Now that we have decided to use this place as the future headquarters of the Independent Battalion, the dozen or so barracks in front of us are definitely not enough.
It happened that Wang Ping brought back another company of prisoners, totaling more than two hundred prisoners, and began to build barracks in the following days.
As Zhang Yunshan returned with the main force of the battalion, more than 300 puppet prisoners participated in building the barracks, and the construction speed became faster and faster. The number of barracks in the station increased rapidly, with the number of ten per day.
When the number of barracks reached fifty, Wang Ping asked the puppet troops to stop.
Because he suddenly thought of a problem. Even if the commander agreed to the Independent Battalion to stay in Laiyuan to establish a base, it would be impossible for all the several hundred members of the Independent Battalion to be stationed here. Not to mention anything else, the villages captured and protected by the Independent Battalion, the Independent Battalion,
There must be a garrison.
As a result, the Zhangjiawan garrison is left with the independent battalion headquarters and some directly affiliated troops. Even if the independent battalion is expanded into an independent regiment, the total strength will not exceed 500 people.
Five hundred people use fifty barracks. Even if some of the barracks are used to store supplies or serve as battalion headquarters, that is enough.
The independent battalion had just decorated a conference room. All the company commanders, instructors, and platoon leaders of the independent battalion were all gathered inside. It was very lively. Everyone was discussing the harvest and combat experience of this sortie, some passionate, some tragic.
This lively atmosphere came to an abrupt end when Wang Ping, Cheng Xiao, and Zeng Quan walked in.
Then more than a dozen pairs of eyes stared at Wang Ping at the same time, as if they had agreed.
Because everyone had heard some rumors before the meeting, the battalion commander would reorganize the independent battalion at this meeting. It depends on how many soldiers and weapons everyone can get, so they can't help but be nervous.
Wang Ping did not hesitate and directly ordered Zeng Quan on the side: "Old Zeng, let me first inform you of the series of results and losses after we sent troops to Laiyuan. After such a long time, everyone should be happy!"
Deputy battalion commander Zeng Quan, who looked more like the chief of staff of the independent battalion, immediately stood up, picked up a list and introduced it.
"Comrades, the results of the battle are brilliant. This is the evaluation of the battalion commander, including the instructor and myself, on this series of battles!"
"Three consecutive attacks and one ambush. Although there is no way to count the specific number of Japanese troops destroyed by our independent battalion, they must have exceeded 500 people. This does not include the puppet troops. If the puppet troops are included, there may be 1,000 Japanese troops.
!”
"In addition, 436 puppet soldiers were captured. After several days of mobilization, more than 200 people are willing to join our independent camp. If mobilization continues, this number will reach 350, or even 400.
!”
If there are really so many prisoners joining the Independent Battalion, plus the original 200 people of the Independent Battalion, and the local people who have actively requested to join the Eighth Route Army in the past few days, the total strength of the Independent Battalion can directly exceed 700 people. This means that the Independent Battalion will have more than 700 people every day.
Each company and each platoon can reach full strength.
Therefore, before Zeng Quan had finished his introduction, the eyes of the dozen company and platoon leaders in front of him began to shine.
After taking in everyone's reactions, Zeng Quan continued to introduce: "Just now it was about annihilating the enemy. Now I will talk about our gains. In continuous fighting, we seized a total of two heavy machine guns, 16 crooked guns, and puppet army equipment.
Three machine guns, 15 grenade launchers, 328 38 caps, 418 Mauser, medium and old sleeves equipped by the puppet army, and 32 pistols of various types were also seized."
"As for the ammunition, I will not introduce the scattered ones. I will only introduce to you the boxes and boxes. There are ten boxes of mortar shells, a total of 120 rounds, and eight boxes of grenades, a total of 160 rounds.
, three boxes of heavy machine gun bullets with 6,000 rounds, 20 boxes of 38-cap and crooked-grip general-purpose bullets, a total of 40,000 rounds of ammunition, and five boxes of grenades, a total of 250 bullets!"
"There are no statistics on other scattered ammunition. The largest number is bullets. It is estimated that there are more than 30,000 rounds. This does not include what the comrades have already distributed!"
"In addition to these, another harvest is food and materials. From the three Japs strongholds, we seized a total of more than 15,000 kilograms of various grains, and there are also 70 or 80 boxes of various cans. If you save some food, it will be enough for all.
Camp for twenty days!”
"As for other supplies, there are quilts, cotton military uniforms, medicines, and some lunch boxes. They are piled up in half a warehouse!"
"Finally, there are war horses and slave horses. A total of 8 war horses and 29 slave horses were captured!"
Instructor Cheng Xiao took the lead, and the small conference room immediately burst into warm applause.
In a few days, although everyone judged from the large number of seizures brought back by the attacking troops, the harvest of the troops must be very painful, but everyone did not expect that the number and variety were so huge.
With so much equipment and ammunition, if returned to the base area, it would be enough for the military division to reorganize a main force group.
Wang Ping waved his hands and continued: "Don't be too happy, everyone. The results of the battle are indeed brilliant, but our losses are also great! Of the more than 200 people who came out of the base area, less than 150 are still alive now, and there are still two
More than a dozen wounded are still lying in the health center for treatment. Fortunately, most of the comrades who died were new recruits, otherwise our independent battalion would not even have the capital to expand its troops!"
The atmosphere in the conference room suddenly became heavy.
Those soldiers who sacrificed their lives were found in every company. Even though they didn’t get along for a long time, they were still living lives after all. If they were just gone, everyone would be sad!
Wang Ping's purpose for doing this is very simple, that is, to suppress everyone.
The independent battalion has been winning battles these days. As a commander, everyone is very happy. But as a battalion commander, what Wang Ping is most afraid of is that everyone will turn this happiness into underestimating the enemy.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, Wang Ping calmed everyone down and told them not to underestimate the enemy.
Seeing that the goal had been achieved, Cheng Xiao, who knew Wang Ping's good intentions, spoke up: "Well, no matter what, our independent battalion has achieved brilliant results since the attack!"
"According to the original order given to our independent battalion by the commander, the attack on Laiyuan is the equipment and soldiers needed for the expansion of the independent battalion. At this point, this goal has been achieved."
"But after discussing with the commander, we felt that our independent battalion would be more effective if we stayed here, so we started building a large number of barracks here in the past few days."
"And if you want to achieve great things, you must have enough strength to not only protect yourself, but also beat the enemy to the ground. Therefore, the next thing to be discussed in this meeting is the reorganization of the troops!"
Seeing Wang Ping nod his head in acquiescence, Cheng Xiao continued: "Everyone has listened to Deputy Battalion Commander Zeng's introduction. So far, I have mastered many new recruits, especially those captured by the puppet army. As long as I have good thoughts,
For education work, the troops can be replenished at any time. In order to fully equip the troops as soon as possible and then form combat effectiveness, the battalion commander and the deputy battalion commander and I decided to complete the reorganization of the independent battalion in the next two days!"
Wang Ping immediately said: "There is nothing to say about the reorganization. We will follow the plan we made when we formed the independent battalion. However, there is a problem. Our independent battalion does not have enough grassroots cadres. Even if all the limited old Red Army soldiers are appointed as squad platoons,
Even if it’s too long, that’s not enough. This is the only problem we have to face during reorganization!”
