Chapter Thirty-Three: Madagascar II

  The 223rd Mechanized Infantry Battalion of the 10th Armored Brigade arrived at the inland camp, where a neat row of graves stood on the edge of the camp, with identification plaques bearing the names of Southern Chinese military personnel.

  There were over 100 people in the auditorium of Zhong School.

  The 223rd Mechanized Infantry Regiment arrived at the Maurer Plantation, using loudspeakers to call on French forces to surrender and withdraw all non-combat personnel, otherwise the NVA would launch an unprecedented attack.

  It is ironic that the French army asked the Southern Han troops to lay down their arms and promised humane treatment.

  Qian Zhong School gave up persuasion and summoned a cannon attack.

  The 30 155mm howitzers of the 422nd Artillery Battalion, 10th Armored Brigade, fired simultaneously, and the orchard was immediately shrouded in smoke.

  This time he also received fire support from the fleet, and the 127mm main gun shells of the destroyer fell into the plantation in rows.

  Due to bad weather, there was no artillery calibration firing, and the view of ground observation was limited, making it difficult to expect accurate artillery fire.

  Qian Jinzhong hoped that they would blow up the minefield in front of the plantation instead of destroying the French military position, so that the 25 T-10 tanks of his tank company could charge in without worrying and engage in a decisive battle with the French tanks. However, before the tank charge, the anti-aircraft artillery position on the nearby small hill had to be destroyed first.

  French troops destroyed two amphibious tanks of the Southern Vietnamese army in previous battles, and eliminated personnel on an infantry fighting vehicle.

  Qian Zhongshu planned to use artillery to destroy the surface fortifications on Xiaoshan first, and then use infantry close combat to eliminate the remaining French troops and capture the commanding heights of the botanical garden.

  After pounding the plantation for thirty minutes, the artillery fire concentrated on a small hill.

  Three hours of continuous shelling, the small hill was filled with shell craters, Qian Jinzhong could not see any moving objects through his binoculars, only destroyed bunkers and charred cannon barrels.

  The bombardment ended, and nearly 100 Southern Chinese soldiers rushed towards the small hill. They stopped at the foot of the hill, which had no road, so how could they climb up?

  It was originally steep, now full of loose soil, not even a small tree to borrow strength from, and rock climbing experts would scratch their heads. Just as they were hesitating, several shells whizzed in and exploded among the crowd, with limbs flying everywhere.

  Without waiting for orders, the entire Southern Army dispersed and lay down on the ground. The artillery observer immediately coordinated with the gunners to suppress enemy fire. Major General Qian Jinzhong ordered the Huaxia Army to retreat and instructed the engineers to open a mountain pass.

  The sappers collected several coconut tree trunks and started making cloud ladders. The soldiers worked together, and soon they made dozens of cloud ladders.

  The Nanhua army rushed towards the small hill again, with the French artillery firing once more, only to be quickly suppressed by the Nanhua army's gunners.

  The soldiers of the Nanyue Army climbed up the cloud ladder, and the French army fired fiercely from the dark fort on the small mountain. The soldiers of the Nanyue Army hid together in the dead angle at the foot of the mountain, but the French hand grenades kept falling down, causing the Nanyue Army to scatter and flee. Qian Jinzhong ordered a retreat for the second time.

  He immediately ordered the tank company to fire directly, destroying the French army's dark fort, supporting the infantry attack. As for the 107mm rocket artillery of the 3rd Company, it had already occupied a position to cover the flanks and rear of the attacking troops.

  The soldiers of the NVA climbed up the small hill again, and hand grenades were still falling down like raindrops. The NVA wanted to counterattack but couldn't see anyone, this was due to the French army's 50mm mortar doing close-range suppression.

  The 107mm rocket artillery of the Nan Hua army began to suppressive fire, but it was ineffective and had to stop firing. Unable to counter the mortar, the Nan Hua army finally chose to retreat.

  Qian Jinzhong Middle School once again summoned artillery and naval guns to bombard Xiaoshan, but the French army's fortifications were indeed solid. Before sunset, the Nanhua Army launched its final assault, still unable to climb to the top of the mountain.

  In the middle of the night, dozens of Nanyang troops arrived at the foot of a small hill with mountaineering equipment and began to climb. However, their attempt was discovered by the French army, which opened fire, causing heavy casualties among the Nanyang troops, who hastily retreated, leaving behind many bodies. Qian Jinzhong saw that the French defense was tight and ordered his troops waiting in the woods to return to camp for rest.

  At two o'clock in the night, the Mechanized Infantry Regiment made strict anti-ambush preparations. Five landmines were buried around the campsite, rocket launchers were in position, tank soldiers slept inside their tanks, and soldiers prepared sufficient hand grenades. However, the French army did not launch a night raid.

  The next morning, the armored brigade's combat staff officer Colonel Pang Ming arrived at the front line to direct the battle. General Lin Shengtian had already given orders to capture the plantation within a day.

  Due to the insufficient ammunition of naval vessels, it takes time to withdraw and reorganize, which makes it impossible to ensure the safety of transport ships. It is necessary to suspend supplies for all troops, and it will take a week to resume supplies again.

  Considering the possibility of good weather, once the French land-based air forces begin their bombing campaign, the situation for the Southern Chinese army will become very difficult.

