Canteen System Assistance Notes

The Lewis machine gunner who reacted the fastest was the first to counterattack. Bullets of the same caliber were fired from the battleship and the enemy plane at the same time, hitting the air, sea water and the bridge at the same time. Captain Davis didn't know whether he had hit the enemy plane, but seeing that the enemy plane passed over the destroyer intact, it was obvious that there was not much damage.

"Raise the battle flag!" he shouted. "Full speed, everyone! On target!"

"Check, check, check! Full speed ahead! Everybody! On your marks!"

The Royal Navy's red, blue, and white flag was hoisted atop the mast, along with the signals "Enemy aircraft sighted" and "One." A bell rang inside the tiny HMS Sannet, and the entire ship instantly resembled a hedgehog with all its spikes erected.

It's just a pity that as an S-class destroyer built during the First World War, even after a transformation, the Shannet's anti-aircraft armament is only a 2-pound pom-pom cannon and 4 Lewis machine guns - such spikes can't really be said to be very sharp.

Thick smoke billowed from Shannet's chimney as it accelerated forward and, in tacit understanding, formed a simple anti-aircraft formation with the Sentinel - in this way, the two ships' meager anti-aircraft firepower could at least cover each other and increase their chances of survival.

Perhaps it was because the two destroyers actively resisted that the old Type 94 reconnaissance plane did not continue to fire its engine guns. It was like a hyena.

Surrounding two running wildebeests, refusing to give up. Captain Davis put down his telescope

Jing, he knew that the other party was obviously waiting for support.

Sure enough, not long after, the old Type 94 reconnaissance plane fired a red flare, and a response flare was also raised in the distant sky: two faster and obviously more advanced single-wing seaplanes arrived at the battlefield and flew towards Shannet and the sentry.

The two seaplanes clearly belonged to a seaplane tender, or worse, a cruiser. If it was the latter, then at least a squadron of troops was hurtling towards the two small destroyers!

Captain Davis had never seen such a seaplane, but the huge red pills on the wings had already revealed the opponent's identity. What's more, there was a bomb of at least 50 pounds hanging under the belly of the opponent's plane, which had exposed their purpose and malice to the two small destroyers without reservation.

Shannet and the sentry, breathing in black smoke, increased their speed to 32 knots, and when the time was right, they swung the rudder sharply to the left. The ship's only cannon fired a dull blast, sending a series of thin bullets into the sky. But it was almost ineffective. The two ships' weak anti-aircraft weapons were simply unable to stop the two advanced new monoplanes. The enemy rushed over with a roar, and one of them dropped the heavy bomb.

Bang!

The seawater not far to the starboard side of the sentry instantly turned into a turbulent white foam, and then a tall column of water rose up. If this was obviously a high-charged aerial bomb,

If any destroyer is hit directly by it, it will not be as simple as sinking.

It’s a single thing!

The Type 94 reconnaissance plane followed closely behind, repeating its old tactics, using its nose-mounted machine guns to fiercely strafed the two destroyers. The fire chain whipped through the Sannet's bell, making a sharp clatter and echoing with screams. "Bravo, gun crew, three wounded!"

"Maintain maneuver! Rudder 25 degrees to right. If the rudder does not respond, report immediately!" Captain Davis did not dare to relax. He shouted the order and tried his best to steady himself. "Check, check, check! Rudder 25 degrees to right. If the rudder does not respond, report immediately!"

Shannet and the Sentinel resisted the powerful inertia and made a zigzag maneuver on the sea surface to disrupt the enemy's bombing. The pom-pom cannon and Lewis machine gun did their best to

Trying to disrupt the opponent's descent aiming action and prevent the two Japanese planes from flying comfortably.

Obediently carry out the "mast-top bombing" at mast height.

Waves had already splashed onto the deck, mixing with the dark red blood. The poor fellows who had been hit by bullets were being treated in the infirmary. Due to the primitive conditions of the destroyer, they could not perform surgery at the moment. They could only be given a simple treatment and a shot of morphine to temporarily relieve the pain.

