Chapter 126

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Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

The misfortune of the Longmen Battleship began with a precisely hit 250-kilogram aerial bomb, dropped by a Bf 109 Fighter of the Southwest Aviation Group in a dive attack, which plunged diagonally into the Qian Tan Ban of the Longmen Battleship and exploded with a thunderous boom beneath the base of the Number Two Main Gun Turret.

The shockwave of the explosion propagated along the hull structure toward the rear, causing the steam pipes in the Number One Boiler Room to rupture, and high-pressure steam instantly filled the entire compartment.

Almost simultaneously, multiple bombs exploded consecutively on the starboard side, tearing several cracks in the hull below the waterline, and seawater began to surge in.

Many strikes also hit the base of the bridge, with the explosion destroying the main communication lines and the order transmission system.

"The forward ammunition depot is flooding!"

"Number Two Boiler Room has lost power!"

"The hull is listing 15 degrees to starboard!"

Reports from the Damage Control Team members came in one after another, with fires breaking out in multiple places on the Tai Ban Shang, and thick smoke obstructing the line of sight of the anti-aircraft fire.

The situation in the aerial battlefield changed suddenly, and the Bf 109s and P26s that had completed their bombing missions pulled up in altitude one after another, joining the dogfight with the Type 96 Carrier Fighters.

By this time, Japanese reinforcement aircraft groups had also arrived, with carrier fighters taking off from the Ryujo and Soryu, and fighters flying from bases on the mainland to assist the army also passing by to join the battle.

Gao Zhihang quickly assessed the situation in the cockpit; the number of Japanese fighters had already exceeded one hundred, while their own aircraft group, after continuous combat, was running low on ammunition and fuel, so he decisively issued a retreat order.

The Bf 109 fighter group immediately stopped diving and began to withdraw toward the Southwest Direction, while the Hawk III fighter group and the P26 fighter group each returned home, ending this active air battle.

In the final observation before withdrawal, Gao Zhihang of the Southwest Aviation Group clearly saw the miserable state of the Longmen Battleship after suffering heavy damage: the bow had begun to sink, the starboard list had significantly worsened, and the firelight on the deck was very conspicuous in the twilight.

Although this giant ship was still stubbornly carrying out damage control work, it could no longer escape the fate of sinking.

This joint sea-air operation lasting several hours ended with the heavy damage and imminent sinking of the giant ship Longmen Battleship, and the battle result of fifteen Wang Jingwei Regime fighters being shot down.

On the Xia State Army side, they lost one torpedo boat and nine fighters, successfully achieving the predetermined strike target.

When Gao Zhihang's Bf 109 landed at Suzhou Airport, the list angle of the Longmen Battleship had already exceeded 20 degrees, and the Captain had to order preparations to abandon ship.

Commander Matsui Iwane then ordered the Third Division and the Eleventh Division to seize the landing; compared to the sea, Matsui Iwane felt more secure on land!

But when the battle report was transmitted to the Nanxiang Youth Army Command, everyone was in an uproar.

"Great! The giant Longmen Battleship was actually sunk by us!" Qiu Qingquan clasped his fists together, obviously not expecting to achieve such a battle result.

First, the flagship Yunhao of the Wang Jingwei Regime's Third Fleet was sunk, then the Longmen Battleship with a displacement of forty thousand tons was sunk.

Now the Japanese army's two divisions were still on the Liuhe to Wusongkou Line, competing with Chen Cheng's Fifteenth Group Army.

Zhang Zhizhong inferred: "Next, the Japanese will definitely increase the intensity of their landing; after this battle, I think the little Japanese will no longer conserve their naval guns, and the positions of the Fifteenth Group Army on the Liuhe to Wusongkou Line on the North Side will probably be more dangerous."

Qiu Qingquan nodded: "The Japanese Marine Corps has already landed around the Gongda Textile Mill on the East Side, and now they are staying within the range of naval guns without coming out; I predict the little Japanese will eventually make up their minds to launch an offensive, and by then the Songhu Battlefield should have two main battlefields."

Lv Muzhi: "Correct. One is that after the Japanese land on the Liuhe to Wusongkou Line, they will advance from north to south; the other is that they will advance from east to west from the Huangpu River around the Gongda Textile Mill, thus attacking from both sides;

the enemy on the East Side will be resisted by our Ninth Group Army, and the enemy on the Northern Front will be mainly resisted by the Fifteenth Group Army."

Zhang Zhizhong rubbed his hands: "As for the enemy on the East Side, we have already implemented a scorched-earth policy on the positions near the Huangpu River bank, luring the Japanese inland to fight, mainly relying on the area behind Zhabei;

the Fifteenth Group Army on the Northern Front should also execute this strategy soon; the waterside positions around the Yangtze River Estuary should be abandoned, and they should retreat behind Luodian to hide from the naval guns; I think this needs to be reminded to Commander Chen Cheng, who has won some battles there these past few days, but I'm afraid he might get carried away."

