Chapter 403: The artillery battle between the two sides in the Battle of Changzhi
The people standing on the city wall are old Japanese soldiers who have been on the battlefield for a long time and are experienced. From the explosion sound and power of the artillery shells, we can infer the strength of the artillery battalion on the north side.
Zhongshan Mingxin, captain of the Zhijian Mountain Artillery Battalion, said: "There are six mountain artillery in the north, and they are 94-type mountain artillery. And the Eighth Route Army launched attacks from all sides at the same time. There were explosions of artillery shells from all sides. When did the Eighth Route Army start to have so many?"
Artillery?"
"Baga must be an independent detachment of the Eighth Route Army. They were the ones who fought against the division commander in Lucheng. Unexpectedly, the independent detachment secretly moved to Changzhi. According to the last telegram sent by the division headquarters, the number of artillery pieces of the independent detachment can be
A complete artillery regiment comparable to the Imperial Army. I thought the division commander was exaggerating before, but I didn't expect it to be true!" Jiro Ikeda said with a gloomy expression.
On the side, Nobuzumi Moriyama, the head of the Changzhi Secret Service, said: "The commander of the independent detachment is called Zhou Weihan. According to the intelligence transmitted by the Intelligence Section of the North China Expeditionary Force Headquarters, the troops led by this person first appeared in Heshun County.
He once led the troops to capture Heshun County, and during the recent raid by the Eighth Route Army, the independent detachment he led captured Handan City!"
"The independent detachment has now become a serious problem for the imperial army. Even if Changzhi is not captured this time, and it is allowed to grow in the future, it will threaten not only Changzhi where we are, but also the imperial army's rule in southeastern Shanxi and even Shanxi.
shake!"
Hearing the fear of the independent detachment contained in Moriyama Nobuchen's words, Ikeda Jiro said dissatisfied: "Moriyama-kun, are you afraid? Shame, today I want to let the outside world know that the Imperial Japanese Army will never be defeated.
!”
"Ikeda-kun, I am only predicting the future situation. Please don't think too much. We will definitely defeat the Eighth Route Army troops attacking the city!" Moriyama Nobuzumi faced the big hat thrown by Ikeda Jiro and quickly explained.
"Destroying them is not enough. I have to completely eliminate them in order to wash away the shame of my 41st Division!"
"I have ordered the garrison troops from Gaoping, Huguan, Lingchuan, and Lin counties to send reinforcements to Changzhi. The Imperial Army's 37th Division and the Fourth Independent Mixed Brigade, which are sweeping the hinterland of the Taihang Mountains, are gathering. If everything goes well, they will be there tomorrow.
We can reach Changzhi, by which time the independent detachment will be completely annihilated!"
"Gentlemen, as long as we can hold Changzhi City for two days, you are all heroes of the Imperial Army. Imagine that the independent detachment that defeated the Imperial Army many times collapsed outside Changzhi City. At that time, Commander Gangcun will give
You give awards!" Jiro Ikeda said in an encouraging tone.
"Hi!" Many Japanese officers responded as if they had been given blood.
Previously, under the dispatch of Jiro Ikeda, all the garrison defenders along the roads from the suburbs of Changzhi to various county towns were turned back, and all troops were concentrated inside and outside Changzhi City, with the intention of holding on to the end with the independent detachment.
After the comrades at the Changzhi Intelligence Station of the enemy's engineering section lurking in the city learned about the situation, they wanted to report it to their superiors. However, the Japanese army locked the city gate tightly and at the same time stepped up the search inside the city.
Therefore, Zhou Weihan did not know that Changzhi's garrison was different from the previous deployment of troops provided by the enemy's engineering department.
Jiro Ikeda also had selfish motives for planning this way.
At this time, the commander of the Japanese 41st Division and the 239th Regiment were completely wiped out by the Eighth Route Army in the Lucheng area. The 237th Regiment was ambushed in Shentouling in the Taiyue Military Region of the Eighth Route Army. Chief of Staff Yamazaki Yehei led the team in Lijiagou.
destruction.
He was the only high-ranking officer in the 41st Division. He could not reach the position of division commander, but with his achievements in annihilating the independent detachment, he had more than enough qualifications to seek promotion to the commander of the infantry regiment.