Left and right, Shannet and the Sentinel dodged two consecutive descent attacks. Finally, on the third attempt, the lingering 500-pound bomb finally broke free from the Japanese plane's pylons and fell. Due to the continuous evasive maneuvers, Shannet's speed had dropped to around 27 knots. This time, after running out of luck, it finally failed to completely avoid the attack—the bomb landed less than 20 yards from the ship's channel. It was a near miss!

"Impact-proof..."

Davis felt the world suddenly go silent, the extreme noise like the extreme silence. The destroyer shook, like a giant kicking a speeding train. He fell to the ground in the violent shaking, and before the roar in his ears had even ended, a tall column of water fell on his head.

"Port Red 30, near miss! The anchor locker is damaged, and we are taking on water rapidly!"

Although she was fortunately not hit directly by the bomb, the frail Shannet was unable to withstand the violent impact caused by the 25 kg bomb exploding in the water. The rivets on the riveted channel flew across under the bombardment of the shock wave, and the heavy anchor chain broke free from control and slid to the bottom of the sea, followed by the sea water splashing rapidly under the water pressure.

The damage control alarm rang, and the first officer and his crew rushed to the leaking ship. Captain Davis, without prior communication, relied on his experience to make a judgment. He issued an order to the copper pipes in the engine room: "Half speed ahead, urgent reduction!"

"Go half speed, slow down urgently!"

The damaged part was in the ship's trunk, so continuing to sail at a high speed would inevitably lead to increased flooding. Now that the Japanese had dropped all their bombs, they had to slow down to allow the damage control team to plug the cracks. Otherwise, the destroyer would have little reserve buoyancy to consume.

The Sennett's boilers belched out excess superheated steam. The superheated steam, a long way from the pressure relief valves, atomized under the cooling atmosphere, leaving the ship like a thin cloud. The Sentinel, its boilers intact, quickly overtook it, and the two ships' formation quickly broke apart. Fortunately, the Japanese planes had already dropped their bombs. After strafing several times and following for a while, they finally chose to depart.

Sentinel's light signal, sir."

On the Shannet, the messenger had been replaced. Even this messenger was soaked to the skin. His voice was a little nervous and tired. "Captain Lambton, do you need any help?" "No."

Captain Bernard Dervis was a Lieutenant Colonel, the highest-ranking officer in this small squadron, and thus legitimately the commander of a miniature regular fleet. Honestly, the Eastern Fleet had been at peace for years, neglecting training, and while he wasn't exactly experienced, he did have some basic logical thinking.

If the sentry also slowed down to rescue, and the Japanese seaplane was really launched from the cruiser, then it is likely that no one on the two ships would survive. After a brief thought, he quickly made a decision.

"Send a telegram to the Sentinel, using light signals: This ship can no longer maintain its speed, and Sir Hedworth Lamberton will lead the Sentinel alone to Singapore. Then, lower the command flag and disband the formation. Let us pray for them, and may God bless them.

"If we're lucky, we'll see you in Singapore."

After a brief silence, the Sentinel sounded its foghorn and replied: "The Royal Navy will remember your courage."

But just like all movies end here, with a hopeful ending, reality never leaves these British people any mercy.

"Shannett", thinking it was going to die, reduced its speed after completing a simple repair.

Continuing to sail towards Singapore - when the setting sun rose again and climbed above their heads, they found traces of the sinking of the "Sentinel" ahead of their route.

Debris, oil spills, corpses, and the still-burning water.

The naval aviation force deployed in the Saigon area calculated the position of the British ships based on their normal speed, and dispatched an air attack formation after dawn. This attack wave consisted of two waves of 8 Type 96 land attack aircraft. With only the instantaneous bombs originally used against Singapore, it blew up the entire structure of the "Sentinel" into pieces.

Directly hit by multiple 250kg bombs, the fragile S-class destroyer was instantly destroyed. The entire ship broke apart in just five minutes and sank rapidly, with nearly 100 crew members, including Captain Hedworth Lamberton, dead. The distance lost the previous day due to flooding, which had slowed the ship, had actually saved her.

She didn't even dare to stay too long.

After a brief search for survivors without finding any, the "Shannet" could only abandon the ship's cross here as a memorial and continue to sail alone towards Singapore.

Chapter 557: Barely a cooperative evacuation point

The "Shannet" lost her companions and sailed alone towards Singapore, where her fate was unknown.

