Chapter 3 The idea of digging water wells in tunnels
The cold gun and cold artillery campaign began in January 1952. Front-line troops generally carried out cold gun and cold artillery activities to annihilate the enemy, consuming a large amount of the effective forces of the "United Nations Army" to cover the troops and build position fortifications. Each army selected outstanding shooters and gunners to form sniper groups or gunners.
The artillery joint sniper team used rifles or light and heavy machine guns to kill exposed personnel at the front of the "United Nations Army" position, directly aimed artillery, rocket launchers, and recoilless rifles to destroy its civil fortifications and fixed tank launch points, and fired with field artillery and howitzers.
It is a small group of targets that are shallow, near and deep.
When carrying out sniper activities, snipers flexibly selected shooting positions according to the enemy's movement patterns, built fortifications in advance, and carried out strict camouflage, effectively using firepower. Volunteers and the Korean People's Army suffered immediate casualties in sniper operations from May to August.
The "United Nations Army" had more than 13,000 people. The cold-blooded activities continued until the end of the Korean War in 1953.
Xia Yuan fell silent, tapping the wall with a pickaxe, carefully recalling some details of the Battle of Shangganling in his mind.
On the 14th, Shangganling broke out, and on the 20th, they switched to tunnel operations. They relied on the tunnels to launch night counterattacks and small-scale operations. The fierce battle that lasted for 43 days began. The soldiers ate, drank, and defecated in the tunnels. In the later stage, the tunnels were short of water and food.
The soldiers began to drink urine. At first, the color of the urine was white, then turned to yellow, then brown, blood color, and even turned into a gel, making it difficult to secrete saliva. The compressed biscuits were so hard that they could break the mouths and tongues of the soldiers.
In order to keep in touch with his superiors, the hoarse-voiced walkie-talkie could only slap his mouth until it was bloody and wet. This was still the case for ordinary people, let alone the wounded. The wound could not be treated and transported to the rear, so the wound could only be allowed to become inflamed and fester.
In order not to disturb their comrades, the wounded soldiers bit the sheets with their mouths and endured the pain of their wounds without saying a word.
"Fortunately, I have added a lot of knowledge about battles on the Korean battlefield. This time I traveled to a more familiar battle."
Xia Yuan took a deep breath. Half a month was quite limited. He compressed his sleep and martial arts training time, studied English, improved various skills, and learned about various blocking battles, including the Jinhua Offensive and the Cheorwon Blocking Battle.
After 43 days of fierce fighting, the Battle of Shangganling ended.
It is now the end of September, and there is still half a month before the battle begins. Since we cannot participate in the cold-blooded campaign, we must find ways to change the conditions in Tunnel No. 1.
According to his understanding, in the later stages of the battle, the enemy began to throw grenades into the tunnels, pour smoke, and use all available methods to force the volunteer soldiers in the tunnels to come out.
But for now, the largest tunnel No. 1 is still a semi-finished product, with only one tunnel entrance, and it bifurcates into two tunnels inside. On the original basis, it can be increased to three tunnel entrances.
Squad leader Hu looked at Xia Yuan who was deep in thought and asked: "Comrade Xia Yuan, what are you thinking about?"
Xia Yuan said: "Squad leader, I'm thinking about tunnel warfare!"
"Tunnel battle?"
Tunnel warfare was a method of combat in which the anti-Japanese soldiers and civilians used tunnels to attack Japanese invaders on the North China Plain during the Anti-Japanese War.
The method of tunnel warfare has been continuously developed since Ranzhuang in Qingyuan, Baoding, Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Border Region. It has changed from a simple hiding to an underground fortification capable of fighting and hiding, waterproof, fire-proof and poison-proof, and gradually formed a room-to-room structure, forming an internal and external structure.
Joint defense, mutual cooperation, and combat methods to attack the enemy. Tunnel warfare made the originally undefensible Jizhong Plain an important combat area for the Chinese military and civilians to fight against the Japanese invading army.
Xia Yuan watched tunnel battles when he was a child, and once imagined that he could dig such tunnels one after another to fight against the enemy.
And now, the opportunity has come.
Xia Yuan said to the squad leader: "Squad leader, tunnel warfare involves digging tunnels underground one after another when fighting against Japanese invaders. I wonder if it would be effective if it could be combined with the tunnels."
He stared at the tunnels around him and said: "Squad leader, I think the tunnels we dug are relatively simple. If the enemy discovers our tunnels and blocks our entrances, we will not be able to advance or retreat. I think we can dig two or three entrances.
In order to prevent one tunnel entrance from being blocked, the other two tunnel entrances can still be used. In addition, there must be a place to store water and food, such as digging a well in the tunnel to solve the water problem directly in the tunnel.
