The Iron-Blooded Army of Beacon Fire

Chapter 114 The Japanese demolition squads attack!

Yongxing Village

After a night of screening and preparation, the No. 16 Regiment finally formed a death squad. The death squad that was about to carry out the blasting mission consisted of 60 people. About 20 of this death squad came from those who were beaten all day long. The 16st, [-]nd, [-]rd, and [-]th infantry squadrons were nearly wiped out. The remaining soldiers were recruited from other units of the No. [-] Regiment. All of them were veterans who had been in active service for more than a year and had rich combat experience.

This death squad was organized according to the organization of an infantry squad. It was organized into a standard infantry squad consisting of three light machine gun squads and a grenade squad with a total of 54 people. In addition, it was also organized into a smoke squad and weapons. The equipment is also unique. The weapons used are the same as those of the infantry squad. However, the amount of ammunition carried by this death squad is greatly reduced. The Japanese Type 120 riflemen are required to carry [-] rounds of rifle ammunition according to regulations, but each of this death squad has three rifles. The Type [-] rifleman was only equipped with fifty rounds of rifle ammunition, and all the reduced weight was reserved for explosive equipment.

None of the non-combat equipment and equipment were brought. Of course, everyone still wore a gas mask, because the Chinese army on the opposite side may use chemical weapons, and this is a necessary protective measure.

In addition to fifty rounds of rifle ammunition, each rifleman must carry two blasting tubes and thirty kilograms of explosives. In addition to the light machine gun, each light machine gunner must also carry a blasting tube on his back. Each soldier in the smoke squad carries two blasting tubes. Smoke tubes and fifteen kilograms of explosives. Only half of the grenade ammunition carried by the ammunition soldiers of the grenade unit were anti-personnel explosive grenades, and the rest were all smoke grenades.

This death squad of the Japanese army has very clear combat methods and objectives. It makes full use of smoke cover to carry out advance blasting operations. This kind of combat tests the courage and combat quality of the soldiers. Not only the soldiers are veterans, but also the captains and commanders of several units. The corps commanders are all professional volunteer non-commissioned officers and have served in the military for at least five years.

Both the team leader and the squad leader have such qualities, and the squad leader who leads the team cannot be an ordinary person. The commander of this death squad, Shibata Ichiro, is only a second lieutenant, but he has the longest service life in this death squad. soldier.

Compared with those young second lieutenants who are only 22 or 23 years old and graduated from the Army Academy, Ichiro Shibata is actually a bit older at 33 years old. He was not from the Army Academy, but was drafted into the army at the age of 20. , it took another ten years to be promoted from a soldier to a noncommissioned officer. Finally, at the age of 30, he passed the second lieutenant candidate examination and entered the Army Noncommissioned Officer School.

The second lieutenant candidate is the Japanese army's officer promotion channel for professional soldiers. It is also a product of Japan's decision to initiate disarmament in 1918 and was established in 1920.After a conscripted soldier is promoted to warrant officer (Special Agent Cao) or Cao, he is selected and sent to the Army Noncommissioned Officer School for one year of training (called a student). After graduation, he is appointed as an active-duty second lieutenant.

This system can also be understood as the reason for the promotion system for outstanding soldiers in the era before Wei time traveled. The Japanese army's second lieutenant candidate system is a supplementary method for junior officers in addition to the regular graduates of the Army Non-commissioned Officer School. It can also be said to be an expectation and reward for non-commissioned officers. For those non-commissioned officers who have served for a long time, being able to obtain the status of an officer is already a class leap and status improvement.

This kind of officer who is a second lieutenant candidate has his own separate academic status and period. He can also be regarded as a graduate of the Army Non-commissioned Officer School, but it is far from being compared with the regular undergraduate graduates of the Army Non-commissioned Officer School. In the Japanese military system, Within the military, if you want to be promoted to a mid- to senior-level officer, a degree from Army University is the most basic requirement.

Officers who are second lieutenant candidates can also take the Army University exam, but in reality, no one can pass the exam. Therefore, officers with this background spend most of their careers in the lowest-level combat units. With good luck, He can be promoted to Major, and during the war, he may be promoted to Lieutenant Colonel.

Shibata Ichiro is not only the oldest second lieutenant in the No. 16 Infantry Regiment, but also the second lieutenant with the most combat experience and command capabilities. As early as the Manchuria Incident many years ago, that is, the September [-]th Incident, he had established a distinguished position. In this operation, Ichiro Shibata took on the role of commander without hesitation.