While they were talking, the Japanese army deployed twelve mountain cannons between the inner and outer city and began to counterattack.
However, the two artillery batteries of the artillery battalion had already moved after the initial ten rapid fire rounds. The infantry guns and mortars on the east and west sides were even carried away by a few soldiers.
In addition, the Japanese army's twelve mountain artillery were deployed in four directions, with only three artillery pieces in each direction. Therefore, the Japanese army's artillery counterattack had no effect.
In the observation post of the artillery battalion, the two artillery companies from the north and the south made reports to Chen Feng one by one.
"Okay, as long as there are no losses, set up a few more positions. I saw the battle just now and the effect is good. But the little devil is prepared. Next time, instead of rapid fire from ten rounds, use six rounds instead!"
"What, do you want to counterattack the Japanese artillery positions? Your eyes are so wide that you can see the Japanese artillery positions?"
"Okay, I don't care how you fight, the commander said, there is no need to save artillery shells, as long as Changzhi is captured, there are enough artillery shells!" Chen Feng said proudly, and then hung up the phone.
The Japanese artillery position is inside the city and is blocked by a tall wall, while our artillery position is outside the city. The Japanese artillery observers stand on the city wall and can figure out the approximate location of the artillery battalion after calculation.
On the mountain artillery battery position on the north side.
There was a dispute between the artillery company commander and instructor over whether to launch a counterattack against the Japanese artillery positions.
"Let me tell you, there are many ordinary people in the city. Your counterattack may cause accidental injuries to the ordinary people in the city. Can you afford this responsibility?" the instructor retorted.
"Hey, my instructor, the battalion commander didn't say anything just now, but you spoke up. If the damn little devil arranges an artillery position, he must not choose an open area. Even if it is placed near a civilian house, the little devil must not demolish it.
People's houses? Can the little devil tolerate ordinary people staying near his artillery position? Isn't this a joke? Think about it, is it possible?"
The artillery company commander asked questions one after another, leaving the instructor speechless.
Seeing that the instructor's face was green and white, the artillery company commander thought to himself, you are really an amateur.
However, many soldiers were still watching. The artillery company commander could only comfort him: "Instructor, you are right to worry about the people, but the battalion commander must have considered these issues you have considered. Otherwise, when I mentioned the counterattack just now, he
You will refuse, and besides, you don’t even know what our strength is, so we can fight wherever you want!”
After saying that, the artillery company commander did not hesitate to ask the mountain artillery company to be divided into two and arranged on the two artillery positions.
"After a while, the eastern position will bombard the outer fortifications, and I will personally direct the western position to counterattack!"
Not long after, the shelling began again, but this time the firepower was much weaker.
The Japanese artillerymen in the city did not become suspicious, thinking that the Eighth Route Army artillery fired separately in order to maintain the continuity of the bombardment.
In an instant, the three Japanese mountain artillery pieces on the north side began to counterattack against the artillery position on the east side.
On the artillery position to the west, the artillery company commander controlled the artillery scope to observe the trajectory of the Japanese artillery shells.
"Hey, I knew you had to change positions too, so let me catch you this time!"
Then the artillery company commander spoke out a series of parameters, and the crews of the three mountain cannons quickly adjusted their parameters.
"No need to test fire, just fire a salvo of six rounds, then move immediately!"
He switched to loading shells, then fired, and several shells streaked through the sky and flew towards Changzhi City.
At the same time, the Japanese army's three mountain artillery were being moved.
The Japanese artillery squad leader on the artillery position quickly noticed the abnormality and couldn't help but look up at the sky.
"No, there's an artillery attack, protect the mountain artillery!" the artillery squad leader shouted.
A group of Japanese artillerymen were courageous. They gathered together one by one, and some even lay down on the mountain artillery.
Several artillery shells landed on the position one after another. In an instant, the sky was spinning and the sky was filled with flames.
Many Japanese troops were blown away by the airwaves from the shell explosion. Unfortunately, the desperate protection of the Japanese artillerymen was destined to be of no avail.
The subsequent artillery shells detonated the artillery shells in the ammunition boxes, and the power caused by the explosion of the artillery shells swallowed up everything on the position, and even the walls of Changzhi City shook.