Chapter 957 Cemetery (Part 1) (Please vote for me!)
At five o'clock in the morning, the sky was still dark, but Tang Dao had already put on his cleanly starched military uniform and stood on the path in front of the small wooden house at the regiment headquarters.
This is a notice issued by the regiment headquarters two days ago. Today, all members of the four-line regiment must dress cleanly. It doesn't matter if the military uniforms are damaged, but they must be clean.
Behind Tang Dao, standing on both sides, were the other chief officers of the regiment, as well as the officers and soldiers from various places affiliated to the regiment and all the officers and soldiers of the guard company!
Both Tang Dao and all other officers and soldiers of the Four Lines Regiment wore white sleeve bands on their right arms. All officers and soldiers lined up in two neat rows on both sides of the road.
Behind the Tang Dao were more than a thousand people wearing ordinary clothes, but many of them had their heads wrapped in white linen.
They are all family members of the Si Xing Regiment recruiting new soldiers in Xuzhou this time.
They didn't need to travel at night in such an almost pitch-dark early morning. Last night, they were all picked up by the Four Troops from a small town several miles away.
The families of those whose families had soldiers who died in the war actually stayed up all night, keeping vigil for their relatives according to the customs of their hometowns.
Because today is the time to send them off for the last journey.
Further away, groups of soldiers had already lined up. There was no loud scolding from the squad leader, and the soldiers completed their formation in silence.
Tang Dao ordered that, except for necessary warnings, all officers and soldiers must participate in this spiritual ceremony!
This is also the first time that the martyrs’ cemetery built by the Four Lines Regiment on the green hills a few miles away has been opened. Not only the officers and soldiers of the Four Lines Regiment who died in the battle of Shanxi Province are honored, but also the soldiers of the independent battalion established since the establishment of the independent battalion.
All the officers and soldiers who have died since then, and looking further, there are even soldiers who died in Sihang Warehouse.
Most of their remains were buried on the spot, and a few were taken out of the battlefield and burned to ashes. They have been carefully preserved by the baggage company.
Those who have ashes will be buried with their ashes, and those without ashes will use their personal belongings or clothing. These are what Tang Dao once emphasized. As long as it is an officer or soldier of the camp, even if it is buried on the spot, his personal belongings must be taken away.
He also made a register so that he could have the opportunity to hand it over to his descendants in the future, and also to give his relatives some thoughts.
For this reason, the baggage company specially arranged a baggage squad of fifteen people to do this work. The belongings and clothing of hundreds of officers and soldiers who died in the Four Lines Regiment's previous battles were kept intact, even in the most difficult times of the battle.
In the eyes of many people, this is tatters, but in the hearts of the officers and soldiers, this is the final proof that the brothers who have been sleeping underground remain in this world.
Maybe one day, they will also become a member of that little bag.
But it doesn't matter, the later brothers will protect the traces they left just like them.
If there is not even this, but also the soil brought back from the battlefield, which is soil stained with their blood, the martyrs and heroes will definitely not go far.
This was a funeral for more than 800 people. No one dared to take it seriously. The first infantry battalion, the second infantry battalion, the third infantry battalion, several companies directly under the regiment, the squadron, the student company that had not yet been reorganized, a team of more than 3,000 people.
, except for the sound of footsteps and breathing, no one dared to break this quiet morning at will.
Even the 600 young recruits who moved from Licheng in the past three days, the 400 young recruits recruited from surrounding villages and towns, and the new recruits who have not even had time to wear military uniforms, whether they are naughty or rough-tempered, these
For a while, I was so angry that I didn't dare to take a breath, and like a good baby, I imitated the veterans over there and stood still, except that the team was not very neat.
The veteran squad leader, who had either widened his eyes or yelled at them these past few days, unexpectedly did not get angry and just stood beside them, looking straight ahead.
In fact, family members and soldiers were not the only ones who participated in this grand enshrinement ceremony.
People in the nearby villages, which are more than ten miles away, knew as early as three days that the Si Xing Regiment would bury the fallen officers and soldiers in these two days, and many people spontaneously organized themselves and rushed here overnight.
In their words, although the soldiers of the Sixings Regiment are not their relatives or the children of their village, they are heroes who serve the country. It is the duty of all Chinese to see them off.
Because the mountains are high, the roads are dangerous, and there are few mountainous areas, the Taihang Mountain area is poor, and the majority of people in Dakouzi Cave are stone mountains, which makes them even poorer!
The villagers could not bring the steamed buns and meat passed down from their ancestors as sacrifices, so they brought yellow and white linen cloth.
It was a linen imitation made by oneself using a spinning wheel at home. Each household produced three feet of linen cloth, and then tore it into many strips!
The people who came stood on the mountain on the way to the Martyrs Cemetery and hung linen cloth on the branches!
The mountains are all pure and plain!
Even the dark night can't stop these white flakes flying all over the mountain like dots of snowflakes!
The sentry in charge of security on the mountain stood upright in the plains of the mountain, trying his best to suppress the tears flashing in his eyes.
