The closer the Japs got to the blocking position of the first battalion, the greater the bullet hit rate and the greater the casualties.
In addition, two one-round infantry artillery shells would drop down from time to time and take away the lives of more than a dozen Japanese soldiers.
After finally rushing 40 meters in front of the formation, an infantry squadron still had less than a squad of troops left.
At this time, the infantry artillery had already begun shelling the Japanese second infantry squadron, and the machine gunners also fired bullets at them to weaken them as much as possible.
As for the dozens of remnants of the First Squadron, the First Battalion has prepared nearly two hundred grenades and hand grenades to greet them.
"Get ready to throw grenades!" the two company commanders on the position gave the order at the same time.
More than two hundred black grenades and hand grenades, emitting white smoke, flew towards the Japanese like rain.
In the dense and violent explosion, the thick smoke quickly enveloped dozens of Japs.
The Japanese second squadron that followed also lost nearly an infantry squad at this time.
In addition, many of the machine gun firepower points accompanying the team's attack were knocked out by the Eighth Route Army. Their casualty rate was much greater than that of the First Squadron, and people were constantly being killed on the way to the attack.
"Captain, we can't fight any more. If we continue to fight, the second squadron will be gone!" the vice-captain frowned and reminded anxiously.
"Bageya Road, I didn't expect the Eighth Route Army to be so brave and fearless of death!" Major Qiu Shui cursed first, then frowned and ordered: "Back off first, cover with fire, and the attacking troops will fall back immediately, hurry!"
As soon as the Japanese troops retreated, Zhang Qing couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
Our own people knew their own affairs. Although the defenders of the position killed many Japanese, many of the results were achieved by the two infantry cannons.
More importantly, under the sharp attack of the Japanese, the casualties of the two companies were also very high. If it were not for the trenches of the two companies, the losses would be almost as much as the Japanese.
But at this time, Wang Ping ordered: "Order the infantry artillery platoon to immediately extend the artillery fire, use your own range advantage to continue firing, and fire wherever there are many Japs to disrupt the Japs and delay their next attack."
time!"
The aimless extension of artillery fire is unlikely to cause too many casualties to the Japanese, but the shells falling from the sky from time to time can cause them a lot of panic. Because no one knows when the next two rounds of shells will fall, and they will hit
where.
In this way, in order to ensure the stability of the troops, the Japanese must withdraw from the range of the infantry artillery and stabilize the morale of the troops before launching a new round of attack.
Whether it is retreating or preparing for an attack, it all takes time, and what the independent regiment lacks most now is time.
Thinking of this, Zhang Qing looked at Wang Ping with an expression of admiration once again. As long as there is a fighting opportunity, the regiment leader Wang Ping can seize it. And his own skills are obviously hidden a lot. It wasn't Wang Ping who said the order, but he continued
I haven't found any opportunities.
In the west of Laiyuan City, after receiving Ono's order, I stopped fighting the Japanese and puppet troops who came for reinforcements, and directly blocked the defense on the spot to prevent the independent group from expanding the occupied area.
This was exactly what the Independent Group wanted, and it also helped him.
Because so far the Japanese have not determined the true purpose of the independent group tonight.
According to general thinking, since they have already entered Laiyuan City, they will definitely continue to expand their results and directly capture the entire Laiyuan City.
But who would have thought that Wang Ping, who was self-aware, had no intention of occupying the entire Laiyuan City from the beginning. It was not that he had no ideas, but that he did not have the strength.
The Japanese army did not counterattack to the west of the city. Cheng Xiao who entered the city was happier than anyone else and immediately stopped the troops from forcefully transporting supplies.
"Political Commissar, a total of fifteen large trucks of ammunition have been transported out of the city and are on their way to the station. We are now rushing to transport bedclothes and food, but there are too many supplies in the warehouse and we don't have enough large trucks!" said the baggage company commander!
As soon as he rushed to Cheng Xiao, he reported anxiously.
"Transport the food first. The clothes are light and can be carried back. Didn't we capture 300 prisoners? Each person can carry back five sets of clothes, which is 1,500 sets. If that's not enough, our own soldiers can also carry it. Okay?
It’s so easy to seize so much supplies, we absolutely can’t keep them!” Cheng Xiao, who was used to being poor, answered with certainty.
Compared with ammunition, food does not require so much attention, and the speed of forced transportation is much faster.
The cart that originally could only hold two thousand kilograms was piled with two thousand five hundred kilograms. Only after the baggage company collected more than a dozen carts in the west of the city did all the grain hoarded by the Japanese be transported away.
Then it’s time to be subdued! A prisoner of the Imperial Alliance Army carries five sets, and then directly follows the baggage company out of Laiyuan City.
"Reporting to the political commissar, all the materials in the warehouse have been emptied!" The baggage company commander ran over and breathed a sigh of relief and reported.
"Well done, notify Zhang Yunshan, alternate cover, and evacuate Laiyuan City. It is best not to be discovered by the Japanese. Also, send someone to contact the leader, we have already begun to retreat!"
The two infantry artillery pieces chased the Japanese retreating troops and fired until the Japanese attacked the position with no intention of stopping.
"Baga, what do the Eighth Route Army want to do, bully us for not having infantry artillery to fight back?" Major Qiu Shui shouted with an aggrieved look on his face.
"They want to use infantry artillery to force us back so that we have no chance to assemble our troops!" the deputy captain replied with a frown.
"Solution! I want a solution!" Major Qiu Shui stared at the deputy and asked.
They could not fight again and again, and they did not have the weapons to fight against the Eighth Route Army. Apart from retreating, as the Eighth Route Army wished, the deputy captain could not think of any other solution.
Seeing the vice-captain lower his head and not speaking, Major Qiu Shui understood immediately.
Because he himself couldn't think of a solution, he had no choice but to order: "Then retreat, stay out of the range of the Eighth Route Army's infantry artillery, and then attack again."
More than a thousand Japanese soldiers struggled for nearly twenty minutes before they were completely retreated.
At this time, Major Qiu Shui's face had become extremely gloomy.
For them, time is also very important. But unknowingly, he was delayed for another twenty minutes.
Then, without waiting for his subordinates to react, he anxiously ordered: "Organize the troops immediately and continue the attack. We must break through the Eighth Route Army's defense line."
"This time, directly attack the two infantry squadrons, regardless of the front or rear, and the two squadrons will charge forward together!"
As soon as more than three hundred Japanese soldiers came out in a skirmish line, Zhang Qing's brows furrowed into a big "Sichuan" sign.
Although he won the attack just now, it was a narrow victory.
This time, the Japanese army dispatched twice as many attacking troops as soon as they came up. Maybe the first battalion would end up here.
Wang Ping also frowned. It wasn't that he didn't have the confidence to repel the Japanese attack. Rather, he was worried and heartbroken about the heavy casualties that the first battalion would face after this attack.
After looking behind him and confirming that Cheng Xiao had not sent anyone to notify him to retreat, Wang Ping directly took over the command and ordered: "All artillery fire, kill and injure the Japanese attacking troops as much as possible!"
"Order the troops directly under the third company and the first battalion to go to the battlefield immediately and prepare to fight the little devil!"