The commander in charge of the defense north of Yutou was none other than Colonel Katano Sadami, commander of the 21st Regiment.
Katano Sadami heard the gunfire coming from the direction of Yihe, but his mission was to guard the north of Tangtou Town. Before receiving the order, other parts of the battle were none of his business.
"Aichi-kun, it seems that today is another day of fierce fighting. Even the reserve team has been mobilized. It seems that the front line is really in a hurry..." The news about the bad situation was naturally learned through judgment. , the fighting was lively on the other side of the Yihe River, and the commander of the Sakamoto Brigade sent two more brigades of reinforcements there, it must be because there was a reason for the incident.
The total strength of the two brigades, even if they are not fully formed, is almost 2,000 people. What's more, these are two brigades with full strength, with a total of more than 2,200 people!
Aichi Seiji nodded and said: "Soyouka, all we can do now is probably wait for the brigade commander's order. Our regiment has been the main offensive force since the beginning of the Juxian battle. From the full strength of three thousand There were more than 800 people in the battle, and now there are only more than 1,000 people. The losses have been heavy. The 11th Regiment currently responsible for the main attack mission and the 42nd Regiment in the reserve are two relatively complete units. You shouldn’t have to worry too much.”
"Suga, what Aichi-kun said is absolutely true." Katano Sadami nodded and said, at this moment, the phone rang.
Aichi Seiji picked up the phone and said: "Moxi Moxi, this is the 21st Regiment Headquarters!"
After Aichi Seiji heard the other party's voice, he immediately stood up and lowered his head and said: "Hai! I will hand the phone to Captain Katano immediately, please wait a moment, Brigade Commander!"
After hearing Aichi Seiji's voice, Katano Sadami didn't think much and directly took the phone from the former's hand: "Moxi Moxi, your Excellency, brigade commander, this is Katano Sadami."
On the other end of the phone, Jun Sakamoto said very seriously: "Katano-kun, I am now ordering your 21st Regiment to immediately assemble to support the operations of the 11th Regiment on the Zhugecheng front line. Previously, the brigade headquarters deployed your troops , will also return to the army immediately and come under your command. In addition, two teams will be transferred from the brigade and regiment headquarters to strengthen the strength of your troops, and we will set off immediately!"
"Hai!" Katano Sadaomi responded and then asked softly: "Your Excellency, Brigade Commander, I would like to take the liberty of asking you, what is the current situation of the 11th Regiment?"
Sakamoto Shun thought for a while and directly informed Katano Sada's opinion: "Katano-kun, the situation on the front line of Zhuge City is not good now. An unknown number of Chinese troops are launching a fierce attack on the 11th Regiment. Just now, Nagano-kun has already attacked Call me and tell me that the 11th Regiment is in danger of being destroyed. Half an hour ago, the reinforcements I sent were intercepted by the Chinese Army in the area of Tongfo Guanzhuang and have not gone further. Therefore, your task is very important. Heavy!"
"Yoshi, I understand my humble position! I will assemble the troops now and prepare to set off!" Katano Sadaomi said.
Just when Katano Sadami was about to hang up, Jun Sakamoto warned him specifically: "Waiting for a sack, Katano-kun, be sure to be vigilant! Now I only have a reserve team of yours, and you must not go out again." Problem!"
"Hai!" Katano Sadaomi responded, and then the other party hung up the phone.
After hanging up the phone, Katano Sadami directly ordered Aichi Seiji who was beside him: "Aichi-kun, please call the various ministries immediately and assemble here immediately!"
"Hai!"
Immediately afterwards, Katano Sadami said to the combat staff next to him: "Ono-kun, sound the assembly call immediately!"
…
At this time, the sky was gradually getting brighter, and the warm spring sun gradually rose from the horizon, shining on Pang Kui's body.
At this time, there were several militiamen lying around Pang Kui who were much smaller than him. Pang Kui was called Pang Kui. Because of his fat body and this surname, he got such a nickname.
Pang Kui is the captain of the militia team in Tangtou Town, Linyi. Since the Japanese army attacked Tangtou, the militia team has been broken into pieces and began to work in groups of three or five people to closely monitor the movements of the Japanese army.
Logically speaking, a militia captain may have some reconnaissance ability, but it will never be too strong, but the military quality shown by Pang Kui is extremely high.
Only a handful of people know that Pang Kui’s code name is Migratory Bird.
Lying down outside Dawangzhuang north of Tangtou Town, Pang Kui's face remained as usual, his sharp little eyes staring at Dawangzhuang in front of him.
"Brother Kui, this little devil is blowing the rally call!" Beside Pang Kui, a militiaman patted him and said.
"This kid must have blown the trumpet because the front line was in a hurry. Just watch and see how many kid guys come out." Pang Kui said coldly.
Not long after, groups of heavily armed Japanese troops drove out of Dawangzhuang, using three-wheeled motorcycles to clear the way, followed by cars, and hurriedly drove toward Tangtou Town in the south.