The Thracians, however, followed another route and washed ashore on the coast of China. The bottom of her ship scraped against the mud and sand, making a terrifying creaking sound, which unexpectedly announced the anticlimactic ending of this "desperate escape".

After running aground, the Thracians hurriedly began to unload the crew and passengers, move some of the ship's weapons that could be moved, and place bombs on the ship's sea valves. In this way, even if the Japanese Navy captured her, it would cost a lot of money to repair and use her - and this cost would be a bit too high for a small destroyer.

Everyone worked so quickly and hastily that a few unlucky people even twisted their ankles while climbing the rope net. However, this worrying mentality ultimately proved to be unnecessary - the MTB torpedo boats that followed circled the periphery several times but failed to find the Japanese ship.

The Japanese Navy didn't pursue them. Compared to the destroyers that had escaped in the night, the civilian ships, likely carrying more high-ranking officials and important individuals in the port, were more important. Several destroyers and gunboats were forced to return to their original blockade positions after a brief pursuit.

Regarding the blockade, the destroyer "Den" could only report to the blockade fleet flagship "Isuzu" that "I'm very sorry, three destroyers and several gunboats have slipped through the blockade: one destroyer and several gunboats are heading northeast, and the other two are turning south."

Isuzu continued to report the situation to the ZN fleet in charge of this area: "There is an enemy destroyer and several gunboats sailing northeast, and two enemy destroyers heading south."

The ZN fleet's staff reported the incident to the ZN fleet commander, Koga Mineichi: "One enemy force fled northeast, and another fled south.

So, the commander of the ZN Fleet, Koga Mineichi, issued the following order: Report enemy ships fleeing south to the headquarters, and have them coordinate with the Southern Fleet or the Army to intercept them. As for enemy ships heading northeast, have other ships of the Z Fleet join the N Fleet to intercept them in the Chaoshan area. If they can't intercept them, forget it.

If we can't intercept them, they've definitely landed. That's the army's business, so why should we care?

Thus, the Japanese Army's H Unit, which was preparing to march to Southeast Asia, and the 38th Division, which was conducting the Wan Chai offensive, continued to do their original work without knowing anything. Meanwhile, the CCP's Dongjiang Column, the Huidong Independent Regiment, and the Nationalist Army's 9th Independent Brigade, which were heading to the beaching site, had already received their troops.

The legend of the Dongjiang Column goes without saying. The Huidong Independent Regiment was also an organization developed and led by them during this time and space. As for the Nationalist Army's Ninth Brigade, commanded by Brigade Commander Hua Zhenzhong, descendants of the Guangdong Army who had previously "taken in" New Fourth Army commander Ye Xiyi, it enjoyed a good relationship with the Eighth Route Army, creating a foundation for cooperation.

The two sides cooperated happily in this operation and jointly picked up the retreating "own people" He Liuhua, Chen Mingtang, as well as more than ten well-known figures in the cultural and political circles such as Shen Naixi, Liu Weigao, and Liang Huanding, as well as more than 100 crew members of the British destroyer "Thrace" and several gunboats who brought them out, plus several families of officers of the Canadian forces in Hong Kong.

Oh, among this group of people is the immediate superior of the 9th Brigade of the National Army, Yu Wuqi’s wife Shangguan Xiande, so naturally the National Army side worked very hard.

Originally, if these hundred or so men had been supported by the Dongjiang Column and the Nationalist Ninth Brigade and dispersed, they could have quietly retreated through Huizhou, Longmen, and Qujiang, successfully retreating to the Nationalist-controlled areas and then on to the rear of Sichuan Province. According to this plan, even if the Japanese Army were alerted by the retreat, given the need to maintain its offensive against Wan Chai and remain ready to embark on ships south, the Japanese would have little incentive to expend precious manpower to pursue this small detachment.

But the problem lies here. The Dongjiang Column reported the incident to the central government through a secret radio station, and the 9th Brigade of the National Army also reported to the higher-ups about receiving messages from the wife and the foreigner. The Eighth Route Army's radio station was completely undecipherable to the National Army and the Japanese Army, but the National Army's radio station was directly transparent to the Japanese Army!

