The communications squad of the New Regiment has just called for air support.
The Japanese cavalry force arrived, and the rumble of horse hooves sounded on the ground with great momentum.
The Eighth Route Army soldiers in the Jizhong Military Region looked over and saw densely packed Japanese cavalry on the road in the distance, surging over like a yellow tide.
then.
All the Japanese cavalry stopped one kilometer away from the military area guard camp.
A Japanese soldier riding a maroon Japanese horse, surrounded by more than a dozen elite Japanese cavalrymen, rode up from the rear. The Japanese cavalrymen made way for one after another.
This man was older than the Japanese around him, and he was Colonel Kazaki Obara, captain of the 26th Regiment of the 4th Cavalry Brigade.
Colonel Obara Kazuaki raised his telescope and looked at the three mountains in the distance.
Through the field of vision of the telescope, he saw the corpses of Japanese soldiers lying on the ground and the horses of the reconnaissance cavalry lying on the ground.
More than ten minutes ago, Obara Kazuaki was leading a cavalry regiment to sweep forward along the planned route. His scout cavalry reported that they had discovered the Eighth Route Army's reconnaissance cavalry.
Kazuaki Obara immediately led the 26th Cavalry Regiment to catch up at full speed.
"Report to the captain."
The captain of the scout cavalry rode over and lowered his head to report:
"About one reinforced battalion of the Eighth Route Army occupied the three hills ahead. The enemy's firepower was very strong. My reconnaissance cavalry team lost twenty-five riders."
Hearing that the enemy's firepower was very strong, the reconnaissance cavalry lost twenty-five riders.
Kazuaki Obara was not angry, but his eyes lit up slightly.
"Yo Xi..." The corners of Obara Kazuaki's mouth turned up, "God Amaterasu bless me, there must be a big fish in this Eighth Route Army!"
The reconnaissance captain looked slightly startled: "Your Excellency, commander, how did you tell that there is a big fish in this Eighth Route Army?"
Kazuaki Ohara smiled coldly: "The Eighth Route Army usually flees in small groups, but this wave of Eighth Route Army is a large group fleeing, and its firepower is stronger than the ordinary Eighth Route Army, so I conclude that this Eighth Route Army must be extraordinary, and even have
Maybe the head of the Eighth Route Jizhong Military Region is here."
"If that's the case." The Japanese reconnaissance captain's eyes lit up, "Our team will make a great contribution."
A Japanese soldier on the side asked with a confident tone: "Your Excellency, Captain, please give us an order and watch our 1st Cavalry Squadron destroy this Eighth Route Army."
"Not urgent!"
Kazuaki Obara carefully held up the telescope, observed the terrain for a while, and said:
"This place is steep and the Eighth Route Army has a favorable position. When our cavalry rushes up, it is just a living target for the Eighth Route Army's machine guns."
After a pause, Obara tilted his head slightly and asked backward: "How long until the cavalry artillery squadron arrives?"
"Report to the commander." the adjutant behind him replied, "the cavalry artillery squadron will arrive in about 5 minutes!"
The cavalry artillery squadron carried mortars and artillery shells. When the main cavalry force pursued them at full speed, the cavalry artillery squadron fell behind.
"Yo Xi, the Eighth Route Army hasn't run very far yet, so there will definitely be enough time."
Colonel Obara Kazuaki gave the order in a cold tone: "After the cavalry artillery squadron arrives, immediately set up the mortars and shell the Eighth Route Army positions. The remaining cavalry dismounted and prepared to attack the Eighth Route Army positions."
"Hi!"
Beside him, several Japanese cavalry squadron captains all lowered their heads.
The captains of each cavalry squadron conveyed the order, and more than a thousand Japanese cavalrymen dismounted one after another, leaving a small cavalry squad watching the horses.
The other Japanese cavalry acted as infantry and entered the attack position.
The Eighth Route Army infantry has a reinforced battalion with more than 600 troops, while the Japanese cavalry regiment has more than 1,300 troops.
