Chapter 4: From Today On, You’re Sergeant Major Lelouch
A few minutes later, Colonel Lister was led by Captain Andri through twists and turns to the telegraph room in the cellar.
Lelouch was still wearing headphones, fully focused on sending and receiving telegrams, with the incessant beeping sounds, completely unaware that someone had entered.
His fingers moved rapidly, fast enough to leave a slight afterimage. The high-frequency relay switching produced tiny electric arcs, filling the room with a peculiar burnt smell.
The air near the relay contacts was repeatedly ionized to produce ozone and nitrogen oxides, which then oxidized with the copper dust rubbed off by friction, together forming this electric spark smell.
Lister had been a regimental commander for many years and often dealt with the regimental headquarters radio. Just by smelling the intensity of this odor, he knew that the electrical technician in front of him was absolutely highly skilled and had been operating at high intensity continuously.
He just stood there quietly observing for a few seconds. Andri wanted to step forward and call Lelouch to salute, but Lister held him back: “No rush, let him finish sending.”
But Andri didn’t have time to waste here. The 16th Regiment had just finished a forced march and was out of breath, unable to immediately engage in battle, so they still had to rely on Andri’s troops to hold on a bit longer.
He could only pragmatically say in a low voice: “Then you chat slowly, I’ll go command the battle first.”
Lister nodded.
About two minutes later, Lelouch finished sending the last round of warning telegram messages, stopped to rub his wrist, and only then did Lister loudly interrupt him:
“No need to warn anymore, the flood has already reached everywhere.”
Lelouch then realized there was someone at the door, quickly stood up, confirmed it was friendly forces, then relaxed, saluted and said: “Sorry, officer, the guns and cannons were too loud, I didn’t hear your footsteps.”
Lister walked up to him and patted the collar of his military uniform: “Lelouch Hunter? Really just a corporal? How old are you? How long have you been in the army?”
Lelouch clicked his boot heels together again: “I’m from ’92, just graduated university this July, been in the army for three and a half months.”
He briefly recounted his resume again, during which Lister kept curiously looking him up and down.
Too young. It was hard to imagine that such decisive response measures were actually made by a fresh graduate.
After hearing it, Lister frankly praised: “The enlistment grader assigned you as a technical NCO, what a waste of talent. But that’s in the past. You saved my regiment, I’ll report it upwards.
I heard your platoon leader was killed in battle? Then from this moment, you can take the rank of sergeant major and temporarily command that communications platoon.”
Lelouch wasn’t very familiar with promotion rules yet and couldn’t help being a bit surprised: “You can promote me just by saying a few words like this?”
Lister patted his shoulder and teasingly smiled: “Newbie is newbie, haven’t even memorized the Empire promotion regulations?
NCO evaluations can be decided by the regimental headquarters;
Officer promotions by the division headquarters;
Colonel promotions by the army group headquarters;
General promotions nominated by the highest command to His Majesty the Emperor for approval.
If you were our regiment’s NCO, I wouldn’t even need to file a record, I could decide directly. Unfortunately not, so we still need to go through the filing procedure.”
The colonel said this while secretly observing Lelouch’s expression.
Unfortunately, he didn’t see even a hint of excitement from Lelouch.
“A promotion… what can a mere sergeant major do? Still trapped in the encirclement? But at least after promotion, no need to guest star as infantry, better than nothing, improves survival odds.” Lelouch couldn’t help but think this inwardly.
This expression in the colonel’s eyes instead made him appreciate him even more, feeling this kid was unmoved by favor or disgrace, indeed material for important matters.
The colonel even felt a bit embarrassed, thinking he had given too little, not matching the merit of Lelouch saving his entire regiment’s soldiers.
To dispel his inner awkwardness, the colonel casually changed the subject and naturally asked how Lelouch spotted the Belgians preparing to blow the dike this morning, asking even more details than Andri had before.
Lelouch had already gone over this question several times in his mind and had just privately rehearsed the story with Klose, so he wasn’t afraid at all.
He carefully recounted it again, even proactively calling Klose to testify: “It was him who reminded me first back then, his eyesight is better than mine, if you don’t believe me, you can ask him again.”
After hearing it, although Lister still had slight doubts about Lelouch’s insight, the other side had saved his regiment after all, the result was good, so he couldn’t be bothered to nitpick.
Moreover, even Lister himself didn’t know why, but when he saw Lelouch’s left eye, bloodshot from tear gas poisoning, especially seeing the sincere look in that eye, he couldn’t help but believe the other wasn’t lying.
“I see… sounds like it involved some luck, but war requires luck anyway.” Saying this, he patted Klose’s shoulder nearby, “Soldier, you observed the enemy situation carefully, I’m also promoting you to sergeant. During Lelouch the acting platoon leader’s time as sergeant major, you’ll take his original position.”
