In the end, it was Xu Rui who made the final decision and jointly attacked Banqiao Town with the 180th Division.
This time they went north to fight in conjunction with the 180th Division. Of course, Xiang Tianhu's 180th Division was the main attacker. The reason why Xiang Tianhu proposed to cooperate with the brigade was just to hope that Xu Rui would provide him with ammunition, but how could Xu Rui miss such an opportunity? Opportunity for military training? Since he paid for the ammunition, there must be benefits.
So Xu Rui decided to take the 2nd Squadron, the 5th Squadron and the special operations team there.
Due to the poor performance of the 2nd Squadron in the battle of Huilonggou, this time it can be regarded as giving them a chance to redeem themselves.
As for the 5th Squadron, it is purely for military training, because the 5th Squadron was adapted from the bandits of Qingfeng Village, and later incorporated some of the bandits of Qingniu Village. The last time he reorganized the army, Xu Rui relied on Nan Batian's The incident greatly improved military discipline, and the military discipline of the 5th Squadron has been greatly improved.
However, the improvement of combat effectiveness is a long-term process.
The officers and soldiers of the 5th Squadron must be on par with the veterans of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Squadrons. If they want to become a strong force that cannot be defeated or defeated like the three main squadrons, they still need more training and baptism in big battles and vicious battles. .
Therefore, this coordinated operation with the 180th Division can be said to be an excellent training opportunity.
In addition to the 2nd and 5th Squadrons and the Special Operations Team, Xu Rui asked Wang Husheng to mobilize more than a thousand civilians to transport ammunition and supplies to Banqiao Town. This time, the supplies to be handed over to the 180th Division were not as small as last time. One truck took them all away. This time the supplies amounted to more than one hundred tons, and it would take at least a thousand people to transport them away.
Wang Husheng received the order and immediately mobilized more than a thousand civilian laborers. In addition to being young and strong laborers, each civilian laborer also had a wheelbarrow. Each of them could transport more than two hundred kilograms of materials. However, accordingly, the brigade had to pay The fee paid was even more. It was originally agreed to be one yuan per person, but now it has been increased to two yuan.
Then Xu Rui ordered Leng Tiefeng to lead the special operations team to go ahead and be responsible for the reconnaissance of the road ahead.
Xu Rui didn't think the kid's sudden retreat was a trick, but it was always right to be careful.
After the special operations team left, Xu Ruicai led the 2nd Squadron and escorted a transport team composed of more than a thousand civilians to turn around and leave Damei Mountain District, meandering along the forest path toward Banqiao Town.
Due to the presence of the transport team and the fact that we were walking on a small road, the speed was not fast. As a result, towards the evening, the officers and soldiers of the 5th Squadron, who received the order to set off from Meizhen, arrived in a hurry and met up with the 5th Squadron. Not long after that, it got dark, and Xu Rui immediately ordered the team to leave the forest path and turn onto the main road.
It's getting dark now, so you don't have to worry about being discovered by the Japs' reconnaissance planes.
After turning onto the main road, the marching speed of the team suddenly accelerated. When it was nearly midnight, it was already less than twenty miles away from Banqiao Town. At this time, Leng Tiefeng, who had led the special operations team to clear the road ahead, came back and followed Leng Tiefeng. Also returning with Feng was the commander of the 180th Division Cavalry Battalion, Tie Gang.
"Brother Xu Rui!" Tiegang looked a little excited when he saw Xu Rui.
Tiegang is a pure northwest man, he is straightforward, if you show me a foot, I will give you a foot in return. Xu Rui was first in Hai'an, and then in Bengzui, giving two-cent gifts to the 180th Division, Tiegang and three hundred from the cavalry battalion. Many officers and soldiers have always thought of Xu Rui's kindness, and they always felt that they owed Xu Rui a favor.
However, the reason why Tiegang was excited was not because he owed Xu Rui a favor, but because their cavalry battalion was able to cooperate with Xu Rui's special operations unit again. During the last battle to remove the Japanese protrusion, Tiegang
The cavalry battalion and even the entire 180th Division have seen the destructive power of the special operations unit.
Therefore, Tiegang is looking forward to cooperating with the special operations team again.
"Brothers Iron and Steel." Xu Rui shook hands and asked with a smile, "Are your 180th Division ready?"
"Brother Xu Rui, don't worry, our 180th Division was already in place two hours ago." Tiegang chuckled, and then said in a showy manner, "This time, our division commander will personally lead the team."
"Really? Brother Xiang is here in person?" Xu Rui laughed and said, "Brother Tiegang, go back and notify Brother Xiang and ask him to send people to pull supplies quickly. This time I will bring enough
We have acquired more than one hundred tons of ammunition, which is enough for your 180th Division to fight two medium-sized battles, or to sustain regular combat consumption for two months."
After finishing speaking, Xu Rui pointed to the road behind him.
Tiegang looked in the direction of Xu Rui's finger and saw under the bright moonlight, countless people and wheelbarrows, like a big python, extending from close to the end of the field of vision.
"Great, we are just waiting for this batch of ammunition!" Tiegang immediately said excitedly, "But brother Xu Rui, you'd better go with me to see the master. Before leaving, he specifically told me that he would
No matter what, I have to invite you to the division headquarters. The master has said that he still has very important things to discuss with you."
"That's okay." Xu Rui readily agreed, immediately handed over the troops to Heipi, and then took the special operations detachment, borrowed horses from Tiegang's cavalry battalion, and went straight to the temporary headquarters of the 180th Division twenty miles away.