In the trenches at the starting position, Ichiro Shibata quietly waited for the signal to attack. From yesterday's heavy losses, Captain Goto Juro of the No. 16 Infantry Regiment learned a lesson and stopped using large-scale forces and instead used small forces. The troops penetrated and assaulted. In order to cover the death squad, the artillery team assigned to the No. 16 Regiment also made adjustments. The artillery position was moved forward one kilometer under the cover of an infantry squadron of the No. 16 Infantry Regiment. Before this suicide squad launched the assault, the four mountain guns and four field guns assigned to the operation still had to be shelled. However, this time the bombardment used not anti-personnel grenades, but smoke grenades.All hopes are pinned on the blasting tubes and explosive bags in the hands of the death squad soldiers.

boom boom boom

The muffled sound of artillery sounded, and four Type 75 [-]mm mountain guns and four Type [-] [-]mm howitzers began covering fire. The firing rhythm of the artillery group and the landing point of the artillery barrage were exactly the same as yesterday's attack. However, the fired shell did not explode violently after landing, but instead emitted thick white smoke.
The eight artillery pieces fired more than 100 rounds of smoke grenades at extremely fast speeds. Suddenly, starting from the front of the obstacle area of ​​the Sixth Company's position, all the way to the obstacle area, the open area, the main position, and even outside the main entrance of Yanzhuang, there was smoke. Thick white smoke appeared, and as the Japanese gunner fired the last shell, three red flares also flew into the air.

When Ichiro Shibata saw the red flare hanging high, he put down the telescope in his hand and waved his saber at the suicide squad members in the starting position.

There were no kill calls or loud assault commands. This suicide squad composed of [-] veterans quietly jumped out of the trenches and quickly advanced towards the defensive position of the Sixth Company in a low-profile assault attitude.

The Japanese artillery bombardment was sudden and strange. He Wei's combat preparation measures were very strict. When the first smoke bomb of the Japanese army hit the ground and smoked, the second row on guard in the bunker sent out a gun signal. After hearing the gunfire, He Wei immediately left the artillery position with the first platoon and returned to the bunker of the infantry position.

Originally thinking that the Japanese army was about to launch another large-scale attack, He Wei immediately ordered the infantry to prepare for battle. He also connected the phone to the artillery position command post and contacted the artillery battalion commander Cao Huiguo. The four Bofors Mountain cannons had been deployed. They were ready for battle within 2 minutes, loaded with explosive anti-personnel grenades, and aimed at the farthest numbered area on the shooting command map. Zhao Yinfeng's Jinsui Army Field Artillery Battalion was also stepping up preparations for battle.

But after observing for a few minutes, the expected overwhelming fire suppression and infantry assault were completely absent. There were only smoke bombs that emitted smoke after landing. The Japanese army was very lucky. The wind was not light today, and the wind direction was favorable to the Japanese army. The smoke quickly spread from low to high, filling the Sixth Company's position.

In the command post, He Wei could not see anything. All he could see was the white smoke in the sky. The function of this smoke was undoubtedly to provide cover for the Japanese infantry who were attacking. He Wei had been mentally prepared for this, but he Not a single sound or noise was heard. The combat shooting discipline of the [-]th Company was maintained very well. Although many officers and soldiers in the first-line bunker were a little scared, no one fired randomly and they were all waiting quietly. Depending on the enemy's appearance and your own firing orders.

After 10 minutes, there was still nothing but white smoke in front of the sixth company's position. At this time, the officer could not sit still. First, the second platoon leader Hu Zhaowu called and said very He was anxious and asked He Wei if he should first use the Type [-] heavy machine gun to do a rough shot to prevent the enemy from raiding. Naturally, He Wei refused. Although he did not know what kind of medicine the Japanese were selling in the gourd, He Wei always refused. Adhering to the principle of not shooting until the enemy is in sight, Hu Zhaowu's request was naturally followed.

Now 10 minutes have passed since the Japanese army's large-scale smoke grenade bombardment. He Wei remembers that the effective duration of the smoke released by the Japanese infantry's hand-held chimneys is 15 minutes, and the duration of the artillery smoke grenades seems to be more than 20 minutes. Now it has passed Halfway through, He Wei decided to grit his teeth and wait, so he notified each platoon by phone not to fire, strictly observe shooting discipline, and wait for the Japanese infantry to appear.

(End of this chapter)