"One team, two teams, three teams..." Pang Kui was counting the number of Japanese troops sent out.
It didn't take long for Dawangzhuang, where nearly 400 Japanese troops were stationed, to be empty.
"Almost five hundred Japanese troops have left. It seems that the situation on the front line is very urgent. It seems that the little Japanese are going to Yihe to fight the main force of our army..." Pang Kui murmured.
"Captain, what should we do? Are we just going to watch them go to Tangtou Town for support?" a junior militiaman beside Pang Kui said anxiously.
Pang Kui sneered and said, "How is that possible? Not to mention that these little devils are going to support the friendly forces. Even if they are going to celebrate the birthday of their mother-in-law, I have to make them feel uncomfortable!"
Immediately afterwards, Pang Kui ordered the small militiaman beside him: "Xiao An, you set off immediately to the east of Dachenzhuang and advance by Tangshan. It won't take long before you can meet a national army unit. That one The troops are troops of the Central Army. Just tell them that the main force of the Japanese army has gone to Zhuge City for reinforcements. Tangtou Town is empty of troops!"
"But, captain, how do you know there is a Central Army unit there?" The militiaman named Xiaoan scratched his head, not seeming to believe Pang Kui's words.
"If I say yes, then yes, execute the order!" Pang Kui said in a deep voice.
"Yes! Sir!" The militiaman named Xiaoan responded and quickly ran to their hiding place.
Looking at Xiao An's leaving figure, Pang Kui said softly: "Huh, little Japan, the main troops have been transferred, why don't you die this time?!"
"Captain, you are really an expert in combat." A militiaman nearby said with a flattering face.
Pang Kui shook his head gently and said, "I'm not an expert. We have to see if Captain Zhang is really as good at fighting as they say."
…
At this time, the Fifth Division had not yet suffered a single defeat in the North China battlefield. Everywhere it went, it had made numerous military exploits. Naturally, everyone in the Fifth Division was full of confidence at this moment.
Regarding the dispatch of troops to support the 11th Regiment on the front line, Katano Sadami could be said to have "happily accepted the order and left", but he never thought that there was a very well-equipped force behind them. , just like a hungry wolf extending its fangs towards them.
…
In a small mountain depression two kilometers east of Dachenzhuang, Zhang Tianhai was squatting under the shade of a tree with a cigarette in his mouth, smoking.
The smoke slowly extended upward along the trunk of the tree, but Zhang Tianhai was yawning and murmuring: "Grandma, I have slept in this mountain for more than ten days, and my bones are numb from sleep. The schedule is also Confused……"
At this moment, Zhang Tianhai's keen eyesight saw a horse running quickly towards their troops' hiding place in the distance.
Zhang Tianhai immediately picked up the telescope and took a look. He saw a man riding on the horse. He looked like he was wearing ordinary people's clothes, but he had a gun on his back. He didn't know where it was seized from. .
This is a militia! Zhang Tianhai came to a conclusion instantly.
"Li Chunfei! Let the frontline troops stop this militia immediately. No shots are allowed to expose the target unless the other party shoots!" Zhang Tianhai directly threw away the cigarette in his hand, and then ordered Li Chunfei beside him.
"Yes! Group seat!" Li Chunfei responded.
It is said that Xiao An was following the order of the militia captain Pang Kui, and had already bypassed Dachenzhuang and was heading towards Tangshan. He was still wondering whether what the captain said was true or false. After all, he was almost to Tangshan, or was he? It was completely silent, and it didn't look like there was anyone at all.
Just when he was approaching the foot of Tangshan Mountain, Xiao An realized that the muzzles of black holes in front of him were already pointing at him.
Xiao An took a closer look and saw that the soldiers in front of him were all covered with a layer of straw clothes. If he didn't look closely, he wouldn't be able to tell from a distance!
"Stop! What are you doing?!" A major officer holding a Mauser pistol and wearing a goose green woolen coat stood up and asked.
Xiao An was almost startled. He immediately turned over and dismounted, stood at attention and saluted: "Hello, sir, we are from the Linyi Militia Brigade. We have been ordered by our militia captain to convey information to your army!"
Xiao An didn't look too scared - after all, these troops in front of him are, as the captain said, troops of the Central Army. Since Captain Pang can send him to contact these Central Army troops, it proves that these people are not It will harm him.
"If you have any information, just tell him directly." Li Chunfei looked at the young militiaman in front of him very warily. After all, anything could happen during wartime.
I saw Xiao An saying without fear: "Sir, our captain asked me to inform your army that most of the Japanese troops in Tangtou Town have been sent to support the Japanese troops in Zhuge City. Now Tangtou Town is empty of troops."
After hearing this important news, Li Chunfei immediately decided to take the militiaman to the regiment and wait for the regiment to make a decision in person.
