Devil's Army

"Then what should our artillery regiment do?" Captain He asked directly.

"The only Japanese troops left on Hainan Island are those in Wenchang County. The 150mm heavy howitzers are no longer useful. The military wants to move them to Haikou Port as coastal defense artillery to prevent the Japanese from attacking Haikou City from the sea."

"Okay, I'll take someone to make sure it's done. Deputy Commander Du, go and take care of your business first."

"My main task today is to implement the coastal defense artillery. My truck is outside. You bring a few people with me to Haikou Port."

Captain He did not waste any time and immediately asked the guards to call several officers of the artillery regiment and went to Haikou Port together by car.

After arriving at Haikou Port, after investigation, Captain He and his team initially decided to locate the coastal defense artillery positions at the former site of Xiuying Fort of the Qing Dynasty, Tianwei Cape of the New Port, and Beigang Island.

Xiuying Fort was built in 1891. It is known as the "Key to Haikou" and the "Guard of Hainan". It is one of the four most famous coastal forts in the late Qing Dynasty.

The terrain here is high and the view is wide, which can effectively control the Haikou Bay waters on the south side of the Qiongzhou Strait. It has played an important role in coastal defense in history.

Tianwei Cape in Xinhai Port District is located in an important strategic position in Xinhai Port District. It protrudes from the coast and can monitor and control a large area of ​​sea. If Japanese warships approach from the front of the Qiongzhou Strait, the coastal defense guns installed at Tianwei Cape can detect and attack them in advance, preventing them from approaching Xinhai Port District.

Beigang Island is located at the junction of Puqian Bay in Wenchang City and Haikou City. It is an island close to Haikou Port.

By installing coastal defense guns along the coast and at commanding heights on Beigang Island, it is possible to intercept the Japanese fleet entering the Qiongzhou Strait from the east, form cross-fire with other coastal defense gun positions in Haikou Port, and strengthen the defense of the eastern waters of Haikou Port.

Commander He handed the location of the reserve coastal defense artillery to Deputy Commander Du and asked for his approval.

Deputy Commander Du pushed aside his application form and said:

"You are good at cannons,

You guys can handle it, I just came here to make sure this matter is done. &34;

With the consent of Deputy Commander Du, Regiment Commander He immediately rushed back to the artillery command to implement the coastal defense artillery.

After Captain He and his men left, Deputy Army Commander Du arranged for soldiers to block the roads leading to the three designated coastal artillery positions to prevent the news from leaking out.

In the afternoon, trucks carrying six 150mm howitzers arrived at Haikou Port.

Commander He assigned six 150mm howitzers to three shore defense positions and asked the artillery to find a retreat route in advance so that if they were attacked by Japanese naval guns, trucks could pull the howitzers to retreat.

On this side, Commander Zhang also arrived at the Sanya port terminal.

When Captain Chen of the Hainan Island Fleet heard that Commander Zhang was coming, he hurried out of the command post to greet him.

"How come you have time to come visit us today?"

"I'm not free today, I came to see you because of something."

"What does the commander-in-chief want to talk to me about? He can just send a telegram. Why do I have to come here in person?"

"I haven't been here for a long time, so I came over for a walk. How are the officers and soldiers?"

"No, I'm feeling pretty low."

"what happened?"

"Hainan Island has been recovered, and our navy didn't even get a hair from the Japanese."

"Oh, if you want to kill the devils, that's easy. I came here to convey the combat orders to you."

"Really? Commander, don't lie to me."

"But your morale is so low..."

"As long as there are Japanese to fight, the morale of our navy will immediately rise."

"Deputy Commander Du and I have studied this and believe that the Japanese reinforcements will definitely come from the sea, and the direction they will come from is most likely the Qiongzhou Strait."

"The commander-in-chief means that our fleet should be transferred to Haikou Port?"

"Yes, but you have to be mentally prepared. The last time the Japanese Fifth Fleet came through the Qiongzhou Strait, there were more than 30 warships, and you only have five in total."

After hearing this, Captain Chen said nothing.

"What? Are you scared?" asked Commander Zhang.

"Afraid? As a naval officer of the First Anti-Japanese Army, I don't know how to write the word afraid. But to be honest, it is difficult for our Hainan Island Fleet to defeat the Japanese Fifth Fleet."

"Yes, it is unrealistic for your five warships to defeat more than 30 Japanese warships. I have asked Deputy Commander Du to find a coastal defense artillery base in Haikou Port. You will wait for an opportunity to lure the Japanese into the range of the coastal defense artillery, which can severely damage the Japanese warships."

"Where is the coastal artillery base located? What is the range?"

"Deputy Commander Du is in charge of the coastal artillery base. We won't know its exact location until we return to Haikou. It is a modified version of our 150mm howitzer with a range of nearly 15 kilometers. In addition, our air force can give you the greatest support."

"When do we leave?"

"You call a meeting with the relevant officers and soldiers, and set off at 6 o'clock tomorrow morning."

"Yes!"