"
Squad leader Hu turned his head and said with some surprise: "Comrade Xia Yuan, are you thinking too much? No one can say for sure what will happen in the future. We dug this tunnel to avoid the US military plane bombing. As for what you said about digging two
There are three tunnel entrances. This mountain is full of rocks. It is very difficult to dig. It takes a lot of time to dig such a big tunnel. If you dig the tunnel you mentioned, it will take even more time."
Xia Yuan opened his mouth, knowing that his idea was too naive.
The original function of the tunnels was to station troops, store supplies, and avoid bombing by US military aircraft.
Shangganling is not a strategic location. It has special strategic significance. The enemy will basically not launch a large-scale attack on this place. The current tunnels are enough for the current ninth company commanders and soldiers, and digging the tunnels they said
It is a thankless task that requires labor and time.
I am now saying that the enemy will attack Shangganling in the future, which is obviously unrealistic. Information cannot be passed on without thinking, and methods must be used.
Xia Yuan's idea was to dig out water sources, but this idea was somewhat unrealistic.
There was an incident in Shangganling where the volunteers and the enemy shared a puddle. The puddle was the crater where the enemy's artillery shells fell, and gradually formed a pool. This shows that there is underground water in Shangganling. If it can be found, the water source problem can be completely solved.
.
He was thinking in his mind, and deeply agreed with what Squad Leader Hu said. After all, he knew some details of the battle. Perhaps the volunteer soldiers stationed at the Shangganling area at the southern foot of the Five Sacred Mountains never thought that the Shangganling Battle that would shock China and the world in the future would happen here.
Start.
"Don't worry, it's enough, but the idea of digging two passage openings is quite good." Squad Leader Hu wondered, bending down and said: "I'll go talk to the platoon leader."
Squad leader Hu put down the kerosene lamp, took the basket of gravel and left.
Xia Yuan squatted on the ground, scratched his head, turned around and looked at the tunnel surface in front of him, stretched out his hand and touched it. They were all hard rocks and close to manpower. It was basically impossible to achieve what he said in a short time.
"Don't give up even if there is a trace of water."
The tunnel environment in the future will be very difficult. Food is available, but water is lacking. Not only Tunnel No. 1, but also tunnels in several other positions in the future will lack water sources.
Xia Yuan decided that in the next half month, the main solution will be the water shortage problem!
Just do it!
Xia Yuan stretched out his hand and stroked the rock surface, using the slipperiness of the rock surface to determine the direction where the water source might exist. The rock surfaces in the mountain were extremely cold. It was already October, and it was very hot outside, but the tunnel was shady and the walls were ice cold.
cold.
He chooses the direction by touching it with water.
Squad leader Hu hooked back, bringing with him two or three soldiers from the second squad. He saw Xia Yuan's actions and asked differently: "Comrade Xia Yuan, what are you doing?"
Xia Yuan turned his head and said, "Squad leader, I'm thinking that if we can find water sources in the tunnels, we no longer need to go to the mountains to fetch water. Even if there is a war and the US military blocks the rear area, we can still pass through the tunnels."
Water sources meet daily needs, so that we can avoid sacrificing comrades who go to fetch water."
"Comrade Xia Yuan, are you thinking too much?" said a soldier from the second squad.
Xia Yuan shook his head: "We are coming from the rear. US military planes have been flying overhead, bombing targets that appear in their sights. The enemy will not give up. We should be prepared in advance."
He stretched out his hand to touch the wall and groped the ground under his feet. He took his hand back and clenched it into a fist. He could feel water stains on his palm.
Xia Yuan raised his head and said, "Squad leader, touch here."
Squad leader Hu touched the ground pointed by Xia Yuan. His hands were cold, slippery and cold, "This is water stains."
"Yes, squad leader, there are water stains on the ground, which means there is water in the mountain, but the location is wrong. If you dig down towards this place, even if you cannot dig a well, you can dig a small pool and you can solve the problem of the soldiers.
For water needs in tunnels, there is no need to go to mountain cols to fill water."
Xia Yuan nodded: "Squad leader, let's try. If we really find the water source, we can solve the water source problem from the root."
Squad Leader Hu looked at Xia Yuan with expectant eyes and hesitated for a moment: "Comrade Xia Yuan, the task assigned to our second class by our superiors is to advance two meters in. Our task has not been completed yet."
Xia Yuan's eyes lit up, "Squad leader, after completing the task, can we dig water sources?"
Squad leader Hu smiled and said: "Comrade Xia Yuan, do you have any big ideas about digging tunnels? I can react to the platoon leader, and let the platoon leader react to the company commander to see what the company commander thinks."
"Hey, thank you monitor."
"Comrade Xia Yuan, let me introduce these two soldiers to you..."
The first night of joining the company came quickly. Xia Yuan was resting at the entrance of Tunnel No. 1, holding a Type 50 submachine gun. Squad Leader Hu was leading the recruits, leaning next to Xia Yuan, looking at the night sky outside.
The moon and stars are sparse, and it is a fine day tonight.
