On the morning of the 16th, the enemy's 16th, 13th, and 11th divisions and the Taiwan Brigade, also known as Chongteng Detachment, launched a fierce attack on our army under the cover of their aircraft, tanks, and artillery.
Our 56th Division and the 34th Independent Brigade suffered heavy casualties, so they retreated to Fushan Town and Xiaojiaqiao area.
The 399th Brigade of the 133rd Division, which was stationed in Sujiayu and Shajiabang areas east of Kuncheng Lake, was attacked by nearly a thousand people from the enemy's 11th Division. After a fierce battle until noon, the brigade retreated, and the enemy was unable to pursue it. They forced their way across Kuncheng Lake and landed at Shi'antou and Mocheng Town respectively.
Commander Yang Hanyu of the 133rd Division gathered more than 400 swordsmen in an ambush in the reeds on the shore. Taking advantage of the unpreparedness of the landing enemy, he suddenly swung his sword at them from behind. The Japanese officers and soldiers suffered heavy casualties and were completely defeated.
The enemy's second echelon team came to the rescue, but our broadsword team had already gone elsewhere.
At the same time, our army's light and heavy machine guns and mortars located in Mocheng Town, Zhaojiabang, and Shi'antou concentrated and fired fiercely, inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy troops, who then fled back to the east of the lake.
Our 60th Division, which was stationed in Miaoquan Town, Sujia Town, Tianzhutang and Guli Town, was attacked by the advance teams of the enemy's 11th and 13th divisions from the morning of the 16th.
The enemy not only dispatched aircraft to bomb and strafe in turns, but also used more than 30 cannons of various calibers to continuously bombard the enemy. More than ten tanks covered the enemy infantry in attacking in separate ways.
In the fierce fighting until noon, more than half of the officers and soldiers of our 60th Division were injured and killed, and several positions were broken through by the enemy. The situation was very critical.
General Luo Zhuoying was at the headquarters of the 79th Army at this time. After receiving the report, he immediately ordered Xia Chuzhong to personally lead the 98th Division and the 13th Division to assist, with full support from the 16th Artillery Regiment.
Lieutenant General Xia Chu concentrated all combat defense artillery in Guli Town under the command of Liang Zhongjiang, commander of the 180th Brigade, to focus on dealing with enemy tanks; the 16th Artillery Regiment concentrated its artillery fire to suppress the enemy artillery; the artillery of each division was concentrated to directly support the counterattacks of the 98th and 13th Divisions force.
After the deployment was completed, at 14:00 that day, relying on the 180th Brigade position in Guli Town, they launched a counterattack against the enemies in Sujia Town and Catholic Church, and recovered the lost positions in one fell swoop.
As a result, the notorious Chongteng detachment was blocked from the Chapingjia defense line.
Therefore, the Dragon Boat Festival is not worried that Changshu will fall. And even if it falls, it will only be seven or eight days later.
As for the battle in Fukuyama, Danwu could also predict the final result.
Even if the Japanese could capture the Fushan position, they would pay a heavy price.
Fushan has been an important military location since ancient times. It is called an important town in northern Wu and a Jianghai fortress.
The old city of Fushan is called Zongbing City. There are three city gates in the east, south and north, Shuiguan in the west, the city wall is made of masonry, and there is a tower in the east gate.
Although some buildings were damaged after several wars, the dilapidated city walls still served as a defense.
So in these two places, Dragon Boat Festival is not worried. What he wants is the life of the enemy's 103rd Brigade.
At the same time, Matsui Iwane finally realized that the fortifications of Changshu and Fukuyama were solid and not an easy bone to chew on.
He stared at the map for a long time, and finally found the weak point of the Wu-Fu line, which was Xiejiaqiao.
He then ordered the 13th Division and 103rd Brigade of the Japanese Army to form the Yamada Detachment based on the 65th Regiment and attack Xiejiaqiao.
