Chapter 1523 What’s on the other side of the mountain
"Platoon leader, I'm so cold! Is it going to snow?" A soldier lay on Tantai Mingjing's lap and moaned softly.
"Yes, it's already autumn, and it's time to get cold. I'll give you some extra clothes right now." The muscles on Tantai Mingjing's face twitched fiercely, and he took off his worn military uniform and wrapped it around his own soldier.
superior.
The 'Er Niu' who was still lying there with his tongue hanging out and panting was very smart. He swung his tail and ran over, lying next to the wounded soldier, hoping to use his body temperature to help him resist the 'cold'.
However, no matter how smart Er Niu is, how does it know that the coldness of its seriously injured comrade does not come from the weather, but from his body.
Although it is already early September, the autumn temperature in Hunan Province is astonishing. Especially at noon during the day, the temperature has already exceeded 35 degrees. Even if you sit still, you will be sweating profusely.
Shanzi shouted coldly, I'm afraid it was...
As a veteran, Tantai Mingjing knew very well that Shan Zi was probably exhausted and it was the moment he least wanted to face.
But now the Japanese army blocked the neighborhood with artillery fire and machine guns, and the only underground passage for evacuation was accidentally blown up by an aerial bomb. He was unable to send his comrades back to the field hospital.
This is already the 6th day that the 2nd Platoon of the Independent Company has been fighting alone in this block with a radius of only tens of thousands of square meters.
In 6 days, the 2nd Platoon, which still had 65 soldiers after returning to Hengyang City, repelled more than 50 rounds of Japanese attacks here and withstood no less than 35 rounds of various artillery attacks.
The frantic Japanese army should have discovered that the large crater exploded by a heavy aerial bomb had collapsed the underground passage of the block. Any Chinese army that wanted to support this place could only go through the ground. In order to completely capture this place and annihilate it,
The Chinese defenders of this block not only brought in infantry artillery and heavy machine gun squadrons, but also mountain artillery, and even engineer troops to carry out excavation work around the block.
Use trenches to semi-surround the block, and use mountain cannons and heavy machine guns to fire blockade the open side. Even at night, when there is no trench to isolate the only access to the ruins of the block, flares are fired continuously.
Encirclement and reinforcements, one of the 80th Army's best tactics, was also learned by the Japanese.
In order to support the 2nd platoon, the Fourth Army used the remaining four 150mm mortars to fight back against the Japanese artillery positions, and organized 50 reserve soldiers and 30 regular soldiers to enter the area to transport supplies.
Don't think that these 80 people are small. In fact, when the street fighting in Hengyang City entered the 25th day, there were only about a thousand regular soldiers left in the Four Lines Regiment. The transfer of the two infantry squads was already the result of the then-Staff Sgt.
A long cold front would push the limits of troop deployment.
In fact, supporting soldiers who can fight is not the most important thing. The most important thing is the soldiers' supplies.
The underground passage storage room in this block originally contained ammunition, food and water that could be used by an infantry platoon for 20 days. It was standard for every block, in order to prevent the Japanese army from using heavy troops to siege and unable to replenish it in time.
But no one expected that this battle would last for nearly a month. When the 2nd Platoon took over the 3rd Platoon of the 6th Company of the 2nd Battalion originally stationed here, the food and water were almost exhausted.
During these six days, they relied solely on the three-day individual soldier rations they brought with them when they came to the neighborhood.
However, the food was okay. At worst, I could sneak out of the battle position at night and rummage through the corpses of Japanese soldiers to see if there were any biscuits or rice balls.
The Japanese army was probably at the end of its rope. Many Japanese infantrymen would take the scant food they were given with them when they attacked. This was not because they were rich, but because they were afraid that if they stayed at the base, they would be gone when they returned.
Food is also an extremely precious commodity for them.
But there is no other way around it. Water must be transported from the outside, especially in this extremely hot summer.
Looking at Tantai Mingjing's lips that are now chapped, you can tell that the 2 rows that are still in this neighborhood and continue to resist are already in a state of extreme water shortage.
The 50 reservists were responsible for transporting logistical supplies, and more than 30 of them were carrying a water bag weighing 30 kilograms.
However, the Japanese army may have been waiting for this opportunity. More than 18 heavy machine guns and 10 artillery pieces blocked the transportation operations of the Fourth Army Regiment.
