The regular meeting today will be held at ten o'clock in the morning as usual.

This regular meeting is required by Zhang Tianhai to be held on time every day. The purpose is to promptly report on the training progress of the following units, etc.

Today's report was also completed very quickly, and generally it was about some problems that arose during troop training, etc. Overall, it was relatively smooth.

After the report, Zhang Tianhai said: "Today, in addition to the specific report, the regiment headquarters also has an important decision to announce, that is, our regiment will establish a cavalry battalion."

As soon as this news came out, everyone couldn't help but be shocked, and then there was a lot of discussion, and the theme was: Why is the army expanding again?

Indeed, it is no wonder that the military officers of the Zhiyi Regiment were so stunned. The Zhiyi Regiment was expanding too fast. Counting from November, when the regiment was established to defend Nanjing, less than three months had passed.

Not only are the four infantry battalions of the regiment fully staffed, but the troops directly under the regiment headquarters have also expanded a lot. An artillery battalion was strengthened not long ago, and now a cavalry battalion is needed.

Only two and a half months have passed, and so many soldiers have been produced. If the cavalry battalion is also included, their reinforced regiment will be huge.

Not only are the troops complete, but the proportion of light and heavy machine guns is also very high. It can be said that, except for the engineer company and the tank company, all the troops that the regiment should have are complete.

Such a configuration of arms, coupled with the ratio of combat troops, is nearly a brigade.

Zhang Tianhai tapped his index finger on the table, nodded and said: "Yes, that's right, it's the cavalry battalion. After our regiment entered the North China Plain, it showed many shortcomings, such as lack of mobility. At this point,

Improvement can only be achieved by establishing cavalry battalions."

Everyone on the field remained silent. After all, no one could change the decision made by the regiment. Moreover, having one more cavalry battalion would be a good thing for the entire third theater directly under the first regiment.

"Since you have no objections, in the next few days, in addition to training the troops, we must also assist Deputy Commander Zhou and Chief of Staff Guo in establishing a cavalry battalion. Now that the war is approaching, this work is the top priority.

Please pay attention to it. Do you understand?" Zhang Tianhai stood up and issued the final order.

"Yes! Group seats!" Everyone stood up and responded, very neatly, and with such an energetic appearance, they felt uplifted just by looking at them.

"Okay, let's adjourn the meeting!" Zhang Tianhai announced.

After the meeting, Zhang Tianhai disappeared, and Xu Sangou, the platoon leader of the regiment's security platoon, disappeared as well.

Noon on the same day, that is, noon on February 2nd.

Mengyin County, which is supposed to be lively and bustling, is desolate. Today is already approaching the end of the new year, and the Chinese New Year is coming in a few days. For the common people, the Chinese New Year is a big day, no matter how you say it.

Make the whole place lively and lively.

However, Mengyin County could not recover. The Japanese war came again. The surrounding houses were bombarded by artillery fire and only the ruins were left. No one could live in them anymore. Except for Ma Fawu, the house was used as the division headquarters.

Except for the intact ones, other houses had long been destroyed by the bombing.

It was not because it was Ma Fawu's division headquarters that it was not demolished, but that only a house that had not been demolished could be used as a division headquarters.

Ma Fawu is the commander of the 39th Division of the National Revolutionary Army, which is part of the battle order of the 40th Army under Pang Bingxun's Third Army Corps. It can be said that he is the most trustworthy person for Commander Pang Bingxun.

Ma Fawu followed Pang Bingxun from the beginning to today. Four of the five regiments of Pang Bingxun's army are directly commanded by him, and the remaining regiment is a special agent group directly under the army.

Unlike other senior officers who pay great attention to their hairstyle and appearance, Ma Fawu has a bright bald head, well, the kind with nearly a hundred watts. At this time, he is drawing lines in front of the table, the Japanese Itagaki Division

He pressed forward step by step, putting considerable pressure on him.

As Pang Bingxun's most trusted person, and also the most powerful general in the 40th Army besides Pang Bingxun, who also served as commander, Ma Fawu was naturally appointed as the former enemy commander of the Third Army. His command included the 115th Brigade.