But this time, it was not because of sadness, but because of strong feelings.
If you die in battle like this, your journey to this world will be in vain.
...........
Time passed little by little, and the sky gradually became brighter.
The mountains are already foggy, especially in this late spring and early summer season. The red sun that has jumped over the top of the mountain is blocked by a light mist, emitting a faint light that is not dazzling at all.
"Report to the group! The time has come, can we let the brothers who are escorting the heroic spirits of our brothers set off!" As the general coordinator of this spiritual ceremony, Zhuang Shisan trotted all the way from a distance and reported to Tang Dao at attention.
"Yes!" Tang Dao nodded and waved his hand to order.
"Fire the gun! Send the brothers off!"
Upon hearing the order, the two rows of honor guard composed of officers and soldiers of the guard company took a step back collectively, raising their guns and pointing diagonally toward the sky.
The gun is not a Czech semi-automatic, nor is it a Liao-made single-shot rifle that has been fully installed, nor is it a Type 38, it is all an old gun made in Hanyang!
Because they were afraid that the heroes who died in the battle were not familiar with them, and the sound of gunshots made by Hanyang would definitely allow them to find their way home.
"Bang! Bang!"
The sound of gunfire completely broke the silence of Qingshan, and the thick smell of gunpowder smoke lingering in everyone's nose made people feel even more tragic.
Those people are silent in the smoke of gunpowder, but they still have to say goodbye in the smoke of gunpowder!
This may be the fate of a soldier.
The coffins of the officers and soldiers who died in the battle were all customized in the past two days. The wood may not be very good, but it can still be regarded as old wood. This was also specifically requested by Tang Dao. The feelings of relatives must be taken into consideration, as long as the remains can be transported.
If you return to Dakouzidong Town, you must be buried instead of cremated, and the coffin must be acceptable.
If there are only ashes and personal clothes, the box responsible for enshrining the spirit should be made of good stone to prevent it from corroding over time. What if his descendants want to transport him back to his hometown in the future?
Therefore, more than thirty coffins were very heavy, and those responsible for supporting the coffins were the battalions, companies, platoons, and squad leaders of the three major infantry battalions participating in the war.
Because the Japanese army lacked artillery this time and mainly focused on attacks, all the sacrifices came from front-line infantry. The remaining artillery companies, special agent companies and other auxiliary troops only suffered casualties.
They are officers and brothers. Naturally, they have to send the brothers off in person on their last journey.
"Get up!" Lei Xiong, the leader, roared, and the muscles on his arms bulged.
"Okay!" shouted again, and the supporting queue composed of all the infantry battalion officers of the Fourth Line Regiment began to march.
What followed was a larger force, numbering in the hundreds.
However, there is no coffin on their shoulders, but instead each person holds a stone box covered with white cloth in one arm.
Regardless of military rank, except for the officers who are supporting the deceased, these soldiers holding boxes wrapped in white cloth are the closest comrades of the martyrs!
Among the soldiers lining up to see him off, there was only one person from the special squadron.
Because the Special Forces Squadron is considered the most elite group of people in the Four Lines Regiment. Without exception, they are all veterans, and they have sacrificed the most of their comrades.
Lao Hei was holding Leng Feng's brother Xiao Shitou's spirit box, Gu Xishui was holding Yaomei's, Niu Er was holding Liu Datou's, and Lu Sanjiang was holding his old squad leader's.
Mingxin seems a little lonely, but she is the most enviable person on the field.
Because, since he joined the special squadron, there have been no combat casualties in the special squadron, only two people were seriously injured and three were slightly injured.
The spirit sending team went first, Tang Dao led the troops behind, and then followed the entire army of the Four Lines Regiment!
"stand at attention!"
"salute!"
The soldiers who were on guard along the way all straightened their bodies and saluted the troops.
The people standing on the hills spontaneously lit incense candles and paper money, and the little bits of fire lighted up the way home for the heroic spirits!
to 8 a.m.!
The sun shines on the hillside where the tomb has been dug!
According to the list that Tang Dao reviewed again last night, a total of 839 tombs were dug on the hillside. Because there was no time, the stone tombstones were not made. There were only 839 wooden boards standing in front of the tombs. Each board was neatly written with calligraphy.
Write the names of the fallen officers and soldiers, who died in battle on a certain day, month and year, and their place of origin.
This workload is huge, but it is Tantai Yunshu’s responsibility.
In his words: "I think those heroes will not dislike my words!"
This is probably one of the reasons why Li Jiujin could only silently endure Lao Tantai's saliva spraying in his face.
There was no sensational roll call, Tang Dao just walked past the coffin and the spirit box held carefully by the soldiers, just like he had led them on an expedition.
Only this time, no one stood at attention or saluted him.
Tang Dao raised his head and looked at the names standing in the first row on the hillside, those names that were familiar, unfamiliar and almost forgotten, and suddenly felt a little dazed.
When he first entered the Sihang Warehouse, Deputy Platoon Leader Liu Datou's hostile eyes towards him, an outsider, and sixteen-year-old Leng Shitou's green face seemed to still be vivid in his mind.