During that short stretch of just 100 meters, 55 of the 80 supporting soldiers fell, and only 18 regular soldiers and 7 reserve soldiers arrived at the block.
There were only two soldiers carrying clean water, and one of them's water bag was torn open by a heavy machine gun bullet when passing through the blockade. The 70 soldiers in this block only had 30 kilograms of clean water available, which averaged to one head per head.
Less than half a catty.
The point is, no one knows how long this battle will last.
For the Chinese soldiers in the neighborhood and the commanders at all levels outside, the more painful choice was that they knew that this was the Japanese strategy of "encircling a point for reinforcements", but they had to sacrifice their lives to fill it.
Otherwise, everyone in the neighborhood will die of thirst and starvation.
"Whoever can send 30 kilograms of water in, I will give him a gold bar for every first-class military merit! If he falls on the road and has no military merit, the gold bar will be paid." Ye Chenghuan was already red-eyed, in front of 500 reserve soldiers
Make a big promise.
The current strength of the Si Xing Regiment can no longer support the consumption of regular troops, so reserve soldiers are his only option.
There must be brave men under heavy rewards. Although they knew that there would be no chance of death if they passed that blockade, nearly half of the 500 selected reserve soldiers still signed up.
On those two nights, artillery fire and bullet rain continued all night on the only access road to the block numbered 3918.
Blood and flesh flying everywhere is no longer enough to describe the tragic situation at that time.
Of the 249 reserve soldiers, there will never be more than 8 soldiers who can finally pass through the 100-meter-long 'corridor of death' to reach Block 3918.
But just this less than 200 kilograms of clean water and dozens of kilograms of fried rice gave dozens of Chinese soldiers renewed motivation to continue fighting.
Among them, "Er Niu" must be mentioned. Er Niu used the cover of night to go back and forth on this "corridor of death" four times. Although he did not bring back water or food, he brought back precious medicines. Otherwise, this neighborhood would exceed
Half of the 20 wounded patients could no longer feel the smell of gunpowder smoke.
The Fourth Line Regiment paid a heavy price for resisting the Japanese attack in Block 3918. Nearly 50 regular soldiers died in the battle and more than 290 reserve soldiers died in the battle. They became the five soldiers with the most killed soldiers among the more than 100 blocks in the defense battle of Hengyang City.
One of the neighborhoods.
But they didn't know how many people the Japanese 3rd Division had invested here.
According to the battle report of the 3rd Division, in order to capture this block, Colonel Kawasaki Sadao, then commander of the 68th Infantry Regiment of the 3rd Division, deployed a total of 2 infantry brigades as well as armored troops, engineers, artillery and other arms here.
There are more than 2,600 people in total.
In 6 days, 1,048 infantrymen, including machine gunners, 53 artillerymen, 12 armored personnel, and 85 engineers were killed, more than half of which were lost.
And this does not include wounded soldiers.
On the 6th day, the Colonel, who had been extremely determined and had a fierce look on his face, and even went to the front line to kill a second lieutenant and a first lieutenant who had taken the initiative to retreat to show his determination, finally gave the silent order
His soldiers retreated 150 meters from the neighborhood.
If the fight continues, the 68th Infantry Regiment, which has been replenished for two rounds, can be declared rebuilt. Not even a single veteran will be left alive, and even most of the new recruits who have just been replenished will be dead.
Two of the three infantry captains under the 68th Infantry Regiment also died in the battle, one of whom died in this neighborhood.
The Japanese army, like the Chinese army at this time, often chose to visit the front line in person in order to boost morale.
It's just that the Si Xing Regiment has strict regulations. They cannot perform military salutes on the battlefield to avoid being exposed. This has long been engraved in the bones of the officers and soldiers of the Si Xing Regiment. However, the Japanese army's strict hierarchical concept caused them to often unconsciously behave when facing their commanders.
Bow and bow your head to show respect.
Therefore, they are often exposed, especially in this kind of street fighting, when there are snipers hidden everywhere, it is simply a matter of killing someone.
Perhaps only the Chinese soldiers who were still clinging to the ruins knew that until the Japanese army completely withdrew from Hengyang City, this retreat was only temporary, and it wouldn't take long for them to come back again.