To make matters worse, upon learning that the evacuation force included hundreds of British and Canadians, the order from the Shancheng Military Affairs Office bypassed the Fourth War Zone and Yu Weiqi, the commander of the Ninth Brigade, and reached Hua Qiangsu, the commander of the Ninth National Army Brigade. In this situation where friendly foreign troops needed rescue, Chiang Kai-shek began with the classic opening line:

"My dear brother Zhenzhong, I am pleased to hear that my troops have completed the task of assisting the friendly forces in Huizhou last night. I am very relieved. This morning I have ordered my commander Han Mou to lead the new 11th Army to the south to provide support.

At the same time, the Ninth War Zone also has a powerful army coming south to reinforce, which should be enough to protect my brother's northward advance to Qujiang.

The road is safe. When my brother and my allies are safe, I will personally celebrate my success."

Several Kuomintang and Communist soldiers present were rendered speechless.

Not to mention He Liuhua, a big shot who is well versed in both the Kuomintang and the Communist Party, even Hua Zhenzhong, a brigade commander, could taste something different from this telegram.

Who was Hua Zhenzhong? He was a descendant of the Guangdong Army and a graduate of the Baoding Army Command Department. He was already at odds with the Central Army and the Whampoa Military Academy. Furthermore, he was a remnant of the Fujian Incident in 33, who had shouted "Oppose Chiang Kai-shek and Resist Japan." He was a ragtag army and diehard who held an irreconcilable feud with Chiang Kai-shek. Yet, Chiang Kai-shek, regardless of his status, addressed Hua Zhenzhong at the beginning of the telegram, asking for his assistance.

What good could there be?

Furthermore, the 62nd Army, a former Guangdong Army unit, was currently guarding the Qujiang Pass. To relieve the hundred or so troops who could have been retreated under the protection of a smaller force, Chiang Kai-shek had directly dispatched the newly formed 11th Army, which had been reorganized and reorganized in the Sixth War Zone, all the way from Hunan Province. This army's commander was none other than Zheng Guiting, a direct descendant of Chiang Kai-shek.

They were not going to the front line to prepare for the Japanese, but to "change guard" at Qujiang, where the 62nd Army was stationed!

The intention of sending troops into Qujiang under the pretext of reinforcements to squeeze the Guangdong Army was simply imminent. They did not have the courage to reinforce the frontline to rescue, but they had the courage to do something to eliminate the miscellaneous troops under the pretext of reinforcements, and it was very bold.

In addition, the telegram from the National Army General Staff Department was only encrypted once, so it was basically a plain text message to the Japanese.

Within a few hours, the Dongjiang Column's secret radio station intercepted the Japanese 38th Division's

The Japanese 23rd Army, responsible for the Wan Chai offensive, sent a telegram to the 230th Infantry Regiment and its attached unit, the Araki Detachment, ordering the two units to begin movement to "respond to possible changes in the Nationalist Army."

The two locations mentioned in the order were exactly Huizhou and Qujiang mentioned in Chiang Kai-shek's telegram!

Chiang Kai-shek, it's time to clean up the mess!

Chapter 558: The Price of Glory

The 230th Infantry Regiment, aside from one battalion required to remain at the front in reserve, had only two remaining battalions without attached artillery squadrons. They were required to depart from Dongguan to reconnoiter Huizhou and conduct exploratory attacks. However, Huizhou's several fall during the War of Resistance was only achieved after the Japanese army, with a massive force of 2 to 3 men, successfully captured the city, and each time they failed to hold their position for long.

The Araki Detachment heading to Qujiang was part of the 51st Division, assigned to the 23rd Army. It was an oversized infantry regiment with an overstretch of 6000 men, complete with its own search regiment and artillery, making it a fully mobilized unit. However, the 62nd Army in the Qujiang area had three division-level units under its command: the 151st, 154th, and 157th Divisions, totaling approximately 2.7 men. They also had fortifications and artillery. Although they couldn't attack, they should have no problem defending Qujiang.

What's more, these troops were burdened with the task of attacking Wan Chai or landing on ships and heading to Southeast Asia - which meant that they had little time to devote to this offensive mission - it can be said that the number of Japanese troops invading this time was not too large, and their will to fight was not resolute.