After several people agreed, Zhang Zhizhong decided to go find Chen Cheng and have him retreat in time, after all, the little Japanese must be furious now, and the naval guns behind them would definitely be thrown out without regard for cost.

Lv Muzhi then temporarily went to Suzhou City to see his own Southwest Aviation Group, and also summoned some officers and soldiers of the Yangtze River Torpedo Brigade to Suzhou City to inspect them together and boost morale.

In Suzhou City, Lv Muzhi met Squadron Commander Gao Zhihang of the Southwest Aviation Group, as well as Squadron Commander An Bang of the Yangtze River Torpedo Brigade.

Both men had achieved great merits.

An Bang led a Torpedo Boat Flotilla and sank the Japanese Yunhao several days ago; Gao Zhihang led an Air Force unit and sank the Japanese Longmen Battleship yesterday.

Their merits could not be called small.

"You two! You really give me face!" Lv Muzhi punched both men's chests hard.

An Bang laughed: "Commander Lu, this torpedo boat still doesn't have much power; I studied warships, when can I buy a warship back to drive around? Getting a Cannonboat would also be good!"

Lv Muzhi gave An Bang a white look: "You spendthrift, if you took a warship out, you would have been sunk by the Japanese long ago, how could you still stand here talking to me?"

Gao Zhihang pursed his lips: "Commander Lu, the experimental Bf 109 is very useful, whether it's adding aircraft cannons or carrying aerial bombs, it's much more useful than the basic version; although there are still some minor problems, I think we should still get a few more as soon as possible."

"It is useful, I am negotiating with Hans State, but we might not have much business with Hans anymore; the little Japanese have a very good relationship with Hans, and our arms trade will gradually decrease in the future, but don't worry, I will do my best to handle the matter of upgrading the Air Force unit."

After hearing this, Gao Zhihang took out a report: "Commander Lu, this is yesterday's battle report; during our use of the experimental Bf 109, we recorded the problems encountered one by one, and also tested some abnormal data, which can be handed over to Hans State."

Lv Muzhi took the report and nodded: "Attention!"

The two men immediately stood at attention.

Lv Muzhi took two small boxes from his pocket.

"An Bang!"

"Present!"

"In view of your merit in leading the team to sink the Yunhao, you are now formally promoted to Colonel! Awarded one Fourth Class Precious Tripod Medal!"

"Gao Zhihang!"

"Present!"

"In view of your merit in leading the team to sink the Longmen Battleship, as a special case you are promoted to Major General on the Front Line, awarded one Third Class Precious Tripod Medal!"

Lv Muzhi pinned the medals on both men, then heavily punched their thrust-out chests again.

An Bang's medal should have been given to him long ago, but there had just been no opportunity.

Gao Zhihang's medal was obtained by him contacting the Military Commission and the Ministry of Military Administration overnight, through the President, and flown to Suzhou City by plane; it hadn't even warmed in Lv Muzhi's hands before it was pinned on Gao Zhihang.

Since the start of the war, most of Lv Muzhi's subordinates had received medal commendations, each one was illustrious in military exploits.

"You two must not be too proud; in future operations, do not easily sortie; Gao Zhihang's Air Force unit mainly guards the airport and the Railway Line, cooperating with the President's Air Force to provide appropriate air cover for the Songhu Battlefield;

the Torpedo Battalion guards the Yangtze River, the River Defense Fortresses along the coast should be patrolled more frequently; they are important strongholds for our subsequent operations, especially the Jiangyin Fortress; An Bang, you must inspect it thoroughly."

"Yes!"

Fifteenth Group Army Headquarters, Zhang Zhizhong was meeting with Chen Cheng, suggesting Chen Cheng's main force fall back a bit, for fear the enemy's naval gunfire would all come pressing up.

Chen Cheng was somewhat hesitant, taking out a telegram: "Wenbai, the President has sent a telegram; he is very dissatisfied with you!"

"What?"

Chen Cheng, as Frontline Commander-in-Chief, naturally had the President's telegram sent to Chen Cheng's headquarters.

Unfolding the telegram: "Songhu is a vital place for our finances, and moreover concerns international opinion; why has the Ninth Group Army voluntarily withdrawn far from the Huangpu River? Would it make our territory fall again into the hands of the Wang Jingwei Regime?

Wenbai is incompetent, losing sovereignty and disgracing the nation to this extent; I intend to resolve this matter by diplomatic means, would that not damage our army's reputation? How can this be? How dare this be!"