Chapter 90: Incoming Call
Li Zongren said in surprise: “There’s another army? Which army… Why didn’t I know about it?”
“Commander… have you forgotten?” Xu Zuyi said: “At the beginning of the year, wasn’t there a security regiment withdrawn from Nanjing that was assigned to the Fifth War Zone by the Military and Political Department?
Later, that security regiment sent a telegram requesting to come for rest and reorganization, and you arranged for them to go to Gaoyou.”
“Security regiment?” Li Zongren muttered the words slowly in his mouth, then his eyes lit up.
“Oh… I remember now, it’s that unit that supposedly fired special bombs at the Japanese in Nanjing city, causing heavy casualties to the 6th Division, forcing them to return to their homeland for rest, right?
I remember the regiment commander of that security regiment was named Su… Su something?”
“Su Yaoyang.”
“Right… Su Yaoyang… that’s him.”
Xu Zuyi explained: “From January to now, three months have passed, so they must have finished resting and reorganizing, and it’s time to put them to use.”
Li Zongren glanced at him and asked curiously: “I admit that three months should be about enough.
But what I don’t understand is, no matter how much they rest and reorganize, they’re still just a locally formed security regiment. If they really face the Japanese 10th Division, they probably won’t even last one encounter before collapsing, right?
Why did you think of them?”
Although the security regiment led by Su Yaoyang caused heavy casualties to the Japanese army in Nanjing, in the eyes of the vast majority of National Revolutionary Army generals, they had just taken advantage of the special bombs, and their real combat effectiveness was probably not even as good as miscellaneous troops. Li Zongren was no exception.
So when he received the request from Su Yaoyang to go to Xuzhou for rest and reorganization, he unhesitatingly arranged for them to go to Gaoyou, meaning to have them stay obediently in the rear and not cause trouble.
Unexpectedly, things turned around, and this miscellaneous among the miscellaneous troops that he had never taken seriously became the only army he could currently mobilize.
Hearing Li Zongren’s question, Xu Zuyi couldn’t help laughing: “Commander, you probably don’t know yet, but this Su Yaoyang is not one to stay put.
These past few months, he sent people to wander around various hospitals in Xuzhou, aggressively recruiting those veteran soldiers and officers who were about to recover and return to duty.
With silver dollars, banknotes, and even gold paving the way, he really managed to gather quite a few officers and veteran soldiers into the security regiment.
I reckon that with those veteran soldiers and officers as the foundation, even if his security regiment’s combat effectiveness is poor, it won’t be too bad, and at least it should be usable for emergencies.”
“Oh… there’s that too?” Li Zongren also couldn’t help laughing.
He thought for just a few short seconds and then made a decision, “In that case, immediately send a telegram to that… Nanjing Security Regiment.”
【Urgent Telegram】 To Security Regiment Commander Su and all officers and men of the Security Regiment:
The battle situation in Teng County is critical, with the 122nd Division trapped in heavy encirclement. Your unit is hereby ordered to advance lightly and rapidly, and must arrive at the eastern suburbs of Teng County before dawn on March 18 to coordinate with Division Commander Wang. This order is extremely urgent; anyone who delays military affairs will be dealt with by military law without mercy, regardless of rank.
The enemy is currently using tanks as the vanguard, fiercely attacking the west gate position. Your regiment must march covertly along the Sishui River trail to avoid enemy reconnaissance aircraft. Upon arrival, immediately build anti-tank fortifications, focusing on defending the line from the train station to the grain depot. Ammunition supplies have been ordered to be rushed forward overnight from the army depot; your unit may pick them up at Heisong Ridge en route.
It is currently the spring flood season, with the Sishui River water level surging; your unit must carry pontoon equipment. Additionally, according to air reconnaissance, an enemy cavalry company is active in the Wild Wolf Ditch area; add advance scouts for vigilance during the march. This order is most earnestly given!
Fifth War Zone Commander-in-Chief Li Zongren
27th Year of the Republic of China, March 15, Hai hour
（Note: There is a pen annotation on the edge of the telegram paper “Forward to Division Commander Wang: Su’s unit has been strictly ordered to rush to aid; your division must hold until Chen hour on the 18th”）
At the Security Regiment headquarters on the outskirts of Gaoyou County, this telegram was passed around among Su Yaoyang, Li Gaoyuan, and Huang Guantao. After reading it, Su Yaoyang spoke first: “The headquarters’ order has arrived, asking us to rush to aid Teng County. What do you two say?”
“What is there to say about this.” Li Gaoyuan said without hesitation: “A soldier is trained for a thousand days to be used in one moment. We’ve been holed up here for three months, practicing our enemy-killing skills, all for the sake of killing enemies and serving the country, right?”
“Hmm…”
Su Yaoyang looked at the map for a good while before slowly saying: “Gaoyou is about four hundred li from Teng County. Even if our main force force-marches, it would take at least three or four days to arrive, which from a timing perspective is already too late.”
Huang Guantao thought for a moment: “I think we can first send a battalion, riding trucks along with the tank company and engineer company to set out ahead, assist the 122nd Division in defending Teng County upon arrival, and hold until the main force arrives.”
Su Yaoyang nodded: “That’s not a bad idea, but which battalion should we send?”
“I’ll take the 4th Battalion.” Huang Guantao said without hesitation: “The plan was my idea, so naturally I’ll lead the team.
Regiment commander, you and old Li can bring the main force to catch up from behind.”
“Alright!”
Su Yaoyang thought about it and agreed to the proposal, then instructed:
“Be careful along the way; take the radio when you set out and keep in constant contact.”
“Understood!”
Half an hour later
The tank company, as the vanguard unit, set out first.
The roar of gasoline engines tore through the afterglow of the setting sun; as the tracks crushed the muddy dirt road, they splashed up mud that gleamed rust-colored in the sunset light.
John, wearing captain rank insignia, stood in the turret of the Xiafei tank, shouting loudly into the microphone in his earpiece: “Move out!”
With his voice, nine M24 Xiafei tanks erupted in powerful roars, speeding away along the rugged road, followed closely by more than ten tankers, M3 half-track troop carriers, and maintenance vehicles.
Thirty ten-wheeled Dodge trucks loaded with infantry followed right behind the tank company.
In the truck compartments… the new recruits who had just enlisted a few months ago gripped their rifles tightly, their faces somewhat pale; the veterans silently leaned against the compartment sides, cigarettes dangling from their mouths, the bitter tobacco smell mixing with vehicle exhaust to burn a scorching sensation in their lungs.
Su Yaoyang stood by the dusty roadside, his deep eyes fixed on the departing convoy.
Unlike the battle fought in Nanjing a few months ago.
Objectively speaking, the security regiment had actually taken a clever approach in that battle in Nanjing.
That battle was street fighting, plain and simple.
In complex urban terrain, the advantages of the Type 38 rifle’s long range and high accuracy couldn’t be brought into play at all; instead, its disadvantages of slow firing rate, overly long barrel, and inconvenience in narrow terrain and buildings were fully exposed.
In contrast, the high firing rates of the security regiment’s Thompson submachine guns and Garand rifles were greatly leveraged.
This was the real reason the security regiment inflicted heavy casualties on the Japanese in street fighting.
Therefore, this rush to aid Teng County was the first time since the security regiment’s formation that they would face the Japanese in open, hard-hitting field battle, and it was unknown whether this young army could continue the glory of the previous battle.