If they were from the perspective of the Japanese army, they would never give up the easily accessible position in front of them. It is not that it is important to conquer the target position, but that they have shed too much blood on this position. Once they really retreat, those blood will be lost.
It's all in vain.
In fact, this is also true. Although the Japanese infantry of the 68th Infantry Regiment have completely stopped attacking, it does not mean that they have given up. They are still blocking the block tightly, even if they are trapped, they will die and they are still hiding in the ruins.
of Chinese soldiers.
This may also be the only answer that Colonel Kawasaki Sadao, who had repeatedly suffered setbacks in his offensive, gave to Commander Isamu Yokoyama, who came to the front line to supervise the battle!
The Japanese army stopped attacking, which finally gave the Chinese soldiers still alive in the ruins a chance to breathe.
For six whole days and nights, the Japanese army relied on its large number of troops to rotate their attacks, but the Chinese soldiers here could not rotate. Everyone could only grit their teeth and hold on, like Tantai Mingjing, who was forced to be promoted to second lieutenant platoon leader during the war.
The commander had very little sleep.
As strong-willed as he is, he has already reached his physiological limit. As soon as he sits down, he falls into a deep sleep. That is to say, the long-term battle keeps him alert. Even if he is asleep, there is only the slightest sound, or even just a dangerous sound.
The feeling can wake him up from his sleep, and he will instinctively react to avoid it.
It was already the third hour after the Japanese army stopped attacking. Tantai Mingjing, who had slept for an hour and temporarily regained some energy, was in an extremely heavy mood. Shanzi's body was getting colder and colder, and his breath was getting weaker and weaker.
Tantai Mingjing has been in the army for four years. He has experienced dozens of battles, large and small, and lost countless comrades. From the beginning of crying and being unable to sleep at night, to the final silent farewell, he thought his heart had become numb.
I will no longer be intimidated by death.
However, when his comrade fell in front of him again and gradually lost life in his arms, his heart still hurt like a knife.
He didn't learn to accept death and not fear death, he just became more tenacious than before. He could just endure the pain in his heart and not let his tears fall.
At this time, a communication request came from the individual walkie-talkie. Tantai Mingjing pressed the call button, and the cold and deep voice of company commander Tu Yunsheng came from the walkie-talkie: "Mingjing, how is the situation over there?"
"Report to the company commander that the Japanese troops have temporarily retreated. I request artillery support. I want to send the injured brothers to the field hospital." Tantai Mingjing lowered his head and glanced at the unconscious soldiers, his eyes full of pain. "Shan Zi, Shan Zi, I'm afraid
I can’t make it through the night.”
Shanzi was injured early this morning. This 3-year soldier, together with 3 reserve soldiers, used a crossfire consisting of one assault rifle, two submachine guns and one rifle to firmly lock a Japanese infantry team's forward breakthrough.
On the left wing, at least 18 Japanese soldiers were killed and injured.
In order to deal with this small roaming firepower point, the frantic Japanese army even deployed two infantry guns to conduct direct artillery fire on it from a straight-line distance of 300 meters. Three reserve soldiers were killed and two were killed on the spot. Shanzi, the leader of the firepower team, also
He was hit several times by shell shrapnel, but the reservist soldier who luckily escaped the artillery fire managed to save his life by carrying him out of the rubble.
However, Shanzi's chest, abdomen and thighs were hit by shrapnel and flying gravel in at least five places, especially his abdomen, which was cut open with a 10-centimeter gap, and his intestines were directly exposed, which was extremely shocking.
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! But the real fatal injury was in the thigh. The artery was punctured. Tantai Mingjing tied a tourniquet on him and used a full 5 tourniquet packs to stop the turbulent flow.
The bleeding stopped, but Shanzi's blood was almost gone. If the blood could not be transfused immediately, the probability of death would be 100%.
Although the Japanese army will inevitably launch an artillery blockade, and Tantai Mingjing's survival probability of carrying Shanzi through the 'corridor of death' will never exceed 90%, Tantai Mingjing still wants to take a gamble. If he doesn't gamble, his
The brothers even lost a few percent of their hope.
Tu Yunsheng on the other side of the walkie-talkie was silent for a few seconds, and his stern voice sounded again: "Okay! You will set off in 5 minutes, and I will request the regiment's artillery battalion to provide full cover."