In the later stages of the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea, the full moon offensive of the Volunteer Army soldiers was basically thoroughly thought out by the US military, and there were more sentries at night, but this did not prevent the Volunteer Army soldiers from carrying out small-scale annihilation operations at night.
The platoon commanders of the four platoons of the Ninth Company gathered in Tunnel No. 1 and were having a meeting.
First platoon leader Sun Yuandao said: "Company commander, today the new recruits in our platoon reported a problem to Lao Hu, and I think the suggestion is not bad."
"Oh?" Captain Gao became interested, "Tell me about it."
Sun Yuan said: "The new soldier who joined the company is named Xia Yuan. He has studied the tunnels dug by the guerrillas on the plains during the Anti-Japanese War. He said that the tunnels we dug are similar to the tunnels, but they are too simple. If the enemy captures the mountain, our tunnels will be destroyed."
Once the entrance is blocked, we can't go in or out, so he said it would be best to dig two more tunnel entrances, one on the surface and the other as a hidden entrance."
"He also proposed the idea of digging a pool to Lao Hu. He said that many of the floors in the tunnel are stained with water, which means that there is likely to be some groundwater under us. We only need to dig down to a certain extent.
, we can dig out water sources.”
The second platoon leader said: "Old Sun, Comrade Xia Yuan's idea is not too simplistic. It's not like you don't know the conditions of the tunnels. They are all hard rocks. Not to mention digging for water sources, just dig a few more tunnels.
It’s very difficult to speak.”
Sun Yuandao: "Second Platoon Commander, I think Comrade Xia Yuan's idea is very good. Although it is difficult to dig, if it is dug through, the effect will be very significant. With two or three tunnel entrances, once the enemy captures the 597.9 heights,
And by blocking our tunnel entrance, we can use other tunnel entrances to surprise and eliminate the US troops on the high ground!"
The second platoon leader pondered.
Company Commander Gao said: "The idea is very good, let's discuss it. It just so happened that the superiors issued a combat theory of digging more tunnels, digging more trenches, and combining tunnels and trenches. The theory needs to be put into practice. Maybe we can experiment on the 597.9 highland.
The theory of tunnel warfare is good. I have heard that tunnels can hide and attack, and the enemy cannot see or touch them. Our company has been stationed in Shangganling for three months now. The enemy's movements have been very stable. We have
Time to dig slowly.”
He turned around and said, "Instructor, tell me what you think."
Instructor Lin thought for a while and said: "On weekdays, everyone should talk more with the soldiers, brainstorm, think about problems together, and solve them together. This time, Comrade Xia Yuan, Class 1, Platoon 2, has made a good start. When we fight, we cannot rely on us alone.
The commander has to think of a solution, there is more power with more people!"
He continued: "The digging of tunnels is just like when we face the enemy's firepower point. Should we not attack when we see the enemy's firepower point? No, we not only have to attack, but also blow up the enemy's firepower point! Even if it's just one
Dig bit by bit, and this tunnel must also be dug. In this way, Comrade Xia Yuan will come over later and let's listen to his opinions. How about that?"
Several platoon leaders from the Ninth Company nodded in agreement.
At the entrance of the tunnel, a soldier ran over and said, "Comrade Xia Yuan, the platoon leader is calling you."
Xia Yuan was squinting his eyes to rest. He opened his eyes when he noticed someone approaching, "The platoon leader called me? Comrade, do you know what the platoon leader called me for?"
The soldier shook his head and said: "Comrade Xia Yuan, I don't know very well either. You can go over and take a look and you will know."
"Okay."
Xia Yuan held his gun and bent down to the depths of the tunnel, where he met the platoon leader and instructor of the Ninth Company.
Instructor Lin sat on the ground, waved his hand and said: "Comrade Xia Yuan, come here quickly."
After Xia Yuan approached, he squatted on the ground and asked, "Instructor, company commander, platoon commander, you are looking for me."
Company Commander Gao nodded: "Yes, your platoon commander, you just told us all about your tunnel ideas, and we all think they are pretty good."
Xia Yuan's eyes lit up, and he squatted on the ground and said: "Company Commander, it's like this. I have learned about tunnels before. The tunnels are like ant nests, criss-crossing. I think, since we have dug tunnels, why not combine them with
Let’s combine the tunnels. The mountain is not all rock. We can just find the weak points and dig. There is no need to dig the tunnel straight, just crooked. It is best to dig a tunnel entrance in front of the position and dig a tunnel on the reverse slope.
mouth."
"In this way, when the enemy comes up, we can reach the trench from the front tunnel entrance and carry out a quick attack on the enemy."
"In addition to the front entrance of the tunnel, I also noticed that some rock floors in the tunnel were very wet and had water stains. This means that some water and moisture buried deep in the ground have seeped up. As long as we dig down, we will definitely be able to dig out the water source.
This way we can avoid taking water from the col."
"Even if the enemy blocks the entrance of the tunnel, we can survive a period of time safely relying on the water source in the tunnel."