"Are you sure Tangtou's troops are empty?" Zhang Tianhai asked the militiaman in front of him in a deep voice, who looked to be only sixteen or seventeen years old.
"Yes, sir. All the more than 400 Japs troops we saw with our own eyes evacuated Dawangzhuang, and then our captain asked me to inform your army about this." Xiao An said seriously.
Zhang Tianhai thought for a while and felt that what the young militiaman said was probably not a lie: reinforcements of more than 20,000 people from the 59th Army arrived, and they launched a surprise attack at night. The Japanese army could not resist it. It is quite normal for the troops to be tight. Dawangzhuang, as the center point north of Tangtou Town, must be the command center to the north of Tangtou Town. Even the troops have been withdrawn there. It seems that the situation is not an ordinary emergency.
"About when did their troops leave Dawangzhuang?" Zhang Tianhai asked.
"About forty minutes ago." Xiao An answered truthfully.
Zhang Tianhai narrowed his eyes slightly and looked at the direction where the gunfire came from. He had made a decision in his heart. He immediately said to the communications staff officer beside him: "Consultant Wang, call Deputy Commander Zhou immediately and ask him to immediately dispatch the fourth battalion to Tangtou Town. Support the battle!"
"Yes! Headquarters!" The communications officer said immediately, and then turned on the radio.
Chief of Staff Guo Qiliang walked up to Zhang Tianhai and asked, "Old Zhang, have you really decided to attack Tangtou Town now?"
Zhang Tianhai nodded solemnly and said, "Yes, we have to fight now. While their main force has just left, we will try to capture Tangtou Town in one fell swoop."
Guo Qiliang said: "But now is not the best time. The best time should be an hour after the main force of the Japanese army leaves."
Zhang Tianhai smiled and said: "Of course I know this, but I have made up my mind. As long as we can conquer Tangtou Town in one fell swoop, the frontline troops of the Sakamoto detachment will fall into a state of fighting on their own. This is the most conducive for our army to annihilate Sakamoto in one fell swoop. The detachment is in action. Take it by surprise and attack it unprepared!"
"But, do we need to ask Chief Xu for instructions? We are now arbitrarily mobilizing troops to leave the Tangshan'ao position. This is disobedience..." Guo Qiliang finally became more rational. He was not as impulsive as Zhang Tianhai.
Yes, it's impulse. To put it nicely, it means killing decisively; to put it badly, it means recklessness.
Zhang Tianhai smiled and said with confidence: "As long as we can capture Tangtou Town, it will be our first success. As long as we kill Commander Jun Sakamoto, all the headquarters of the first regiment directly under my third theater will be transferred immediately. Tangshan'ao, encircle the Japanese army with the 40th Army and the 59th Army!"
"But..." Guo Qiliang still wanted to speak, but was interrupted by Zhang Tianhai: "Stop it, just defeat the Japanese command and kill the enemy commander Jun Sakamoto. No one can shoot me."
Guo Qiliang shook his head helplessly and said, "Okay! You are the leader. Since you have decided, let's follow your plan!"
Listening to the conversation between the two officers in front of him, and then looking at the equipment of the officers and soldiers around him, militiaman Xiao An couldn't help but secretly exclaimed: "Damn it, it really is the guy in my hand who is so strong... There is so much equipment in this." Okay, we can definitely capture Tangtou Town... No wonder the captain is so confident..."
In fact, it's not that Zhang Tianhai likes to disobey orders on the battlefield or is addicted to disobedience, but his original purpose of sending troops into the mountains was not to block the Japanese army's retreat!
Since Zhiyi Tuan is an extremely sharp knife, it should be stabbed in the enemy's heart - only when the knife is stabbed in the enemy's heart can the enemy be killed with one blow!
In this way, the troops of the Zhiyi Regiment began to take action, and the Fourth Battalion in Tangshan Au also went to the front line of Tangtou Town after receiving the order.
As for the subsequent changes in the battlefield, Zhang Tianhai had already thought about it: the troops fighting the Japanese army in the direction of Tongfo Guanzhuang were mostly troops of the 180th Division of the 59th Army, and the reason why the Japanese army could still The fundamental reason why they persisted for so long in the Battle of Linyi before retreating was that the headquarters was still there.
Zhang Tianhai also believed that as long as Sakamoto Shun's headquarters was destroyed, these Japanese troops would definitely become a mess. Even if they could carry out a powerful blockade, they would all fight on their own.
Therefore, taking some risks and taking away Jun Sakamoto's headquarters is completely worth it in Zhang Tianhai's opinion. Besides - if there are three main battalions, supported by artillery battalions and small artillery companies, two thousand If many people can't defeat Tangtou Town, which is guarded by at most six to seven hundred people, then don't say anything, everyone can just go home and farm.
…
PS: Here’s today’s update~
Thank you QQ reading friend for giving me two monthly passes!
Thanks to QQ reading friend Zhang Jiancheng for giving me a monthly pass!
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