But they are all gone!
From now on, I will sleep in this cemetery.
Fortunately, they no longer have to endure the pain caused by the war so hard, and they can still stay together and chat and spank.
This is not a kind of happiness.
The dead are gone, but the living must continue.
Tang Dao stood still in front of a soldier in the queue.
"Enter the spirit" followed by Master Zhuang let out a loud roar.
The coffin was still carried by the six-man team of officers, but the coffin was changed from one to two. They solemnly held the coffin and lined up up the mountain. From top to bottom, they placed the coffin and the coffin into the tomb, and then closed it.
White cloth.
This was also because the time was too short. Originally, according to Tang Dao's plan, it was to be covered with the military flag of the Four Elements Regiment. However, there was not much cloth in these barren mountains and there was no time to make the military flag.
"Leave this to me!" Tang Dao took a spirit box from the soldier behind him.
Under the silent gaze of thousands of soldiers and civilians, Tang Dao went up the mountain alone, holding a spiritual box. He gently placed the spiritual box into the largest grave at the foot of the entire cemetery and the only one without a tombstone.
The regimental flag gently covers the spirit box.
All the soldiers couldn't help but be envious. Who had the privilege to have the regimental commander personally hold the memorial ceremony for him? If that brother knew that he would receive this honor after his death, he would probably have died with a smile on his face!
Rejecting the help of others, Tang Dao took a military shovel and filled the slightly larger tomb alone, and then faced the thousands of soldiers and civilians standing in front of him.
"Today is the day when the 893 martyrs of our Fourth Army Corps go home. I propose to observe three minutes of silence for the 839 martyrs of our Fourth Army Corps."
After saying that, Tang Dao took off his military cap, held it in front of his chest, and bowed his head solemnly.
All the officers and soldiers imitated Tang Dao's movements, and all took off their military caps and held them in front of their chests, bowing their heads solemnly. Others present took off their hats if they had hats on their heads, and bowed their heads if they didn't.
Three minutes later!
"End of silence." Tang Dao raised his head and said loudly: "Since the formation of the army, our Si Xing Regiment has traveled from Si Xing Warehouse to Songjiang, to Guangde, to Wuhu, to Zhengzhou, and then to the east of Shanxi.
The Japanese invaders fought six large-scale battles and numerous small-scale contact battles. They independently annihilated more than 10,000 Japanese invaders and cooperated with friendly forces to annihilate more than 10,000 Japanese invaders.
I can replace the entire army of my Fourth Army Regiment and proudly tell the whole of China that we have fought continuously along the way and created an unprecedented brilliant victory!
However, victory does not depend on words, but on the sacrifice of soldiers.
The martyrs’ cemetery behind me is the best proof that without their sacrifice, our army would not have achieved a glorious victory.
However, sacrifice means that a mother loses her son, a wife loses her husband, and a child loses his father.
Last night, I saw the family members holding the coffins of the martyrs and crying loudly. There were old people, women, and children among them. As a regimental leader, my heart ached more than anyone else.
Because they are also my brothers, brothers who train on the same training ground, eat from the same pot, and fight in the trenches.
As the highest officer of the Four Elements Regiment, my heart is as sad as their relatives.
However, will we stay away from the battlefield because of grief? No, I will tell you loudly, tell each of you, never.
Because, my brothers and I are not only sons, husbands and fathers, we are also Chinese.
The Japanese invaders have raised their butcher's knives and pointed them at the entire Chinese nation. We will not wait for the slaughter. We will raise our swords and guns more resolutely and tell them with blood that we will never surrender.
If we are afraid of the grief of our families and do not dare to step onto the battlefield, then when the Japanese aggressors' butcher knife points at us and our families, who will resist for you and me?
No, when everyone chooses to retreat, there will be no one left to protect this country and this nation.
We can only move forward, facing the Japanese invaders' blades, even if we die, even if we can't say sorry to our wives, even if we can never kiss our children's faces again."
"Forward, forward, forward." The soldiers were infected by Tang Dao's words and raised their arms one after another and shouted.
Tantai Yunshu, Teacher Xiao He and his students, who were standing on the flanks of the military formation, also raised their arms high and shouted with tears in their eyes.
At that moment, even the common people chanted along with the soldiers.
Regardless of whether Tang Dao intended to be sensational, the cemetery with more than 800 tombstones shows that they did not cherish life, but they were never afraid to sacrifice their lives. Only this kind of army is the strongest army in China.
A huge sound echoed in the valley.
...........
ps: It’s over, it’s over, I’ve been staying at home for a whole 10 days. In addition to instant noodles, I can occasionally order a takeaway. My head is really buzzing! I still have to worry about my daughter at my grandparents’ house.
Online classes, high school mathematics, Fengyue can no longer do it now. Can you believe it? I feel like I have been out of shape this week, and I still can’t get it back. Let’s take a look!
By the way, let me first say that Fengyue's new science fiction book "I Can Bury All Things" will be on the shelves on December 1st. When the time comes, please support and subscribe.
