe the battle plan he had formulated after reconnoitering the terrain:
"Company 1 is responsible for blocking the enemy from the Shuo County direction in Chenjiagou."

"The 2nd Company is responsible for blocking the enemy from the Ningxian direction at Zhaojiashan."

"I personally led the 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th Companies and the Machine Gun Company to ambush the Japanese army column at Erdaogou."

"The specific deployment is that the 3rd and 4th companies will ambush on the left side of the Erdaogou Railway, and the 5th and 6th companies will ambush on the right side of the railway."

"The four platoons of the machine gun company are lying in ambush on the left and right sides of the railway."

"The mortar company is responsible for providing flares and artillery support."

"The reconnaissance platoon is responsible for planting explosives on the railway."

"I have only one request for this battle: it must be quick!"

"Destroy the enemy as quickly as possible. Once we get the goods, ambush the various companies and the logistics support company. Immediately move the goods onto the trucks, and then we will return to Ping'an County."

"Does everyone understand their respective tasks?"

As long as they move quickly, the first battalion might have finished its mission and retreated before the Japanese reinforcements arrived.

All the company and platoon leaders shouted in unison: "Understood!"

A sharp light flashed in Zhang Dabiao's eyes: "Let's go!"

This ambush was particularly important for the New 14st Regiment's subsequent lightning attack on the Japanese th Division.

Without supplies, the 14th Division became a toothless tiger and posed less of a threat to the New st Regiment.

……

Twelve o'clock at night.

There is still an hour before the Japanese army column arrives.

At the intersection of the Erdaogou railway and highway, on a small hill next to it, Zhang Dabiao and the instructor set up the battalion headquarters.

This time, each company headquarters carried a walkie-talkie to facilitate Zhang Dabiao to conduct micro-control at any time.

"Report to the Chief of Staff and the Instructor, the explosives have been buried."

The reconnaissance platoon leader in charge of planting the explosives reported on the walkie-talkie:

"They're using TNT explosives, detonated with detonators. They have plenty of material. Besides blowing up the rails, they should be able to kill all the Japanese in the armored vehicles."

"good."

Zhang Dabiao grinned with his white teeth and spoke in a sinister tone.

Although the intelligence said that the Japanese armored vehicles would be located three hundred to four hundred meters in front and behind the military train, and their positions were not very fixed, no matter where the armored vehicles were located, the New 1st Regiment's blasting would be done with electric wires, and as long as the demolition workers were not dazzled, they could blow them up.

Even if it fails to be blown up, it is not a big problem. The bazooka equipped in each squad of the 20st Battalion and the mm machine guns equipped in the machine gun company will maximize the fault tolerance rate.

All we need to do is use a demolitionist to blow up the railroad tracks, and the Japanese armored vehicles will be quickly dealt with by bazookas and machine guns.

Next, each company commander reported via walkie-talkie that all soldiers were to enter the ambush position.

"it is good."

"Once the battle begins, we must act quickly, and it's best to resolve it within twenty minutes."

"Including loading the combat supplies onto the large trucks, it shouldn't take more than an hour and a half."

Zhang Dabiao emphasized again on the walkie-talkie:

"Also, during the battle, try not to fire or throw grenades at the military trains, or else the combat supplies will be accidentally blown up, and the regimental commander will probably curse."

"Company 3 received, Company 4 received, Machine Gun Company received..."

The company commanders responded with a smile on the walkie-talkie channel.

If an entire military train of combat supplies were accidentally blown up, given the regimental commander's personality, he would probably jump up and curse.

"Battalion Commander, the target has appeared."

More than half an hour later, the company commander reported to Zhang Dabiao on the walkie-talkie.

During this period, a Japanese ordinary train had passed through Erdaogou.

The second company was responsible for blocking the enemy in the direction of Ning County at Zhaojiashan.

Zhaojiashan is about 3 kilometers away from the Erdaogou ambush point.

"The Japanese train is coming, all companies prepare to fight!"

Zhang Dabiao immediately gave orders on the walkie-talkie.

A few minutes later, there was a clang...

The sound of the train's wheels hitting the rails rang in the ears of Zhang Dabiao and the soldiers, and the beam of light from the huge headlights of the traction locomotive almost made the rails clearly visible.

On the locomotive of the Japanese army, a high-power searchlight shot out a huge beam of light, illuminating the railway tracks as if it were daytime.

More than 300 meters ahead of the Japanese army column, a Type 93 dual-purpose armored vehicle, also equipped with a high-power searchlight, continuously swept both sides of the tracks.

As the clanging sounds grew louder, the Japanese armored vehicles and locomotives were getting closer and closer to the ambush circle.

At this moment, the telegraph operator rushed to Zhang Dabiao and said, "Battalion Commander, the regimental headquarters just called and said that this military train is empty. The real military train carrying combat supplies will leave from Xinxian Station two hours after this train."