The old devil Yamada Kakiji looked very excited. Because he finally had a chance to take revenge on the Chinese soldiers.
As I said before, during the Battle of Songhu, this old devil was beaten to tears by the Thirteenth Division. The 65th Regiment was almost completely wiped out.
Therefore, Yamada Kanji was eager for revenge and led his army straight towards Xiejiaqiao.
But although the old fox was eager for revenge, he still sent a small force to Changshan Town to investigate.
Although he had received intelligence that the Chinese troops in Changshan Town had gone to the direction of Fushan. But this old devil is still worried about his own butt, afraid of being stabbed in the back.
So he sent a team of more than fifty Japs in total to Changshan Town for investigation.
Dragon Boat Festival has been prepared for a long time, and all the soldiers are hiding in cellars or attics of high-rise buildings.
More than fifty Japanese soldiers fired randomly, turned over a few buildings, and then retreated. He also reported to Yamada Kakiji: Just as the intelligence said, there are no more Chinese soldiers in Changshan Town.
Yamada Kaiji was very happy and ordered an all-out attack to launch a violent bombardment of Xiejiaqiao.
The 103rd Brigade has a mountain artillery brigade, which has four 150mm howitzers, eight 100mm cannons, twelve 75mm mountain guns, and several mortars.
When the Japanese artillery bombarded Xiejiaqiao, the direction of Xiejiaqiao instantly turned into a sea of fire.
Although the 48th Army Special Agent Battalion built defenses in advance, it still suffered heavy casualties. Many soldiers were unable to escape and were hit by artillery shells and died heroically.
Duanwu was helpless when he saw this scene five kilometers away from Xiejiaqiao.
The terrain near Xiejiaqiao is open and there is no ambush location at all. Moreover, a one-to-one ambush would most likely result in the annihilation of the entire 79th Brigade.
In a head-on battle, with the military quality of the 79th Brigade, even if the independent regiment of Dragon Boat Festival is added, it is simply not enough.
Therefore, firstly, there is no suitable ambush location, and secondly, the strength of the troops is not much different. Dragon Boat Festival could only give up the ambush and switch to a surprise attack.
The raid on the Japanese artillery positions forced the Japanese to follow the Dragon Boat Festival combat ideas. And you can use the little Japanese's mountain cannon to bombard the Japanese in the 103rd Brigade.
And once Dragon Boat Festival's plan succeeds, there should be very few, or even none, of the entire 103rd Brigade.
Of course, if that old devil Yamada Suji has the guts.
"Zhou Dabang, Sun Shiyu, take two of you to remove the little devil's sentry."
Duanwu ordered, because his army could not move at this time, Yamada Zhen and the other Japanese soldiers were very cautious, fearing that someone would stab him in the butt. In addition to arranging two squadrons of Japanese soldiers to defend the artillery position, they also sent out guard posts. Be vigilant about two kilometers behind.
Therefore, if the enemy's warning posts are not taken down, the army can only stay five kilometers away from the Xiaojiazi artillery position.
"Tuanzuo, shall I go too?"
At this moment, Zhu Shengzhong volunteered.
"Go away, don't come up unless I call you."
Duanwu immediately scolded Zhu Shengzhong. Because Zhu Shengzhong is so impulsive, once the target is exposed and the Japanese are alert, all their previous efforts in this battle will be wasted. And will encounter ruthless bombing by Japanese artillery fire.
That was a 150mm cannon. If it hit a crowd, dozens of people would be gone in an instant.
So in order to implement this plan smoothly, Dragon Boat Festival does not allow anyone to make mistakes.
Because if something goes wrong, not only will they suffer a fatal blow from Japanese artillery fire. The sacrifice of the 48th Army Special Agent Battalion will also become worthless.
Of course, it cannot be said to be worthless. Because of their presence, the Japanese 103rd Brigade stopped at Xiejiaqiao and found it difficult to take a step forward! ...