Klose was overjoyed, stood ramrod straight and took a deep breath, showing off his pecs, and saluted sharply: “Yes! Officer!”
He felt his heart pounding: Old squad leader was right! He just got promoted to platoon leader and I take his spot! From now on, whatever Officer Lelouch tells me to do, I’ll do it!
The colonel was also satisfied with this handling. Limited by his authority, he could only promote Lelouch to sergeant major. Now adding a sergeant rank and promoting one more old subordinate, this favor was about even.
……
After handling the reward matters, Lister saw they had rested enough, casually ate a few bites of rations and drained the water in his cup, then planned to take over commanding the battle from Andri.
And incidentally deploy the troops he brought to fill the defense line.
Lelouch still had a few threads of unease in his heart, and seeing him about to leave, couldn’t help but chase with one last question:
“Officer, before, Captain Andri held on for almost a whole day with just one company. Now your entire regiment is here, our forces increased tenfold, holding to the end should be no problem, right? I heard in previous defensive battles, Empire elites often held off twenty times the enemy without issue? Is that true?”
Lelouch asked this half to sincerely seek advice, half to seek psychological comfort.
He’d only been here four hours, and hadn’t yet formed a clear understanding of the battle’s ferocity or the force ratios needed for attack and defense, really wanting to hear authoritative opinion.
Lister’s expression remained very serious: “Of course I’ll defend to the death with full effort, but we can’t underestimate the enemy. Since you and I get along, I’ll tell you some more military situation.
The ones encircled by us now are the Belgian Army’s 1st/4th/6th Divisions. At the start of the war, they only had 6 regular divisions plus some temporary mobilized reserve divisions. In the previous Liège Fortress and Antwerp campaign, the 2nd/3rd/5th Divisions and all reserve divisions were annihilated by the Empire.
Now the Belgian 1st Division is holding Ostend, division commander Lieutenant General Alfred Bastian. He’s responsible for rear guard for the whole army, delaying our 6th Army Group Baria 2nd Division’s pursuit. The Belgian king, cabinet, and staff department are also in Ostend.
And today the ones fighting Andri were mainly the 4th Division’s vanguard troops, division commander Major General Henry Dejizer.
Additionally, Major General Victor Bybeck’s 6th Division, he was previously responsible for the southern flank, fortifying along the Yser River. But now the river dike is blown by him, the south is turned into a vast flood plain needing no defense. I estimate at the latest tonight’s latter half, he’ll arrive here too, joining the 4th Division to attack us together.”
The colonel’s understanding of the entire battle situation was far more detailed than Lelouch’s; a few simple sentences and Lelouch understood.
In other words, today during the day, they had actually only been fighting one or two enemy vanguard regiments.
Only by tonight’s first half might the 4th Division come on fully. By the latter half, its 6th Division would also arrive at the front line in full.
If by then the enemy still couldn’t breakthrough Niobod, at the last moment, the rear guard 1st Division might also pull some regiments over for a desperate breakout.
The subsequent tough battles were still very arduous; all the auxiliary schemes swirling in Lelouch’s mind had to be based on the main front line being tough enough.
……
After introducing the battle situation, the colonel put on his military cap and turned to open the cellar door.
However, the moment he opened the door, there seemed to be a soldier outside who had just run up to push the door, so he pushed too hard into empty air and fell flat on his face.
“So reckless!” The colonel naturally frowned.
Ignoring the pain, the soldier scrambled up, straightened his dented helmet, and quickly saluted: “Sorry, Colonel! Company Commander Andri is wounded! The enemy’s latest offensive is very fierce, Deputy Company Commander Lieutenant Barrack sent me to urgently request, hoping friendly forces can immediately deploy to the defense line.”
Just as the soldier finished speaking, a stretcher was carried into the cellar behind him, with Captain Andri indeed lying on it.
His left arm had just been bandaged, blood seeping through in layers; the wound looked quite long, seemingly slashed by some shrapnel.
He hadn’t lost consciousness yet, and upon seeing the colonel, used his still intact right arm to grab the other, laboriously saying: “The enemy has more reinforcements arrived, this time with Schneider 75mm rapid-fire cannons, on both east and west sides! My previous deployment isn’t suited to counter direct-fire heavy firepower, be careful…”
Andri passed out from blood loss before finishing, his head lolling to the side.
The enemies Andri faced before had only light weapons at most, grenades, heavy machine guns or very light simple mortars, mainly relying on human wave attacks. So Andri held on for most of the night and almost a whole day with just one company.
The enemy’s slow movement was obvious to all, but no matter how slow, the battle had been going nearly 16 hours, and the first batch of light cannons finally reached the front line.