Although the Eighth Route Army's equipment was not bad, the Japanese's equipment was better, including a heavy machine gun squadron and a cavalry artillery squadron.
The Japanese cavalry artillery squadron quickly caught up, and after receiving the order, they quickly set up eight Type 97 mortars at a safe location in the distance.
The Type 97 mortar equipped by the cavalry artillery squadron has a caliber of 90 mm. It is nicknamed the small steel cannon and is relatively powerful.
Not long after, there was a bang on the Japanese artillery position, and a 90mm mortar shell landed on the Eighth Route Army position.
boom!
The explosion wave suddenly rose up, setting off a mud mist.
The Japanese artillerymen quickly corrected their firing according to the point of impact, and another 90mm mortar shell landed on the Eighth Route Army's position.
Two Eighth Route Army soldiers grunted and were hit by shrapnel.
Immediately afterwards, the Japanese's eight mortars opened fire and bombarded the three hills occupied by the Eighth Route Army.
After three minutes of shelling, the Japanese cavalry formed a skirmish line and attacked the three hills of the Eighth Route Army at the same time.
Colonel Obara Kazuaki was also a little anxious.
After this Eighth Route Army discovered the Japanese cavalry, they must have stayed behind to break up the rear. The real big fish was escaping.
so.
Colonel Obara Kazuaki planned to defeat the Eighth Route Army in three attacks, and then lead his cavalry to chase the big fish.
However, Kazuaki Obara didn't know that the big fish he wanted to catch had not left, but was now in the front position.
"Da da da…"
"Boom boom boom..."
The Eighth Route Army infantry and artillery fired almost simultaneously, with dense rain of bullets and sparse artillery shells sweeping towards the attackers.
Soon, the first wave of Japanese attacks were repelled.
However, this wave of Japanese attacks was just a probing attack. The purpose was to test the strength of the Eighth Route Army's firepower and the location of its firepower points.
As expected, as soon as the Japanese cavalry withdrew, the Japanese mortar shells roared toward the high ground occupied by the Eighth Route Army.
Fortunately, the military region guard battalion commander and soldiers have rich combat experience in fighting the Japanese.
As soon as the Japanese charge stopped, the machine gunners quickly moved their machine gun positions, but there were still several heavy machine gun positions that moved slower and were blown up by Japanese mortar shells.
What's even more troublesome is that the Japs from the heavy machine gun squadron occupied a nearby hilltop and mounted heavy machine guns to shoot at the hilltop where the Eighth Route Army was located.
The Eighth Route Army had to separate some light and heavy machine guns to suppress the Japanese heavy machine guns.
soon.
The Japanese's second wave of attack began, and the battle between the two sides quickly became intense.
Li Deren also joined the battle with his communications squad. The Type 56 semi-automatic firepower and automatic firepower caused some casualties to the Japanese on the battlefield, but after all, the number was too small to affect the entire battle situation.
The Japanese's second wave of attacks was fruitless.
Mortars immediately launched shelling on the Eighth Route Army positions.
Soon, the Japanese cavalry rushed up again.
At the Japanese Cavalry Regiment Headquarters, Kazuaki Obara, captain of the Cavalry Regiment, looks at the battlefield through a telescope.
There was a hint of anxiety in his expression, and then he looked at the watch in his hand.
The battle lasted for nearly 40 minutes, and soldiers on both sides suffered heavy casualties.
According to this situation, if we fight for another 40 minutes, this battle will not be over.
However, if we fight for a while longer, the big fish of the Eighth Route Army will definitely slip away.
This Eighth Route Army force became more tenacious in its resistance.
It means that the higher the rank of that big fish is in the Eighth Route Army.
His promotion to major general depends on this battle.
Kazuaki Obara looked at the sky, thinking how great it would be if there was air support, but unfortunately the useless group of aviation units of the North China Front were wiped out.
Otherwise, call for a wave of air support and drop dozens of aerial bombs on those hills.
Fighters and bombers dived and strafed again.