Hearing this, Zhang Dabiao immediately picked up the walkie-talkie and ordered: "I am Zhang Dabiao, pass on my order, let the Japanese army column pass!"

Zhang Dabiao understood instantly that it must be Boss Lin who provided the latest information to the team leader.

About five seconds later, the Japanese armored vehicle sped past the blasting point where the explosives were buried.

"It was a close call. We only had a few seconds to open fire." The instructor looked relieved.

If we open fire at this time, we will definitely end up with nothing. The Japanese will also be alerted, and the military trains that are actually transporting combat supplies will not go to northwest Shanxi.

The company commanders asked about the situation on the walkie-talkie. After Zhang Dabiao explained, he ordered the soldiers to continue the ambush.

The soldiers continued to lie in ambush, not moving at all. Even when they defecated or urinated, they had to do it in their trouser pockets.

“Fortunately, I have this thing.”

After giving the order, Zhang Dabiao looked at the walkie-talkie in his hand and grinned.

If the walkie-talkie hadn't given the order in time, the reconnaissance platoon would have already blown up the Japanese Type 93 armored vehicle.

About two hours later, the target appeared. It looked like an ordinary Japanese army train without any armored vehicle protection.

Of course, this is loose on the outside and tight on the inside.

This time, the regiment headquarters did not send a telegram, and this Japanese army train matched the telegram, so it was obviously the real target.

Soon, the Japanese army train transporting combat supplies arrived within the encirclement.

"Blow up the railroad tracks!" Zhang Dabiao gave the order in a cold tone while holding a walkie-talkie.

next second.

"boom……"

More than 400 meters in front of the military train, a violent fireball exploded, and the shock wave accompanied by stones under the railroad sleepers flew everywhere, and then fell down, and a cloud of smoke suddenly rose.

At the same time, the Japanese driver on the military train saw a fireball suddenly rising in front of him and a deafening explosion.

chi chi chi...

The Japanese train driver was horrified and slammed the brakes. Due to the huge inertia, the iron wheels and rails of the military train produced violent friction, sparks and lightning all the way, and an extremely sharp sound.

Fortunately, the speed of the Japanese army train was not fast, and the locomotive finally stopped more than ten meters away from the explosion site.

If the Japanese train driver had reacted a second slower, the entire Japanese military train would have likely derailed and fallen over.

"idiot!"

In the middle carriage of the Japanese army train, Colonel Iwakura Yoshikado, commander of the 14th Quartermaster Regiment, almost fell down because the train braked suddenly.

After stabilizing himself, Colonel Iwakura quickly regained his composure from his furious state and immediately gave an order.

"Request tactical guidance from Major General Mutaguchi, Chief of Staff of the First Army."

"All soldiers are not allowed to get off the vehicle, open the firing port, and shoot immediately if they find anyone suspicious."

In order to ensure that these 500 tons of combat supplies arrived in Heyuan County smoothly, Colonel Iwakura Yoshikado, commander of the 14th Quartermaster Regiment, led his 1st Quartermaster Battalion to personally escort them.

In addition, the entire Japanese army train carriage was modified, with a layer of steel plate installed on both sides of the interior of the carriage, and rifle and machine gun firing holes reserved.

"Hi."

The Japanese telegraph soldier quickly picked up the radio and called the First Army Headquarters.

On both sides of the railway tracks, the soldiers of the first battalion looked at each other in confusion as they watched the Japanese army column stop.

According to previous experience in ambushing Japanese military trains, as soon as the Japanese military train stopped, the Japanese on the trains would jump out cursing, and either check the situation or directly fire on both sides.

Then, the soldiers of the new regiment immediately shot at the Japanese who jumped out of the car.

What happened to the devil today?
The entire battlefield suddenly fell into a deathly silence, and the entire Japanese army train just stopped on the tracks like a ghost train.

"Chief of Staff, did we ambush the wrong target?" The instructor was also a little puzzled.

"Let's fire two flares and see!" For a moment, Zhang Dabiao didn't understand the situation.

"Machine gun company, fire two flares!"

Zhang Dabiao overlooked the entire battlefield from a commanding height and began to micro-manage with a walkie-talkie.

"Whoa!"

From the direction of the mortar position, two shells were fired over two Japanese army trains on the railway tracks, but the entire Japanese train remained motionless.

"Company 3, 4 machine guns, fire at the enemy column. All other companies are not allowed to fire!"

Zhang Dabiao continued micro-control using the walkie-talkie.

"Da da da……"

Soon, under Zhang Dabiao's order, the four machine guns of the 3rd Company opened fire at the Japanese army column, and the bullets clanged on the rails and carriages.

The Japanese army column remained motionless.

"Company 3, send a platoon up to take a look!"

Zhang Dabiao felt more and more that something was wrong and continued to give orders to the 3rd Company using the walkie-talkie.

Soon, a platoon of the 3rd Company jumped out of the ambush position, and under the leadership of the platoon leader, they spread out in threes, holding their guns, and cautiously moved towards the Japanese army column.