Come.
(Dividing line)
Xiang Tianhu did a good job in keeping the secret. In order to increase the suddenness of the action as much as possible, and in order to avoid causing trouble to Army Commander Zhang Zizhong as much as possible, Xiang Tianhu waited until the 541st Regiment led by Xiang Tianhu had entered the designated position.
Yan Yuhui, chief of staff of the 180th Division, sent a confidential telegram to the 59th Army headquarters reporting the military operation.
"Huh? The 180th Division is going to attack Linhuaiguan?" Zhang Zizhong took the telegram from the chief of staff and was stunned.
Then, Zhang Zizhong immediately frowned and said to the chief of staff: "It's just nonsense. With the strength of a mere regiment, they want to conquer Huaiguan? This is too disrespectful to take the little devil seriously, even if he has Xu Rui
The Dameishan Brigade is assisting in the battle. The chance of winning this battle is also slim. You should quickly send a telegram to the 180th Division and ask him to cancel the operation."
The chief of staff smiled bitterly and said: "Military commander, I will send another telegram to the 180th Division now. I'm afraid it will be too late."
Due to the limited number of radio stations, they are only allocated to the division level, and there are no radio stations at the regiment level. In this regard, they are far behind compared with the Japanese army. The Japanese army has radio stations all the way to the brigade level. Of course, then again, the Japanese army
Compared with the U.S. military that entered the war three years later, it was extremely weak. Every company and platoon level in the U.S. military was equipped with walkie-talkies.
"This Xiang Tianhu!" Zhang Zizhong also knew that he was running out of time, so he said bitterly, "This Xiang Tianhu has always been bold. I think he will never give up until he pokes a hole in the sky."
The chief of staff said: "Lao Xiang may poke a hole in the sky, but he may not be our sky."
"Well, what do you mean, Chief of Staff?" Zhang Zizhong asked, "What do you think of this operation of the 180th Division?"
The chief of staff nodded and said: "Sir, aren't these lice on the bald man's head? It's obvious. If the little devil hadn't been in a dilemma of running out of ammunition and food, how could he be so quiet these days?"
Zhang Zizhong shook his head and said: "How do you know this is not the tranquility before the war?"
From the beginning of the Battle of Songhu, whenever the Japanese launched a major operation, there would be a period of silence in the previous few days. This is like a boxer pulling his fist back to accumulate strength before punching. This has almost become a rule, so
Only Zhang Zizhong would make this judgment.
But the chief of staff smiled and said: "Are the Japanese planning some big move, or have they run out of ammunition and food? We'll find out if we let the 180th Division attack Linhuai Pass."
Zhang Zizhong frowned and said, "But there is a Japanese regiment stationed at Linhuaiguan. Can the 541st regiment alone win it?"
The chief of staff shook his head and said: "To be precise, there is only half a regiment in Linhuaiguan now, because one of the infantry brigade was ordered to rush to Huilonggou yesterday, and the Dameishan brigade of the New Fourth Army was annihilated, leaving two infantry brigade.
, and half the brigade is stationed in Fengyang Town."
"Wait a minute, wait a minute, what did you just say?" Zhang Zizhong opened his eyes in surprise and asked, "The Dameishan Brigade of the New Fourth Army annihilated an infantry brigade of the Japanese. Chief of Staff, do you know what you are talking about? New Fourth Army
A brigade, that is, a battalion, actually annihilated a brigade of the Japanese?"
The chief of staff put his hand on his forehead and said with a wry smile: "Sir, you really should read the battle report."
"Battle reports? I don't read those things." Zhang Zizhong said coldly, "There are either defeat reports or reports of shameless bastards bragging about where they won the battle and how many Japanese were annihilated. In fact, there was no victory at all. All of them were
Let the little devils chase you like rabbits, and they really dare to put money in their own faces."
"But not everything written above is false." The chief of staff said with a wry smile, "For example, this Xu Rui, everything about him is true."
"Xu Rui?" Zhang Zizhong said thoughtfully, "I remember, Chief of Staff, you seemed to have mentioned to me half a year ago that he killed a prince of the Japs in Wuxi. What was his name?"
"Fushimi Gong Toshihiko! He is also the commander of the Shanghai Condemnation Army who has just taken office less than three days ago!" The chief of staff said with a bitter smile, "Army, this Xu Rui's achievements are far more than these. In addition to killing Prince Fushimi Gong Toshihiko,
, he also annihilated a Japanese detachment in Nantong with less than a battalion of remnants, and it is said that he even captured a major general's detachment leader alive!"
General Zhang Zizhong said doubtfully: "Antied a Japanese detachment and captured a major general alive?"
"Is that so?" said the chief of staff, "This is no small matter. Even the little devil has acquiesced."
"It seems that I really need to read the battle reports more." Zhang Zizhong shook his head mockingly, and then said, "However, this Xu Ruiruo is really as powerful as the battle reports say. If his Dameishan team is really so good at fighting,
This time, with the Dameishan Brigade cooperating with the 180th Division, Lao Xiang might actually have a chance to capture Linhuaiguan."
"I think so too," said the chief of staff. "The reason why the 180th Division was able to successfully pull out the protrusion that the Dizhou Division dug into the middle of their position last time was because of the help of Xu Rui's Dameishan Brigade. This time
The 180th Division has the Dameishan Brigade to cooperate with us, so we may be able to create another miracle."