Most of the artillery in the artillery battalion of the Fourth Line Regiment can no longer fire, not because they were damaged by bombs, but because they are running out of shells.
Even Chief of Staff Leng Feng Leng only has the authority to use four 150-pound guns. If the 75mm mountain cannon is to be used, Tang Dao must obtain personal approval.
Every cannonball must be used on the edge.
But Tu Yunsheng, as the company commander, still agreed.
During the few seconds he hesitated, he was just worried about whether Tantai Mingjing could pass through the 'corridor of death' alive, without any consideration of whether it was worthwhile or not.
Because, since the establishment of Si Xing Camp, the Si Xing Regiment has had the iron rule of ‘never abandon, don’t give up’. Not to mention the brothers who are still alive, they have already been sacrificed. As long as conditions permit, they will not let him lie alone in the cold.
On the soil, let him be exposed to the sun and rain.
This is also one of the core factors that gives the Four Lines Regiment a cohesion that far exceeds that of an ordinary army!
Even if the person responsible for this near-death mission was the commander of this position and the brother-in-law of the regiment leader Tang Dao, no one would question whether it was worthwhile.
On the battlefield, the only two things you can trust are your comrades and your steel gun!
Tantai Mingjing quickly stood up, and with the help of his comrades who ran from the other side, he tied the dying Shanzi tightly to his back with a rope, lifted a submachine gun in his hand, and handed over the command to the designated No. 1 in rank.
Second Commander.
This is also the practice of the Four Lines Regiment. In each independent battlefield, there will be as many as five commanders in the order. The commander in front will die in battle, and the order will advance. When entering the battlefield, Tantai Mingjing will be the third commander in the order.
Officer, on the third day of the battle, he was already the number one commander.
"Boom, boom, boom!" Hundreds of meters away, smoke and rumbling explosions arose.
It was the familiar 150 heavy guns and Bofors Mountain artillery that were firing to test the area where Japanese artillery might be present, and to attract their firepower. Today, the Hengyang artillery has all retreated to the vicinity of the Central Bank, and will only return to the ground when firing. Normally,
They are all hidden in underground tunnels, and the Japanese army will definitely retaliate with shelling, which also means that their shelling will never last more than 2 minutes.
Tantai Mingjing, who had already carried Shanzi to the edge of the block, took a deep breath and looked back at the pale Shanzi: "Shanzi, hold on, let's go!"
Shan Zi no longer had the strength to answer, so he could only try his best to grin.
He also wants to live. Only by surviving can he have a chance to avenge his brothers. This is also the concept that the Four Lines Regiment instilled in the recruits during the recruit company. No matter how hard and painful it is, work hard to live. Only by living can you have success.
hope.
Tantai Mingjing is running wild!
Carrying hundreds of kilograms of comrades on his back, he ran wildly down the corridor of death for a full 60 meters without any machine gun bullets or blazing artillery fire as he imagined.
Because the Japanese soldiers who were responsible for observing in the distance were also shocked by this desperate Chinese. On the only passage leading to the outside world, there were countless Chinese flesh and blood.
Even the bravest Chinese would only dare to embark on this dead end and dead end at night, when the flares are falling.
No one has ever dared to pass through here in the daytime with good visibility. Not to mention that the concentrated fire from more than a dozen artillery pieces can easily tear him into pieces. Even the six heavy machine guns installed in the dark can also shoot him.
A hornet's nest.
But this crazy Chinese just did it. He ran wildly on that passage in the clear sky. The huge contrast caused the three Japanese observers to react only five or six seconds later: "Fire, fire, Channel 1."
There is a Chinese man up there, kill him!"
The Japanese heavy machine gunner straightened his machine gun, pulled the trigger and started shooting!
The crazy bullets were like death's scythes, cutting towards the running Tantai Mirror.
"Dong dong dong!" Several consecutive rounds of grenades exploded in front of the Japanese fortifications. The smoke and smoke caused the Japanese heavy machine gunners to have their sight obscured. They could only rely on their senses to aim and shoot forward. The accuracy was naturally much worse.
.
That was the 2nd platoon in the ruins trying their best to cover their new platoon leader. Their 60-meter artillery shells had long been empty, and they used grenade launchers seized from killing Japanese troops. Although the lethality was limited, it was still capable of harassing those few soldiers.