But what does this mean?

Could it be that the Japanese 9th Independent Brigade, Dongjiang Column, and 62nd Army facing them could easily deal with this wave of offensive and treat the Japanese attack as nothing?

The original plan of a covert retreat, with the Dongjiang Detachment providing cover for one part, transferring another part of the democratic figures and their relatives and civilians, and then having the 9th Independent Brigade escort the organized British "Thrace" members to retreat, was immediately scrapped. The Nationalist and Communist troops on the scene had no choice but to begin preparing for positional warfare.

The Japanese troops facing them numbered approximately two battalions, totaling over 2000 men. According to Japanese custom, this exploratory force would always be accompanied by artillery and search groups to assist in the attack and reconnaissance. From Dongguan to Huizhou, marching along the Dongjiang River, the Japanese could reach the site in less than two days, and the search groups advancing ahead would be even faster, not to mention the potential for reconnaissance aircraft.

Therefore, it is impossible to retreat with your family, and someone must stay behind to stop them.

"Brothers of the Communist Army, I am not going to talk about patriotism or orders from above, I am just making a request."

Hua Zhenzhong shook hands vigorously with He Liuhua, Chen Mingtang, and the leader of the Huidong Democratic Anti-Japanese Independent Regiment. As if entrusting his final wishes, he said, "Since we've already received the people, we must get them out, whether they're Chinese or foreigners—don't let the brothers of the 9th Independent Brigade die in vain."

"Don't even mention staying here. Huizhou has some concrete bunkers, trenches, and other things, but you're not as familiar with them as we are." He patted his chest and said, "Commander Ye has been to my place before. He praised my soldiers for their fighting ability and their heroic deeds."

Hua Zhenzhong, the commander of the 9th Independent Brigade, who had once raised the banner of anti-Chiang and anti-Japanese resistance, accepted Ye Xiyi, and cooperated with the Communist Army, turned to the direction of the Japanese attack.

Although he was not a comrade of communism, he was an active anti-communist.

A general of the National Army who performed very well.

As the crisis approached, he took the initiative to assume the responsibility of covering the rear, dispersing the soldiers of the 9th Independent Brigade to fortifications near Huizhou City and forcing the local security forces to reserve the 6th Division to participate in the defense. Hua Zhenzhong frankly admitted that if the Japanese reinforcements continued, he might not be able to hold out for long, and hoped that his fellow Communists would seize the time and not delay.

There was no time for heroic farewells or sentimental romances. The Dongjiang Column left a liaison group in Huizhou, along with a unit of the Huidong Independent Regiment to assist in the defense. They seized all the British weapons stripped from the ship and quickly began to evacuate the hundreds of people who needed to be evacuated.

The evacuation route was largely straightforward, requiring everyone to simply head north. The Dongjiang Column allocated its few horses and vehicles to the wounded, women, and elderly individuals with limited mobility, forming a single, tightly packed marching formation. British naval sailors had no prior marching training, but their physical fitness and organizational structure made them easier to command. A combination of baggage transport and personnel on foot and by boat was employed. Family members and pro-democracy figures lacked self-defense capabilities and were relatively weak, so they were placed in the center of the escort formation and, whenever possible, transported by vehicles.

Ironically, the journey from Huizhou along the Dongjiang River to the north, with transfers to trucks and horse-drawn carriages, was unexpectedly smooth - there were ready-made roads and a large amount of transport capacity on this route - while the Chinese army lacked trucks and fuel, this route used to smuggle supplies from Wan Chai was actually run by a large number of trucks and animal-drawn carts, a thriving scene.

The Dongjiang Column, armed with an official document from Hua Zhenzhong, the Chaoshan Garrison Commander, and a "personal flashlight" from Chiang Kai-shek, requisitioned trucks and steamers from the four major families and Kuomintang officers to transport personnel and luggage.

Seeing the murderous submachine guns and single-person cannons in the hands of these communists disguised as the Special Security Regiment of the Shantou Garrison Command, all the porters of the Post and Transport Bureau immediately surrendered their vehicles and voluntarily contributed to the great retreat operation.

