Chapter 5: Iron Flow Rear Guard Vanguard Regiment

  The meeting in the headquarters was brief, and Liu Yimin and Wang Dahou returned to the trenches for a short rest. Wang Dahou found a set of Red Army uniform for Liu Yimin to change into, and just as he was praising how majestic Liu looked in his new uniform, the regiment commander returned.

  Soon, the transfer order came, and the division ordered Liu Yimin's 101st Regiment to quickly withdraw from the position and advance rapidly to hide near the Jieshoutou ferry.

  Liu Yimin knew at a glance that the superior had adopted his suggestion, abandoned the route designated by the Central Revolutionary Military Commission, and went to rescue the 18th Red Division and the eastern shore blocking troops. Liu Yimin told Wang Dahou to let the soldiers change into Guangxi army uniforms, open the way for the whole regiment, and advance quickly.

  King Dahai immediately pulled Liu Yimin to find the battalion commander, and the battalion commander agreed to their request. Considering that they were too few in number, he immediately drew a combat class from each of the three regiments to join them, forming a vanguard company. King Dahai was appointed as the company commander, and Liu Yimin as the deputy company commander. King Dahai directly told the battalion commander that he was willing to be under Liu Yimin's command, as Liu had many ideas. The battalion commander then directly appointed Liu Yimin as the company commander, and King Dahai as the deputy company commander. They were ordered to inspect their ammunition, change into new uniforms, and set off immediately, with the main force following them in echelons.

  Liu Yimin gathered the troops and conducted a simple reorganization. The full squad consisted of 41 people, which was considered an enhanced squad, divided into three combat teams and one firepower support team, as well as one sniper group. Each team had nine members, with one team leader, two deputy team leaders, and three combat sub-teams. The team leader and deputy team leaders also served as the leaders of the combat sub-teams.

  The squad leader was Liu Yimin, the deputy squad leader was Wang Dahu, the first team leader was Li Dashan, and the deputy team leaders were Zhang Guangming and Chen Hu. The second team leader was Liu Shizhu, and the deputy team leaders were Han Qingchun and Zhang Baoshan. The third team leader was Luo Yan, and the deputy team leaders were Guo Chunsheng and Cheng Fengnian.

  The fourth team was the firepower support team, led by Zhao Runqing, with Chen Yong and Zhang Guocheng as deputy team leaders. This team only had one Czech-style light machine gun, operated by Long Huwa, with Long Huzi as the assistant gunner.

  Additionally, three soldiers with good marksmanship skills were selected from the troops to form a sniper group, led by Wang Tongsheng.

  After the reorganization was completed, Liu Yimin briefly explained the tasks and roles of the combat teams, firepower support team, and sniper group. Then, amidst everyone's confusion, he led the team towards the enemy's position under cover of darkness.

  The attack by the Kwantung Army was temporarily halted due to the destruction of its artillery positions, and soldiers were busy constructing fortifications on the line of departure.

  When Liu Yimin and his men approached the Gui army's position, the soldiers of the Gui army were having a good time under the supervision of their officers. The sentries were patrolling back and forth on the trenches with rifles in hand.

  Liu Yimin found a relatively isolated position, looked around and saw that there were only more than 60 people, knowing that this was the position of a crippled Guangxi army company. He beckoned with his hand, and Wang Dahou and several platoon and squad leaders came over. Liu Yimin said in a low voice: "The Guangxi Army has been deeply poisoned by reactionary propaganda, its combat effectiveness is very strong, and it will not easily surrender. We disguise ourselves as the Guangxi Army, go up there, if the Guangxi Army resists, use bayonets to solve it, try not to open fire. One squad is responsible for solving the sentry and guard, the rest follow me to charge. Is the task clear?" The four people all nodded. Liu Yimin said: "Action!" Led the team towards the Guangxi Army.

  The sentry of the Gui army suddenly saw a group of people walking towards the camp, immediately pulled the bolt, and took another look, it was his own people, hurriedly shouting: "Halt, what's the password?"

  Liu Yimin replied: "Exterminate the Communists. What orders?"

  The sentry shouldered his rifle: "Exterminate bandits. Which unit are you brothers from?"

  Liu Yimin walked up to the sentry and said: "We are a search party from the Military Department, where is your superior? Call him over."

