A Journey Through the Flames of War in the Republican Era

The two assault formations of the 3rd and 1st companies of the sergeant battalion have advanced to the assault starting position at a distance of 200-300 meters. Each squad and platoon has deployed in combat formation and is ready for a fierce attack. The heavy machine guns of each company are providing continuous fire suppression.

The artillery battery and the two infantry guns reinforced and attached to the main assault 3rd Company fired at close range, knocking down the enemy's exposed firing points and fortifications one by one.

The attack was progressing smoothly, and Company Commanders Zhang Yi and Wang Jingxiong were in high spirits. Now, they were even more eager and impatient, waiting only for Song Hongfei's order to rush forward and harvest the corn.

The artillery fire from the mountain artillery company and the anti-tank gun company began to extend, "Boom! Boom!" "Boom! Boom!" The accompanying fire from the battalion's 82mm mortars began to bombard fiercely again.

"First platoon, second platoon, rear triangle formation! Advance towards the assault line! Heavy machine gun cover!" Zhang Yi shouted, issuing the order. "Infantry artillery platoon, aim and fire directly at the enemy machine gun positions!"

The two assault platoons of the 3rd Company immediately deployed into a "three-by-three" combat formation and advanced rapidly. Under the cover of superior fire, they used the concealed terrain and features to move quickly to a position more than 100 meters from the enemy's front line. The assault units continued to advance under alternating cover, gradually approaching the enemy's front-line positions.

"Light machine guns, fire!" shouted the Southeast Army's garrison company commander.

"Rat-a-tat-tat!" "Rat-a-tat-tat!" Several light machine guns on the front lines of the defending troops immediately began firing fiercely, their muzzles spitting out streaks of fire, which were very conspicuous in the darkness. Each squad of the Southeast Army was equipped with one Czech-made light machine gun, and the entire company had a total of 12, more than some Central Army units.

However, the defenders soon discovered that the Central Army did not charge forward in one wave. Their battle formation was quite spread out, and the weak firepower of the light machine guns had little effect in suppressing the enemy. They were also unable to form crossfire fire from the sides. The Central Army's attacking formation slowed down slightly before continuing to advance in stages.

"Suppress enemy machine gun fire with heavy machine guns! Take it down with direct-fire cannons!" Zhang Yi shouted.

The defenders' light machine gun positions were quickly covered by intense artillery fire and fell silent one after another.

At this point, the defenders' most effective weapon was a few grenade launchers. Although the grenade launchers were quite powerful and had a range of over 200 meters, their accuracy was uncertain. They could only be fired by estimation, which greatly tested the experience and skill of the shooters. They were also of little use in the dark.

The 3rd Company's assault detachment advanced in shifts, using squad-level combat formations for alternating cover. Soon, the light machine guns of each squad also opened fire in turn. The assault detachment had advanced to the designated assault launch line and then quickly and covertly deployed into assault formation to prepare for the assault.

"Third rank, advance!" Zhang Yi ordered.

Under the fire suppression and cover of the rear and the assault platoon in front, the 3rd Platoon quickly advanced to the concealed area behind the assault platoon and prepared to provide close cover for the assault platoon and launch subsequent attacks.

Song Hongfei personally directed the artillery fire from the rear, which extended to cover the front lines of the defending troops and the various positions and fortifications that followed and continued to the edge of the village. The firepower points exposed by the defending troops during the main attack company's advance were targeted and bombarded one by one by mountain guns and advancing field guns.

On the left flank of the 3rd Company, the assault detachment of the 1st Company, under the cover of artillery fire from the rear, successively advanced to the assault launch line.

After another concentrated artillery barrage, the mountain artillery company's fire ceased its advance; the barrage was now very close to the houses in Sanzhang Village. Song Hongfei ordered the mountain artillery company to prepare for artillery strikes against enemy reinforcements in Yantou Village to the southwest. At the same time, he ordered the direct-fire artillery company to approach and fire directly at the remaining fortifications and firing positions in Sanzhang Village.