Furthermore, the Dongjiang Column's strong grassroots base played a significant role. In many villages north of Huizhou, the marching troops were welcomed and assisted by the villagers. They could rest overnight, cook meals, and purchase supplies in the villages, greatly reducing the pressure and difficulty of the march.

Many older democrats felt that this scene was like a dream: the last time a joint Kuomintang-CCP team was welcomed and supported by the masses was during the Northern Expedition!

-------one

Amidst this frenzied requisitioning and relentless advance, the entire retreating force advanced rapidly over two days. They crossed the Twelve Ridges, crossed Luofu Mountain, and rushed through Longmen County, heading straight for the Qujiang Pass. Finally, the Dongjiang Column's radio relayed news that the 9th Independent Brigade had engaged the enemy.

"There are about a thousand people every day, carrying more than ten cannons, and the bullets are like beating drums. We can still deal with it." For a moment, everyone seemed to hear the sound of distant cannons behind them.

As the best performing unit in the Nationalist army's fight against the Japanese, the 9th Independent Brigade truly lived up to Hua Zhenzhong's promise. Worthy of having fought their way through the bloodbaths of Shanghai and Nanjing, the 9th Independent Brigade, leveraging its fortifications and city defenses in Huizhou, diligently thwarted the Japanese army's tentative advances, keeping their attention firmly focused on the area.

At the same time, the 62nd Army, which advanced from Qujiang to Liangkou, encountered the Japanese "Araki Detachment" heading north, and the two sides engaged in a battle in an instant.

Compared with the two battalions dispatched by the 230th Infantry Regiment, the "Araki Detachment", which was able to dispatch its entire detachment, had more and more complete weapons, and naturally more artillery.

As a result, the 151st and 154th Divisions, on the front line, were subjected to continuous bombardment from Japanese field artillery and strafing attacks from Japanese aircraft. If it had been on the front line a few years ago, it would have been difficult for a single Nationalist division to withstand this old-fashioned artillery preparation, aircraft strafing, and infantry charge, this so-called "probing attack"!

The 62nd Army soldiers responsible for defense had to fight against inferior firepower and persevered under the increasing casualties.

The 9th Independent Brigade, which has more combat experience, is not as strong as the others.

The equipment was not perfect, but it was able to gather and disperse according to orders and carry out flank attack tactics. Moreover, with the support of fighting on the home ground and defending their hometown, the morale of the former Guangdong Army soldiers was high and they were all willing to fight hard.

Finally, after several unsuccessful attacks, the Japanese Araki Detachment was worried that continuing the attack would expose its flanks, increase casualties, and affect the subsequent Nanyang operations, so it gradually retreated under the cover of artillery and air force; the 230th Regiment attacking Huizhou was also ordered to retreat. Under the isolation of artillery fire, the Japanese and national army sides gradually separated, ending this short battle.

This rescue operation was undoubtedly a success, and could even be considered a highlight of KMT-CCP ​​cooperation. Thanks to the dedicated efforts of the Dongjiang Column, the 9th Independent Brigade, and the 62nd Army, the KMT-CCP ​​jointly rescued over a dozen pro-democracy figures who had not previously been evacuated. These included Yu Weiqi's wife, Shangguan Xiande, the families of Canadian officers, and several other prominent figures, as well as approximately one hundred crew members of the British ship HMS Thracian. After evacuating to Qujiang, they reached the safety of the rear, and most subsequently reached the mountain city by air and land.

Objectively speaking, these rescued people generated enough political energy to play a positive role in subsequent propaganda and even in obtaining international aid for both the Kuomintang and the Communist Party.

Because of a telegram from Chiang Kai-shek and the General Staff, what could have been a secret evacuation under the protection of a small force was transformed into a massive march. What could have been a quiet operation turned into a large-scale division-level battle. The 9th Independent Brigade and part of the Dongjiang Column defending Huizhou suffered approximately 1,000 casualties, killing and wounding approximately 400 enemy troops. The 62nd Army, engaged in defensive operations in the mountains along the Liangkou line, suffered approximately 2,000 casualties and allowed the Japanese to carry away approximately 300 enemy soldiers.

These costs could have been avoided, and the Kuomintang and Communist Party soldiers who would not have been injured or even sacrificed were inevitably injured or even died - many of them were filled with passion.