Andri was caught off guard and didn’t immediately adjust defenses, so he took a hit.
Fortunately, before fainting he had provided full useful info, and Colonel Lister was a battle-hardened veteran who knew how to conduct counter-battery fire.
“Don’t panic! Our regiment also brought 77mm field guns! Though performance isn’t as good as the French army’s, as long as we conceal well and don’t expose early, we can totally counter-kill them. Everyone immediately follow my command, adjust deployment!
Lelouch, you know the situation, come with me to check too. Don’t worry, it’s safe by my side.”
As a communications officer, Lelouch didn’t need to personally participate in observing enemy situation and adjusting deployment.
But the colonel had just arrived and wasn’t familiar with the other officers in the original garrison yet, only got along with him, so had to pull him to help with passing orders up and down first.
Though Lelouch was a bit afraid of the bombardment, he couldn’t disobey, gritted his teeth and followed the colonel out.
Without the cellar’s soundproofing, the cannon fire sounded even louder in his ears. Lelouch opened his mouth wide, fearing his ears would be damaged, and followed the colonel step by step.
Colonel Lister appeared very calm and accustomed to it.
Surrounded by seven or eight guards, after walking just dozens of steps, not even reaching the observation post yet, he made a rough judgment just by listening:
“East side at least four guns, west side about the same four, all Schneider 75mm rapid-fire cannons—hm, no wonder when our forces just arrived, the enemy’s offensive almost stalled. They were gathering strength, coordinating east and west to attack together!
Not strange for the west French to bring up 4 Schneider guns, didn’t expect the east Belgians to bring so many too, should be the 4th Division’s main artillery arrived. Belgian divisions, at full strength, should have 36 guns, 24 of them 75mm Schneiders.
But they fled all the way from Antwerp here, heavy equipment lost at least seventy or eighty percent, remaining 4 is basically a division’s all artillery, the rear guard division might not bring even one. With this many big guns, supporting infantry at least a regiment each on east and west sides, even more.
You few, follow my orders: Pull two companies of 1st Battalion first to the east along the town’s second street block ruins’ counter-slope to fill the line; 2nd Battalion also pull two companies, deploy similarly to the west; rest of troops hold as reserves for now. All 77mm field guns stay put temporarily. Have the troops behind the first ruins at town edge temporarily withdraw first, don’t hold hard to avoid needless casualties.”
With a few words, the colonel assigned deployment adjustments; several trusted messengers hurriedly split to act, having units adjust deployment and fill lines.
Listening to the colonel’s analysis and commands, surprise showed in Lelouch’s eyes: As expected of a veteran, judging enemy gun count and model just by ear on fire density. How many years of battle to train that?
“Colonel, you’re amazing…” Lelouch sincerely admired.
But before he could say more, the colonel suddenly raised a hand to stop him, listened quietly for two seconds, then his face changed drastically: “What’s going on? Enemy also has 150mm heavy cannons? Impossible! With the French army’s slow dragging pace, how could they get 150 heavy cannons here so fast?”
It turned out that while the colonel was listening to observe, another particularly huge cannon shot caught his alert, and a hint of shaken appeared naturally in his eyes.
Fortunately, Lelouch knew this issue particularly well and quickly explained: “Colonel, don’t panic, that’s a Britannia light cruiser on the North Sea, it’s been patrolling there since morning, it was bombarding the coast when I woke up. Every time the French or Belgian army attacks, it also cooperates with a few rounds of bombardment for fire support.
But Captain Andri has figured out its tactics: its main gun elevation is poor, and it can only fire from directly north. When we deployed, we abandoned the side along the coastline, putting all fire points on the ruins’ south-facing counter-slope side. As long as you follow this convention too, its big guns can’t reach us.”
Hearing the enemy naval gun firing arc was limited, Colonel Lister finally relaxed a bit, but still uneasy, he carefully asked for details: “You sure that cruiser’s firing arc is bad? Is it one of those old warships specialized for naval interception?”
Lelouch immediately gave an affirmative answer: “Yes, Captain Andri sent someone to opportunely observe with high-power reconnaissance telescope, by hull it’s Britannia Navy’s Lin Xian Class light cruiser. They said 2 6-inch main guns and 6 4-inch secondary guns.”
“Why would Britannians send just a single light cruiser here… and a ship type for anti-destroyer tasks, clearly more suited for naval battle than shore bombardment…”
Colonel Lister was also puzzled, but he had no time for that now.
Lelouch had already relayed how to counter this cruiser’s bombardment; he just needed to incorporate these command elements into the previous plan for targeted adjustments.
Under the colonel’s deployment, German casualties slowed quickly, but the Frankish people and Belgians’ charge seemed even smoother too; they had already occupied the town’s outer first street block.