As soon as the artillery preparation was completed, the assault detachments of the 3rd and 1st companies immediately leaped out, and each squad launched a fierce attack in a three-by-three combat formation, with the company's supporting firepower providing continuous and intense fire support.

"Da da da!" The Czech-made light machine guns of each squad were also fiercely spewing fire, taking turns to provide cover for the attack.

After rigorous and arduous training, the sergeant battalion's infantry-artillery coordination has become quite impressive. The attack formation can maintain a coordinated advance within 200 meters of the artillery's creeping barrage, and the battalion-level infantry guns and mortars assigned to the 3rd Company can provide accompanying artillery cover for more than 100 meters.

This tactical coordination was remarkably smooth and brilliant. The artillery bombarded the fortifications and resistance ahead with fierce fire, and the infantry attack formations immediately followed up with the artillery fire to wipe out the remaining enemy.

Behind the sergeant battalion, officers from the brigade headquarters and other units who had come to observe the battle were carefully watching the situation. They witnessed a brilliant artillery barrage that plowed through the enemy formation, a level of infantry-artillery coordination that was second to none in the entire National Revolutionary Army.

The series of superb tactical coordination tactics, such as the "three-three system, small-group multi-pronged attack, and infantry-artillery coordination," broadened the horizons of the officers watching the battle. They were deeply impressed and couldn't help but praise and discuss the tactics among themselves.

For a long time, the domestic forces had rigidly followed the Soviet Union's wave-like, flat-push group assault method. The officers from all sides received a refreshing baptism and felt the powerful creativity and charm of the art of war command.

The defending troops' forward positions were engulfed in a hail of bullets. Facing the intense artillery fire, they had already suffered heavy losses and could only desperately hold on. Now, they faced a fierce multi-pronged attack from the enemy. It seemed that powerful forces were relentlessly charging in from the front, left, and right flanks. The sporadic gunfire was almost drowned out by the enemy's shouts of killing. The few remaining defenders had lost all will to fight and turned to flee in disarray.

The main rear positions had been decimated by artillery fire and concentrated direct-fire, with the last remaining heavy machine gun destroyed and most of the light machine guns lost. However, the enemy's more than ten formidable heavy machine guns were closing in again, seemingly reaching the edge of the village, and their terrifying roars echoed once more.

The soldiers of the Southeast Army could never have imagined that the enemy's heavy machine gun could move forward so quickly. Did they think that a machine gun weighing more than 40 kilograms was as easy to handle as a pistol?

The various assault teams from the sergeant battalion had already rushed in, engaging in close combat. The MP28 "Flower Machine Gun" submachine guns spat fire, unleashing a massive barrage of fire in a very short time; this was precisely when they could best serve as "trench brooms." And only now did many soldiers finally get the chance to fire their Type 24 semi-automatic rifles for the first time.

The entire village was suddenly filled with even more intense gunfire. The veterans of the Southeast Army who had fought in battles turned pale. Based on their experience, they judged that such dense rifle fire meant that at least one regiment of the enemy was charging! If they were to take down just one of their companies, they would be devoured alive by a hungry tiger in no time.

Under the fierce attack from both sides, the defenders on the Southeast Army's position had lost all morale. The remaining soldiers on the position threw down their guns and surrendered. Those who were not yet terrified and whose legs were still nimble turned around and fled into the village.

At this moment, Lin Damu, the regimental commander of the 3rd Regiment of the 1st Brigade of the 105th Division of the Southeast Army, and Meng Guangtian, the battalion commander of the 1st Battalion who was directing reinforcements in Yantou Village, stared silently at the direction of Sanzhang Village in the northeast. Their hearts were filled with shock and horror. The Central Army's powerful firepower and combat capabilities were truly terrifying!

Just now, Meng Guangtian commanded a company of reinforcements from Yantou Village to go directly to Sanzhang Village in the northeast to reinforce it, and attempted to attack the left flank of the Central Army from the east to contain the Central Army's offensive.

