The War of Resistance: My Expedition, My Country

Chapter 122: Battle of Kursk in East India (8)

The 1st Army quickly adjusted, with the new 1st Brigade as the main force to support the 14th Army's southern defense; the 113st Battalion of the 1th Brigade formed an assault team, which took advantage of the intervals between Japanese artillery fire and quietly detoured to sensitive areas where the Japanese tank destroyer battalion might ambush; the anti-tank column composed of special operations battalions and various anti-tank teams rushed to the area where the Stellan tank cluster was pre-set to ambush the Japanese tank cluster, and quickly set up positions, determined to cut a piece of meat from the Japanese tank cluster.

Martin and Liu Bolong mobilized the 114th Brigade and its subordinate units to take over the positions of other units and block the Japanese attack. Yang Hong secretly assembled the 112th and 113th Brigades and quietly moved to the other side, waiting for an opportunity to deal a fatal blow to the Japanese rear flank!

Slim was very moved by Pu Zhengsong's arrival with his troops. Pu Zhengsong insisted on taking over the most frontal position and used the trenches already dug by the 14th Army to quickly deploy all kinds of weapons.

The Japanese attack was very fast and very fierce. The huge tank cluster roared like a giant beast, the earth was shaking violently, and heavy artillery fire swept across the positions again and again, taking away all the materials on the positions that dared to resist.

The panicked remnants of the 14th Army saw that the various units of the New 1st Brigade defending the core position responded to the Japanese artillery fire calmly and orderly, and calmly arranged various firepower. They were infected by the momentum of remaining calm in the face of danger in this battle, and began to calm down. Gradually, they organized their own defense line.

Lieutenant General Slim finally breathed a sigh of relief and immediately issued orders to the artillery groups behind him. Howitzers, cannons, anti-aircraft guns, rocket launchers, mortars, all artillery that could strike the enemy began to adjust the muzzles and set parameters according to the orders of the commanders, waiting for the arrival of the Japanese tank cluster.

The Japanese 2nd Tank Regiment rushed towards the position of the 14th Army from the front, crossed a trench again, drove the horsepower, and rushed at full speed towards the position of the new 1st Brigade.

"Hold steady, keep your heads down, don't rush. Let the enemy tanks go. The first group will block the Japanese infantry. The second group will blow up the tank tracks, fuel tanks, and engines. The third group will provide cover, and the fourth group will counterattack!"

Following the orders from the company and platoon commanders, the soldiers of the New 1st Brigade, who had already crawled out of the anti-artillery holes, some were holding steel guns, some were holding explosive packs, blasting grenades, and Molotov cocktails, and some were setting up machine guns and anti-tank sniper rifles. They stayed at their posts and calmly waited for the final moment to come!

Several Japanese Panther tanks passed through the second trench and were advancing deep into the New 1st Brigade. Suddenly, a group of soldiers wearing British and American helmets emerged from the trench, holding various weapons and opening fire on the Japanese.

Anti-tank sniper rifles, light and heavy machine guns began to fire angrily, and the bullets, carrying the flames of revenge, rushed towards the Japanese army's following 97/95 tanks and armored vehicles, motorcycles, company-level mortars, bazookas, and various grenades, launching a fierce attack on the Japanese army.

"Boom boom boom", "Tutu tutu", "Da da da", bullets and shells flew everywhere, and the battlefield was filled with smoke.

Almost at the same time, Slim and Pu Zhengsong ordered the artillery of the 14th Army and the New 1st Brigade to cover the Japanese army behind them. Some small mortars on the second line immediately fired a large number of smoke bombs into the battle area. The large amount of smoke blocked the sight of the Japanese tanks and armored forces.

Demolition teams, hidden in trenches and hidden spots, immediately emerged, following the rumble and vibration of the tanks' engines, and hurled incendiary bombs and cluster grenades at the enemy tanks. Huge explosions and blazing flames echoed and lit up in multiple locations.

The unprepared Japanese tanks suddenly panicked and reversed, their tank turrets constantly turning and their parallel machine guns firing at any suspicious shadows.

The Japanese had a countermeasure plan. Numerous small-caliber grenade launchers and 92mm rifles continuously fired high-explosive shells into the smoke. These weapons did little to harm the Panther tanks, but they inflicted fatal damage on the infantry attacking the tanks. In the smoke, the explosions grew more frequent, while the gunfire gradually became less frequent.

Pu Zhengsong obviously did not expect that the Japanese army would adopt such a combat method. In order to avoid unnecessary casualties among the frontline soldiers, he immediately ordered the companies and platoons in the melee to retreat in an orderly manner. Then, flying bombs mainly launched by oil barrel catapults flew towards the Japanese army. Huge explosions sounded, and the earth seemed to be shaking, like an earthquake!

"Boom!" A torpedo landed on the left side of a Panther tank, sending a massive shockwave cascading down the Japanese soldiers inside. The main gunner took the heaviest hit, his internal organs shattered, and he collapsed onto his turret. The commander's head banged against the steel, blood blinding him. He screamed, "Back up! Get out of here!" The tank remained motionless, its tracks cracked by the massive explosions, and the driver was killed in his position.

The same situation happened to several Leopard tanks. The Japanese attack lost its edge for a while. The commanders of each squadron kept calling on the vehicles to retreat quickly. However, only a small number of tanks staggered out of the smoke area with thick smoke.

"Baga!" Colonel Yu Hatoyama, commander of the 2nd Tank Regiment, couldn't believe his Panther ace would be so cowardly. He ordered the following armored cover soldiers to immediately rush forward and rush into the smoke zone to protect their tanks. Pu Zhengsong also didn't hesitate and immediately launched more flying torpedoes into the smoke zone.

Of course, the Japanese army would not sit idly by and watch their tanks being surrounded. A large amount of artillery fire from the rear flew towards other positions of the New 1st Brigade. Under the powerful artillery fire of the Japanese army, Pu Zhengsong had to stop the shelling and let the troops take shelter in the bunkers.

The smoke slowly dissipated, revealing the devastated land in the battle zone. The Japanese army, with its firepower advantage, finally rescued the besieged tank troops.

The New 1st Brigade successfully repelled the attack of the Japanese tank cluster at the cost of hundreds of casualties, destroyed 6 Japanese Panther tanks and damaged many more, and also destroyed 97 Japanese 95/4 tanks and 7 or 8 armored vehicles!

Pu Zhengsong's flying thunder artillery caused heavy losses to the Japanese tank troops. Almost every tank that retreated had different soldiers killed or wounded. As a last resort, the Japanese army added some light tank soldiers to the Panther tanks, and the Japanese tank column lost its former arrogance.

Mo Shangjing personally rushed to the 2nd Tank Regiment to understand the battle situation. After discussing with Abe, Hatoyama and others, he decided to change tactics and let the 1st Tank Regiment of the 1st Division be responsible for the frontal attack on the position of the New 1st Brigade. The remaining tank troops turned to the left and entered the southern edge of the Silchar Railway Station, trying to break through the Allied defense line in a roundabout way.

The area that Mo Shangjing and his men chose to attack was exactly where the Stran tank cluster was preparing to ambush the Japanese tanks. The final tank battle between the two sides finally began!