A firepower point hidden in the fortification is still okay.
The hail of bullets erupted from six heavy machine guns was miraculously left behind by Tantai Mingjing, who was running for his life.
The Japanese artillery hidden hundreds of meters away also started firing!
"Boom, boom, boom!" Bursts of thick smoke and fire rose up from the death tunnel filled with bomb craters.
Tantai Mingjing did not make any tactical dodges. He was still running as fast as he could.
Tantai Mingjing had never run so fast. He knew that if he didn't run faster, he and Shan Zi would be torn into pieces by the subsequent artillery fire.
The Japanese would only give him 15 to 16 seconds at most. According to his observation, when the Japanese artillery fired, they would bombard according to the preset coordinates, 100 meters. They usually did not cover it with one-time artillery fire, but used
Three rounds of artillery fire.
As long as their first round of artillery fire hits him behind him, as long as he has enough speed, it is possible to outrun the shells.
Tantai Mingjing made the right bet. The Japanese artillery, which was extremely capable of execution but rigid enough, didn't care where the target was. It just carried out the established tactics and executed three rounds of rapid fire at the established bombardment coordinates.
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! The rising smoke and air waves chase the running Tantai Mingjing all the way forward.
"Boom!" At least four shells exploded more than 20 meters behind the running Tantai Mingjing. The air waves caused by the explosion swept Tantai Mingjing and Shanzi, who were bleeding from the corners of their mouths, into the trench ahead.
At the moment when he fell into the trench, Tantai Mingjing landed on his own without causing any harm to his comrades behind him.
"Ahem! We've run out, we've run out, Shanzi, you can get a blood transfusion right away." Tantai Mingjing ignored the lungs that were about to explode because of running so fast, and turned back to look at his comrades.
Shanzi grinned lightly!
"Brother, this speed is so fast. My brother-in-law is convinced when he sees it." Tantai Mingjing saw the smiles of his comrades and laughed!
Tantai Mingjing stood up and continued running along the 50-meter-long trench. At the end of the trench, he had already seen the figure of the company commander Tu Yunsheng, who came to pick them up with his men.
"Smoke drifts by
The firewood used for cooking made my waist bend.
It's not just firewood that can bend her
dusk sunset
Grandpa banged the bowls and chopsticks and sang
She counts the days on her fingers every day
Waiting for people coming from afar
The bench at the door has never been moved there.
Eyes still looking forward to it
She gave birth to one child after another
All blown away by the trumpet call
What's on the other side of the mountain
It is the heroism of martyrs
It’s the motherland they fight to the death to defend
What's on the other side of the river
It’s the endless flames of war
She looked into the distance and shed tears.
Peace is coming
they are gone
The person she is waiting for will never come back..."
A clear and melodious singing voice also came from the walkie-talkie strapped to my shoulder.
It was a small choir composed of several nurses in the field hospital. During the breaks in the battle, they would sing several military songs through walkie-talkies to the soldiers who were regenerating their strength. In order to avoid the sound revealing the location of the soldiers, their voices
As small as possible, almost like humming.
That's enough.
Gentleness from women is the best medicine to heal the tired soul of a soldier.
In order for these beautiful and gentle comrades not to suffer the suffering of city destruction and death, they are willing to die first!
Listening to the singing in his ears, Tantai Mingjing couldn't help but think of his grandmother in the distance. He didn't notice that the heads of his comrades behind him gradually lowered and fell gently on his shoulders.
But he could feel the warm breath of his comrade on his neck suddenly disappeared.
Tantai Mingjing's tears fell drop by drop. He didn't look back, he just said: "Shanzi, hold on, I'm okay!"
Passing over his superiors and comrades who stood solemnly waiting for him, Tantai Mingjing ran stubbornly towards the field hospital.
He kept running in the underground tunnels. As long as he ran fast enough, his comrades would not die, he firmly believed.
His grandmother is waiting for him in Rongcheng, and the grandmother of his comrades is also waiting for him at the entrance of the village!
All the Chinese soldiers who met them on the way stopped and stood upright until the lonely and determined back disappeared from sight.
PS: I didn’t update yesterday due to something else, so I will update a 6,000-word chapter today.