Including all armed forces within Mengyin County.

As for the 116th Brigade and the special agent group directly under the Legion, they stayed in the rear of Linyi as a reserve force to support Mengyin and other places at any time.

Pang Bingxun is famous for his ability to avoid the most important and to preserve his strength in battle. His fighting style is particularly agile and eclectic, and this battle in Mengyin is no exception. He does not intend to use Mengyin as the decisive battlefield. He must use part of his troops

Involving and consuming the enemy's offensive energy has achieved the purpose of tiring the enemy and learning the specific situation of the enemy's troops.

"Division Commander, there is an urgent report from the front line. The Japanese forward troops have crossed Lujiagou, and about two regiments of troops have rushed towards our Mengyin County. Now the militia troops have organized layers of resistance, but they are not expected to last long.

." A staff officer ran in and reported to Mafa Wuhui.

Ma Fawu immediately found the location of Lujiagou on the map, took a look at it, and then said: "We have crossed Lujiagou. It seems that the main force of the Japanese army will arrive at Mengyin City in less than two hours. Order all troops,

Get ready for battle now!"

"Yes, division commander!" the staff officer responded.

"Division commander, can we withstand the attacks of two Japanese regiments with just this small force?" Zhu Jialin, commander of the 115th Brigade, was obviously a little unsure.

Ma Fa gritted his teeth tightly and said: "You have to resist even if you can't resist it. Don't forget the meaning of our staying in Mengyin. Commander Pang has already given an order. If anyone dares to disobey the order and retreat or evacuate without authorization,

All will be shot. Don’t forget the fate of Han Fuqu, Chairman of Shandong Province and Deputy Commander of the Third War Zone. Even such high-level generals can be shot, let alone us generals."

Before Zhu Jialin could speak, Ma Fawu sternly warned: "The regiment commander has treated us with great kindness. Even if he repays it with death, so what? But if Commander Pang is implicated because of our incompetence in fighting, then...

He deserves death. Listen, before receiving the order to retreat, if anyone dares to retreat lightly or without authorization, I will be the first to kill him!"

"Yes! Sir!" Zhu Jialin, the commander of the 115th Brigade, Huang Shuxun, the deputy commander of the brigade, and others stood at attention and saluted and promised, but in their hearts they were determined to fight to the end. The commanders were already prepared to die.

Not to mention them.

"Let's continue the battle process!" Ma Fawu said, "What do you think about the follow-up progress of this battle?"

I saw Zhu Jialin picking up the pencil, clicking on the map and saying: "Commander, look, we are now in a dark position. The main force of our third army is in Linyi area. We will gather with the local militia and count our casualties."

The total number of people is only two regiments. But our two regiments of the 115th Brigade are not alone."

Zhu Jialin first drew a circle in Linyi on the map, and then drew a circle in Lanling near Linyi, and then said: "In Linyi, which is closest to us, there are two regiments of our Third Army's Special Agent Regiment and the 116th Brigade.

Counting the legion headquarters and the troops directly under the military headquarters, there are more than three regiments in total.

In addition, Zhang Liyuan, the commissioner of the Third Inspectorate of Shandong Province, has his security team stationed in Linyi City. Zhang Yuanli's security team also has considerable combat effectiveness.

In addition, Lanling, which is very close to Linyi, also has a reinforced regiment of the Central Army stationed. It is said that the first regiment directly under the third theater is fully armed with German weapons and has an eight-gun artillery battalion.

The equipment is excellent.

It can be said that our national army has seven regiments in Linyi and Mengyin. Seven regiments are fighting against two Japanese regiments. As long as the calculation is done properly, a draw will not be a problem."

Listening to what Zhu Jialin said, Ma Fawu shook his head gently, seeming to agree, but not quite agreeing with what he said.

…

PS: The first update is here!

Thanks to Qidian book friend SKL Qiang for giving me two monthly passes!
Chapter completed!