However, unexpectedly, the reinforcements had just crossed the east bank of the Chishui River and were met with fierce fire from the Central Army when they advanced to the wilderness southwest of Sanzhang Village. Subsequently, the Central Army's field artillery positions south of Xincun also bombarded the area. The company, exposed in the wilderness, was covered by artillery fire and suffered heavy losses.

The wounded reinforcements retreated to Yantou Village on their own, while the remaining troops charged into Sanzhang Village, only to run into the defending forces who were retreating from their positions outside the village. The reinforcements hadn't even had time to react; they hadn't even arrived yet, how could the position have been lost? How could they have been defeated so quickly? The enemy had only launched one wave of attack, and they hadn't even figured out how many troops the enemy had! Meng Guangtian simply couldn't believe it!

Lin Damu was on the 3rd Battalion's position at Ganjiazhuang, south of Qinglong Village and north of Chishui Railway Station. Like Meng Guangtian, the 1st Battalion Commander, he was deeply shaken and unable to calm down for a long time. He was less than 1.5 kilometers away from Sanzhang Village. He could hear the artillery fire on the battlefield clearly, and he could also faintly hear the sound of heavy machine guns firing from the Central Army.

He couldn't believe it either; how could the position have been lost so quickly? The enemy had only launched one attack, and his position was gone!

The Central Army launched a powerful artillery barrage to strike, cover, and extend its reach, followed by continuous suppression from mortars and heavy machine guns. Every step from approaching the enemy, advancing, to launching the charge was closely coordinated, swift, and well-coordinated, demonstrating their high level of training. Furthermore, the entire process was under constant heavy machine gun fire.

It can be concluded that: first, the Central Army was equipped with a large number of heavy machine guns; second, their heavy machine guns were even able to accompany the infantry advance?! Lin Damu, the commander of the Southeast Army Corps, found that this was completely beyond his understanding of infantry warfare.

Battalion Commander Meng Guangtian called again to report that the defending company and the reinforcing company had suffered heavy casualties; their mortars and heavy machine guns were almost entirely lost, and only three light machine guns remained. The two companies that had joined forces in Sanzhang Village now had less than four platoons of soldiers left. The Central Army had captured all the positions outside the village and had already entered the village from the northeast and due east, preparing to continue their attack. Meng Guangtian asked Lin Damu: Should they continue to hold Sanzhang Village?

Lin Damu's eyes welled up with tears. A single wave of attacks had cost him so many troops and weapons. Was this price worth it for this outpost outside the defensive line? He also understood that the Central Army had halted their advance to avoid harming the lives and property of the villagers of Sanzhang Village. If he insisted on continuing the attack, wouldn't the blame later fall on his head?

He was also certain that, given the formidable fighting power displayed by the Central Army, his remaining company of soldiers would gain no advantage by continuing the fight; they would only suffer losses and possibly even be wiped out.

Lin Damu painfully gave the order to Meng Guangtian, the commander of the 1st Battalion, to withdraw from Sanzhang Village, return to the west bank of the Chishui River, and hold the position in Yantou Village.

Song Hongfei called Zhang Yi and Wang Jingxiong to inquire about the casualties.

Company 3 report: 3 dead, 4 wounded.

Company 1 report: 2 dead, 3 wounded.

Song Hongfei then asked, "Can the troops continue fighting?"

Both men were still very excited and said with lingering enthusiasm, "The soldiers in the company are in high spirits and can continue fighting!"

Song Hongfei: "Okay!"

"It's only polite to reciprocate!" Song Hongfei said. "I order! The next operational mission—"

According to statistics, the Southeast Army suffered more than 60 casualties and more than 50 prisoners in the battle of Sanzhang Village.

The sergeant battalion of the Training Corps made its debut, achieving a resounding victory in its first battle. In a single attack, it routed a reinforced company of the 105th Division, which was equipped with a mortar platoon and a heavy machine gun platoon. It successfully eliminated the 105th Division's outpost embedded on the east bank of the Chishui River and controlled the Wei River ferry near the northwest of Sanzhang Village. It can be said that it made the greatest contribution to the Battle of the Chishui River!