His cavalry can resolve the battle with just one charge, so why bother now?
At this moment, the buzzing and roaring of airplanes sounded in the sky.
"Um?"
Kazuaki Obara's expression changed. Didn't I call for air support?
Moreover, haven't all the North China Front's aviation units been wiped out?
Could it be that the Eighth Route Army called the plane?
Thinking of this, Kazuaki Obara's expression suddenly changed. This was probably the plane called by the Eighth Route Army.
Two days before the start of the sweep, the Eighth Route Army dispatched aircraft and bombed some of the sweep troops and logistics supply lines.
but.
Kazuaki Obara's cavalry regiment has not been bombed by Eighth Route Army aircraft, and there is no intelligence showing that the Eighth Route Army in the Central Hebei Military Region can call for air support during battle.
Kazuaki Obara quickly judged from the sound of the plane that it was coming from the west and was rapidly approaching here.
He raised his binoculars and looked in the direction of the roaring plane. He saw a hammer and sickle mark printed on the fuselage of the plane, and his expression suddenly changed.
"Pass the order."
"Stop the attack immediately, hide in place, and prepare for air defense!"
Kazuaki Obara threw away the telescope and shouted hysterically, and the Japanese flag soldiers quickly conveyed the order.
But it's too late.
The densely packed aircraft began to swoop, targeting the Japs on the ground. Hundreds of aerial bombs fell rapidly, and dense and huge explosion waves exploded on the Japs' heads.
Along with the explosion of aerial bombs, there were also dive and strafing attacks by 40 aircraft.
Da da da…
A blue light glowed under the plane's wings.
Aerial artillery shells were fired, and one-meter-high bullet marks of soil, sand and stone swept past, and the Japanese were quickly beaten into pieces of minced meat.
Boom boom…
Two incendiary bombs landed on the hilltop of the Japanese heavy machine gun squadron. With the overwhelming sound of explosions, the entire hilltop was instantly engulfed in flames, and the flames were overwhelming.
Four Saber fighter jets discovered the Japanese artillery position. In order to allow the brothers to seize a batch of mortars, they did not drop incendiary bombs on the Japanese position. Instead, they swooped down with the fighter jets and fired cross-fire at the Japanese artillery.
The Japanese cavalry team looking at the horses saw that something was not going well. They immediately dropped the horses at the stakes and galloped away.
However, the plane that dropped its aerial bombs quickly came back and discovered the escaping Japanese cavalry, and quickly pursued them.
The aircraft of the new regiment dive bombed and strafed. In less than two minutes, the entire 26th Japanese Cavalry Regiment was wailing all over the field under the powerful firepower, and suffered extremely heavy losses.
The Eighth Route Army soldiers on the hilltop, including District Chief Lu, all fell into a daze watching this scene.
"Attack, attack immediately!"
"Blow the charge!"
District Chief Lu was the first to react and immediately ordered his troops to launch a counterattack against the Japanese.
"Dududu——"
The rapid charge horn sounded, and the soldiers jumped up from their positions and launched a countercharge towards the Japanese Cavalry Regiment.
Then, after about 20 minutes of fighting, the 26th Japanese Cavalry Regiment was easily wiped out.
Looking at the seizure of more than a thousand military horses, eight 90mm Type 97 mortars, and a large number of mounted rifles and ammunition.
"You're getting rich." District Chief Lu smiled from ear to ear: "This air support is so exciting!"
Without these 40 aircraft of the New Regiment, not only the guard battalion would have suffered heavy losses, but even the headquarters and agencies would have been unable to escape if they were bitten by the Japanese Cavalry Regiment.
However, with the reinforcement of 40 aircraft, the 26th Japanese Cavalry Regiment was completely wiped out by the headquarters' guard battalion.
"Is this the air support of the new regiment? It's really amazing!"
The guard battalion commander and a staff officer sighed together, their minds still stuck on the image of a new regiment of planes bombing the Japanese cavalry, and they did not recover for a long time.