Chapter 86: The Eighth Company Behind

Dai Anlan looked at the time; it was already four o'clock, and dawn was about to arrive.

This time they chose a midnight raid mainly to avoid Japanese aircraft; if it were daytime, the Japanese planes would inflict very heavy damage on the Expeditionary Force soldiers.

"Order the 599th Regiment to attack from the left flank, the 600th to attack the right flank, and the 598th to launch a frontal assault after the artillery fire stops," Dai Anlan gave the attack order.

"Division Commander, should we wait any longer?" Chief of Staff Zhou Zhizai said.

"We can't wait any longer." Dai Anlan, who never underestimated the preciousness of the soldiers' lives and often fought on the front line, living and eating with the troops, said the situation was urgent and there was no time to wait.

It turned out that the Eighth Company, Quan Zong, excelled at mountain warfare, so before the battle Quan Zong told Dai Anlan directly that he would take a company of soldiers around the enemy's rear, that is, the east side of Taunggyi, to launch an attack on the Japanese.

Taunggyi's terrain was extremely treacherous, surrounded by mountains on three sides, with only the southern approach, where the Japanese advanced, relatively flat.

The north side of Taunggyi connects to a mountain range, so the Japanese would not expect the Chinese army to attack from that direction, nor could a large force take such a long detour to strike from the rear.

Coincidentally, Quan Zong was suited to mountain combat; mountains were his main battlefield.

Quan Zong also heard distant artillery and shouts of battle, grew anxious, and realizing a general assault was underway, he shouted, "Quick, everyone advance at full speed; we must reach the designated target before dawn."

Marching at night was not easy; casualties could occur easily.

Hearing the Expeditionary Force launch a charge, Quan Zong had to quicken the march and attack the enemy head‑on, which would result in a very high casualty rate.

The th Division's attack was not going smoothly; Du Lvming intended to launch a night assault to seize Chanda, but the Japanese 113th Regiment was already prepared.

Time was tight, but the 113th Regiment had also dug some makeshift trenches in Taunggyi.

After crossing mountains and ridges, they finally arrived at 4:40 a. m.

Quan Zong's Whole Company of 160 men reached the designated combat zone.

Daybreak was approaching; they had to launch the attack before sunrise and seize Taunggyi.

Without time to think further, Quan Zong immediately issued the combat order, "Concentrate the Whole Company's mortars on Taunggyi, fire ten rapid shells."

"Yes, Company Commander."

Without delay, five 50 mm mortars and one 80 mm mortar were neatly arrayed in front of the line.

"Fire," came the order.

All the mortars fired shells toward Taunggyi.

Bang.

A few seconds later, thump thump thump, the mortars exploded inside Taunggyi City.

"Fire, don't stop," Quan Zong shouted loudly.

"First platoon, breakthrough mission; second platoon, cover; all machine gunners advance," Quan Zong ordered.

The Japanese on Taunggyi's east side had already spotted the infiltrating Chinese soldiers, but they only had a squad of just over fifty men.

Squad leader Second Lieutenant Nakamura wore a puzzled expression, wondering how the Chinese troops had gotten behind them.

It was fortunate they had dug defensive works, but the artillery fire was so fierce it seemed like a battalion's worth of firepower.

Nakamura's face grew grim; Japanese commanders often gauge enemy strength by the sound of Chinese artillery.

In reality, by the time you departed, the Japanese had already informed the Japanese of their troop numbers.

His squad had only 52 men; if the opposing Chinese force amounted to a battalion, the loss would be huge for his squad.

Nakamura could not retreat; if he did, the rear of the 113th Regiment would be exposed to the Chinese.

"Continue firing, cover the first platoon's breach of the Japanese line," Quan Zong, already charging forward, was only 150 meters from the Japanese positions.

"Bang bang bang," the two mortars that followed the charge quickly adjusted their angles and bombarded the Japanese positions.

"Ah!"

"Amei!"

"Help!"

After a round of test fire, the second volley finally struck the Japanese positions.

Subsequently the mortars launched an unrelenting barrage; after five rounds of mortar fire, the Japanese soldiers on the opposite side could barely lift their heads.

During the fourth barrage, Quan Zong issued the attack order, "All of the first platoon, commence the assault."

"Yes." All the first‑platoon soldiers were resolutely steadfast.

Zhang Shen was the first to rise from the ground, bending his waist slightly as he charged toward the Japanese positions.

As the first platoon advanced, the fifth mortar round was fired, and a second later the mortar landed on the Japanese positions.

The battlefield changed dramatically.

The Japanese machine‑gun nest, just as it tried to counter‑attack, had its gunners hit by stray bullets; as soon as they opened fire on the Expeditionary Force, they were immediately suppressed by the Eighth Company's machine gunners and snipers.

The MG42's fire swept like a brush, wiping out everything above the neck.

Whenever Japanese fire threatened the Expeditionary Force, the Eighth Company's fire would concentrate on that point.

"Mortar extension attack." One wave of fire did not stop before the next wave began.

The other four mortars behind also followed closely, and except for the 81 mm mortar, they continued firing from the rear.

The early morning afterglow gradually rose.

The th Division's advance was stalled; the artillery behind, firing from a great distance, even when it reached Taunggyi, inflicted only limited damage on the Japanese there.

"Division Commander, continuing this way will cause too many casualties," Zhou Zhizai complained.

Since the th Division entered Myanmar, it has taken part in almost every battle.

Dai Anlan, of course, knew, "Zhou Zhizai, stop talking; even with great losses, we must retake Taunggyi."

Soon, a messenger reported that the Japanese garrison at Taunggyi was in chaos, and artillery fire was also heard from behind the Japanese lines.

Dai Anlan slapped his palm, "Good, it seems the Eighth Company has already engaged from the rear; now the Japanese can't escape."

Zhou Zhizai was still somewhat worried; the Eighth Company had just over a hundred men, less than two hundred, and the enemy's numbers were unknown.

If, by mistake, the Eighth Company were wiped out by the Japanese, its contribution would be negligible and would cause heavy losses to the Expeditionary Force's frontal assault.

Quan Zong's attack proceeded smoothly; he immediately ordered the telegraph operator to send a message to the th Division headquarters: "Tell the Division Commander that our unit has entered Taunggyi; have the headquarters artillery be cautious."

Just now a shell hit the east side of Taunggyi, which is the direction the Eighth Company is attacking; fortunately it did not land on the Eighth Company's head.

"Platoon Two moves into Taunggyi, continues the attack; Platoon One retreats, covering Platoon Two's attack. Remember urban combat: troops in squads of three, keep front‑to‑back distance at twenty meters." The Quan Sect issued another order.

The recent attack still caused casualties in Platoon One; one must know that a charge requires a fearless spirit. Even though they had already reached the Japanese Army's positions, the Japanese Army did not retreat, because they knew retreat meant certain death, exposing their backs to the Expeditionary Force, and they would have no good outcome if they went back.