At the artillery position, two flares were fired simultaneously in the direction of the military train to provide vision for the soldiers.

"Colonel, it's the Eighth Route Army."

In the Japanese army column, through the firing hole, a Japanese second lieutenant saw the uniforms of the soldiers of the first battalion and the standard steel helmets on their heads.

"Fire!"

The Eighth Route Army soldiers were thirty meters away from the military column when Colonel Iwakura gave an order.

"Da da da……"

In several carriages, the firing holes were suddenly opened, and black gun barrels stretched out, firing at the approaching Eighth Route Army soldiers.

Caught off guard, more than thirty soldiers fell in a pool of blood, and the rest quickly lay down.

"All troops, open fire at full force, provide covering fire!"

"Da da da……"

The firepower of the first battalion was extremely strong. At Zhang Dabiao's command, all the MG42 machine guns, PPSh submachine guns and Mauser rifles opened fire at the same time, pouring out barrages of bullets towards the Japanese army columns.

"This isn't right!"

At the battalion headquarters, as the battle continued, the instructor of the first battalion kept saying something was wrong.

The Japs' firepower did not decrease, but increased instead, and they continued to fire at both sides of the railway tracks.

On both sides of the railway tracks, at the ambush positions of the companies of the first battalion, muffled groans of soldiers continued to be heard from the ambush positions of the first battalion, and it was obvious that soldiers were constantly being shot.

"The Japanese must have installed iron plates on this train, otherwise our rifles and submachine guns would have been able to penetrate it."

"damn it!"

Zhang Dabiao was furious. He took the walkie-talkie from the instructor of the first battalion and gave a decisive order:

"I'm Zhang Dabiao. The machine gun company and all bazooka teams, immediately fire at the enemy column!"

"Blow up this Japanese army train!"

"I don't want these 500 tons of combat supplies!"

"Move the machine guns of the 3rd platoon of the machine gun company 20 meters to the left. The enemy's firepower is the strongest there."

"Fire enough flares from the artillery positions!"

Previously, Zhang Dabiao had not ordered the machine guns and bazookas to fire for fear of accidentally damaging combat supplies.

Zhang Dabiao knew very well that the Japanese were all hiding inside the modified military train, and it was impossible to seize the 500 tons of combat supplies.

Without using machine guns and bazookas, it would be impossible for the troops to get close to the Japanese army train, because there were half a truck of combat supplies on the train and the Japanese had plenty of ammunition.

Once the bazooka and machine gun were used, there was a high possibility of accidentally damaging the carriages loaded with combat supplies and detonating the ammunition inside.

As Zhang Dabiao gave the order, bazookas, machine guns and mortars all joined the battle.

The thickness of the iron plates installed by the Japanese on the military trains was only enough to withstand the fire from rifles, submachine guns and light machine guns.

It could not withstand the bazooka and machine gun fire from the side, let alone the 82mm shells falling from the top.

"Boom boom boom boom..."

In less than two minutes, the explosives on the Japanese army's train were detonated, and a huge series of explosions occurred immediately.

A battalion of Japanese supply troops and 500 tons of combat supplies were reduced to dust in the huge series of explosions.

"Pity……"

Zhang Dabiao stood at the commanding heights, looking at the railroad tracks with flames shooting up into the sky, and heaved a sigh of relief:

"Pass on my order. Take the remains of the fallen soldiers and the wounded and retreat immediately."

"Yes!"

……

More than an hour later, the Japanese reinforcements from Ning County and Shuo County arrived at Erdaogou with murderous intent.

But all that could be seen was the entire destroyed military train, and it was even difficult to piece together a complete corpse of a Japanese soldier at the scene.

"idiot……"

The Japanese captain who led the troops to support was so angry that he cursed.

……

"Your Excellency, Chief of Staff, a military train transporting combat supplies was ambushed at Erdaogou, approximately 15 kilometers north of Ningxian Station. Colonel Kuraiwa, commander of the 14th Quartermaster Regiment, and the entire 1st Quartermaster Battalion were killed. 500 tons of combat supplies were destroyed..."

More than half an hour later.

The news reached the First Army Headquarters.

Mutaguchi Renya was stunned on the spot.

He couldn't understand why, despite all the preparations he had made - sending a baggage brigade to escort the train, installing steel plates on both sides of the train carriages, and temporarily changing the train's itinerary, the train carrying combat supplies was still ambushed.

Moreover, this time they also lost a logistics battalion and a colonel, which was a huge loss.

Mutaguchi Ren's brows were furrowed into a shape of a "川" (川) character, and he was puzzled.

He was fully responsible for this transportation mission. Even the First Army Commander Lieutenant General Yoshio Shinozuka and Colonel Ikki Yamamoto did not know the specific details of the transport train.

Baka, what’s the problem?
Am I a spy?

(End of this chapter)