Quartermasters can also fight the devils

After a day's attack, the attacking force of the Japanese 11th Army had made no progress. Instead, it suffered heavy casualties in front of the 57th Division's defensive fortifications.

The next day, the Japanese 11th Army's troop responsible for the eastern attack sent a force of several hundred people to detour to the flank of the 57th Division's defensive position in Zhiwan Village, and rushed into the defensive positions of the 7th and 9th Companies of the 169th Regiment in one fell swoop. As a result, officers and soldiers of both sides engaged in fierce hand-to-hand combat.

The officers and soldiers of the 57th Division of the 74th Army were very familiar with this kind of bayonet combat. Before the war, the officers and soldiers of the 57th Division had practiced hard in bayonet fighting, grenade throwing and shooting within ten meters. In addition, Division Commander Yu was personally responsible for the inspection, and if any battalion or company failed to meet the assessment standards, the officers of this battalion or company would be punished.

Although the Japanese soldiers had received complete bayonet training and their level should have been higher than that of the Chinese army, the officers and soldiers of the 116th Division of the Japanese 11th Army, which was responsible for the eastern attack, had suffered heavy losses of veteran soldiers after long-term fighting on the Chinese battlefield, and the new recruits were far inferior to the veterans in hand-to-hand combat and bayonet skills.

The 7th and 9th Companies of the 169th Regiment finally defeated the attacking forces of the 11th Japanese Army that broke into the defensive positions. However, the 7th and 9th Companies of the 169th Regiment suffered heavy casualties. Only one-third of the officers and soldiers of the two companies were able to continue to participate in the battle. Therefore, the 7th and 9th Companies of the 169th Regiment had to abandon their positions at dusk and continue to retreat to other positions for defensive operations.

The 116th Division of the Japanese 11th Army, which was responsible for the eastern attack, divided its troops into two groups after occupying the defensive position of the 57th Division in Zhiwan Village. One group continued to attack the east gate of Changde City to the west, while the other group attacked Deshan south of Changde City to the south, preparing to cut off the only retreat route of the 57th Division.

As early as the day when the Japanese 11th Army's offensive force officially launched an attack on the outskirts of Changde, the 57th Division Commander Yu issued combat orders to all officers and soldiers of the 57th Division, and the entire division entered combat status. At this time, except for the county magistrate, the police chief, the construction section chief and more than one hundred policemen, all the people in Changde City were soldiers.

On that day, County Magistrate Dai Jiufeng took the police to patrol Changde City for the last time, checking every household. Finally, he found that more than 200 people had not left Changde City for various reasons. So, County Magistrate Dai ordered the police to help these people leave Changde today. However, County Magistrate Dai himself was unwilling to leave Changde City, and was prepared to stay in Changde City and live and die with the city.

When Division Commander Yu learned of County Magistrate Dai's little trick, he personally called County Magistrate Dai to the division headquarters and advised him earnestly: "County Magistrate Dai, after the battle begins, it will be us soldiers who will be responsible for the fighting. You government civilians will no longer have any place to use your skills. Besides, the few broken guns and police officers the government has allocated to you will not be of any use in defending the city. You should retreat to the rear as soon as possible. There is no need to make a fearless sacrifice."

After taking a look at Commander Yu, County Magistrate Dai said unconvincedly, "Commander Yu, what you said is half right. Although we cannot fight, we can organize police to form stretcher teams, fire brigades, and even transport teams, which can play a role in defending the city."

Division Commander Yu smiled and said to County Magistrate Dai: "County Magistrate Dai, Changde City is not big. The things you mentioned can be done by the civilian staff of our 57th Division Headquarters. You should take everyone to a safe place first."

Seeing that Commander Yu still disagreed with him staying in the city, County Magistrate Dai helplessly expressed his thoughts: "Commander Yu, to be honest, part of my conscience requires me to stay in the city and do my part. The other part is that I am moved by the fearless attitude of the officers and soldiers of your 57th Division. I think that if you can face the Japanese attack so calmly, why can't we? Death is inevitable in life. I am nearly 50 years old. What's the point of staying in the city? It's just death, and this kind of death is the most glorious for me."

After listening to County Magistrate Dai's words, Commander Yu was also moved and said, "County Magistrate Dai, I understand your thoughts very well, but as a soldier, I want to tell you that sacrifice is great, but if you can play a greater role by living, then there is no need to sacrifice."

Seeing that County Magistrate Dai was about to speak anxiously again, Division Commander Yu knew that County Magistrate Dai was determined to live and die with the city, so Division Commander Yu suddenly had an idea and raised his hand to stop County Magistrate Dai from speaking again, and then said: "County Magistrate Dai, since you want to contribute to the defense of the city, you must obey orders. Now the mortar shells in Changde City are insufficient, and we are in urgent need of replenishment of shells. Please quickly go to the rear to help us pass on this information, and be responsible for escorting the shells as soon as possible."

This mission of Commander Yu blocked all the words that County Magistrate Dai had prepared. Seeing that Commander Yu had given him the task, County Magistrate Dai had no choice but to agree to this very purposeful task. Then County Magistrate Dai took more than 100 policemen and more than 200 refugees, a total of more than 300 people, crossed the Yuan River and retreated to the south, but County Magistrate Dai still left 40 policemen who volunteered to stay in the city.

However, since November 18, the attacking forces of the Japanese 11th Army have surrounded Changde City from all sides, making it difficult to break out now.

On the way of retreat, the group of people led by County Magistrate Dai encountered the Japanese Third Division troops that were besieging Changde City. The more than 300 people led by County Magistrate Dai were scattered by the pursuit of the Japanese Third Division troops. In order to cover the retreat of the people and County Magistrate Dai, the more than 100 policemen who were responsible for accompanying them were killed or wounded in the exchange of fire with the Japanese Third Division troops. In the end, only fourteen people survived.

County Magistrate Dai and his four subordinates managed to break through successfully. After County Magistrate Dai fled to Huangtudian in the rear, he met the reinforcements of the 10th Army of the Chinese government. County Magistrate Dai also conveyed the information to the 10th Army that the 57th Division in Changde City was in urgent need of mortar shells.

But at this time, Changde City had been surrounded by tens of thousands of attacking troops of the Japanese 11th Army. It was difficult for even one person to sneak into Changde City. If they wanted to transport a large amount of ammunition in, it would naturally be impossible.