  Successive troops landed one after another. Tomorrow, the Nanhua army will launch a general attack on the plantation. To do this, we must quickly capture the high ground.

  After intense shelling, Qian Jinzhong ordered the tank company to fire directly at the small hill, blasting a path out of the steep rock face.

  The second lieutenant, Shen Si, led the charge with his men.

  The French artillery's mortars thundered again, this time quickly suppressed by the 107mm rocket artillery fire.

  The 2nd battalion made a desperate effort to climb the small hill, but was met with intense crossfire and frontal fire from two hidden bunkers in the direction of the plantation, and was pinned down on the mountain slope. Grenades rained down, causing heavy casualties among the South China Army, and Shen Si also got injured.

  The NVA tank burst out and heavily shelled the plantation, suppressing the flanking fire. The French 75mm AA gun on the small hill fired again. The NVA covering force heavily bombarded with 82mm and 120mm mortars, knocking out two bunkers.

  2 companies of the 3rd battalion led the charge up the mountain, where they encountered Lieutenant Jean-Noel and a dozen French soldiers. A fierce hand-to-hand combat ensued, with the French troops being forced to retreat back down the mountain after suffering heavy casualties. The intense bombardment from the French artillery made this location extremely perilous.

  The attacking troops were unaware that the plantation was defended by a company of the French Foreign Legion.

  At 3:00 am on the same day, the Nanyue Army camp was raided by French troops.

  The sentry was killed by French reconnaissance soldiers, and the French infantry crept into the camp. The two alert T-10 tanks with open hatches were hit by grenades thrown by the French, resulting in all crew members being killed. The crews of the other tanks were attacked in their tents and not one managed to board a tank.

  The outer guard positions were all occupied by French infantry, the landmines did not explode, and actually the French sappers opened a passage. Colonel Peng Ming was killed in action with a submachine gun against the French.

  This night raid exhausted all the strength of the 5th Company of the French Third Foreign Legion, and the South Vietnamese army that landed at Diem Huong-Suarez Port launched a new offensive with full armored vehicles, marching south along the coast, sweeping away, and successfully fighting to Ussual Point, controlling the northern part of Antongil Bay.

  However, the supply lines continued to be harassed by guerrilla forces from the Achi-Nanana rainforest. The South Vietnamese army counter-attacked and lost a whole infantry platoon deep in the jungle.

  From then on until the end of the battle, the NVA never again penetrated deeply into the jungle but instead built small strongpoints along the coast to protect their lines of communication.

  The main force of the Nan Hua army then circled along Antongil Bay, encountering strong resistance at Maroantsetra port, and finally captured it after a week.

  The Southland Force continued to move south and eventually took control of Antongil Bay. Unfortunately, the French still held Buhara Island near the entrance to the bay, which had an airfield, so Antongil Bay was not a safe anchorage.

  The Nanchang Army began planning the landing operation on Bohai Island.

  In the darkness before dawn, the South Vietnamese naval landing force arrived off the coast of Con Son Island under naval escort.

  Subsequently, a thousand troops from the naval landing force were transported by assault boats

  The sea churned up huge waves, and a torrential rain poured down, covering their landing on the reef. Suddenly, streaks of pink lightning split the dark night sky.

  French artillery on the island of Brahma opened fire on the landing point, and South Vietnamese naval vessels also fired their guns, adding to the pyrotechnic display.

  On the big toe of Brahma Island, Lieutenant Jiang Jianming led a detachment of 70 naval infantrymen, successfully hitting and setting fire to a French patrol boat, and frequently launching attacks with assault rifles and hand grenades, blocking the French army's counterattack.

  After a four-hour melee, they almost annihilated 100 French soldiers and lost half of their own men.

  Within the structure of a French Foreign Infantry Regiment, there is a command company, a reconnaissance and support weapons company, two combat companies and a support company.

  Support troops usually came from other units of the Foreign Legion and were rotated in for four-month tours.

  In addition, the foreign infantry regiments stationed in coastal and riverine areas also have a surface transport company equipped with one mechanized landing craft and two general-purpose landing craft.

  At dawn, the French flag was still flying on Bragha Island.

  An hour later, Major Devereux and his 200-man garrison on Wake Island faced an assault by over a thousand South Seas Marines who had been landed from the Japanese ships and were now entrenched along the coral beach, with the Marine battalion flag flying above their emplacements to prevent friendly fire from the warships.

  The pilots of Major Puttman's squadron on the island were still fighting off enemy attempts to land at the southernmost tip of the island. At 5:00 AM, the flag of the South China Sea Fleet Frontline Command was shot down by artillery fire, but it quickly flew again on a damaged water tower.

  After 7:00 am, the planes on the Nan Hua aircraft carrier flew in like a swarm of bees. Major De Vries discovered that his position was untenable and sent a telegram saying "Enemy has landed, outcome uncertain."

  When he received a telegram from the Foreign Legion headquarters on Réunion, indicating that the nearest French warship would not arrive for another day, he took this as authorization to surrender when further resistance seemed futile.

  An hour later, a white bed sheet flag was raised on the water tower.

  At half past eight, a sergeant of the French Foreign Legion holding a mop handle with a white cloth tied to it, walked forward accompanied by Lieutenant-Colonel De Fregate to surrender.