  The sentry of the Gui army led Liu Yimin into the trenches, shouting as he walked: "Company commander, company commander, a superior officer from the military department is looking for you."

  "Who's looking for me?"

  "It's Laozi looking for you."

  "Which one are you?"

  "My dad is a military search party, you gather the troops, and the commander wants me to give a pep talk to the brothers."

  The commander of the Gui army turned around and shouted to assemble, and soon the Gui army stood in a row in the trenches. After saluting Liu Yimin to report, he asked Liu Yimin to give a speech.

  Liu Yimin took a look, all the Guizhou soldiers had arrived, and the Red Army soldiers were also standing at their combat positions with guns in hand. He shouted: "Brothers, I am the Red Army, you have been captured, do not move, whoever moves will be shot dead."

  The commander of the Gui army listened and knew he had been deceived, stretched out his hand to grab his pistol, and Li Dashan, who was standing next to Liu Yimin, suddenly stabbed him with a bayonet. Several Gui soldiers standing on the side turned around and ran, wanting to get their guns, but only heard "puchi puchi" sounds, all were stabbed to death by bayonets. Liu Yimin coldly swept his gaze over the Gui army and said: "Whoever thinks they've lived long enough can shout, can run, one rule: go in with a white blade, come out with a red blade! Let's see whose legs are faster, yours or my bayonet!"

  The Gui army soldiers were as quiet as cicadas in winter, and they obediently became prisoners. Liu Yimin ordered Wang Dahu to send a signal to inform the main force to take action. He let the soldiers quickly replenish their weapons and ammunition, and find dry rations on the Gui army's position.

  After a while, Wang Dahou excitedly found Liu Yimin and said that they had captured six brand-new Czech-style light machine guns, all of which were 79-style rifles, as well as several submachine guns.

  Liu Yimin said: "The Guangxi Army has just replaced their new weapons, which is exactly what we need. All light machine guns are concentrated in the firepower support class, and submachine guns are issued to the squad leaders and deputy squad leaders. If not enough, they will be replenished in the next battle. Each soldier carries 100 rounds of ammunition and 8 hand grenades, and other weapons are handed over to the main force for disposal. Get ready to depart immediately."

  While talking, the battalion commander led his troops to arrive. Liu Yimin made a brief report on the situation, and the battalion commander immediately arranged for a company to change into the uniform of the Gui army to stand guard at the position and cover the follow-up troops. He ordered Liu Yimin to lead the team to act according to plan, and the troops quickly passed through. Liu Yimin asked the battalion commander to tie up all the captives with ropes, stuff their mouths, and take them away. The battalion commander said that the Red Army does not kill prisoners of war, but confidentiality measures must still be taken, so don't worry about it.

  In the village of Xià Lì Wān, not far from Guanyin Mountain in Xinhuai, the Guangxi Army's logistics camp was stationed here. Dozens of large carts loaded with weapons, ammunition, food and medicine were parked in the empty space outside the ancestral hall and along the roadside.

  As the logistics support team was responsible for delivering supplies, and was located behind their own main force, the commander of the Guangxi army's logistics battalion thought it was very safe, so after arranging for guards, he began interrogating the Red Army prisoners inside the temple.

  This was the temporary battlefield hospital set up during the Red Fifth Regiment's New Yuan Blockade Battle. When the Red Fifth Regiment was ordered to support the Guanghua Pu position, they did not have time to take away the wounded, and later some of the wounded from the 18th Regiment were also sent here. After the 18th Regiment withdrew, all the wounded were captured by the Guangxi Army. According to historical records, except for lightly wounded soldiers who were directly slaughtered by the Guangxi Army, more than 100 seriously wounded soldiers were eventually drowned in a wine cellar by the Guangxi Army, and three female Red Army soldiers were stripped naked by the Guangxi Army and taken deep into the mountains, it is unknown whether they were killed by the Guangxi Army or devoured by wild beasts.

  After the Guilin Army took over, the Guilin Army battalion commander and his company platoon leaders tortured the wounded Red Army prisoners as a form of entertainment. The rest of the Guilin soldiers guarded their own vehicles in shifts.

  When Liu Yimin led the vanguard to sneak up, it was clear at a glance that the Guangxi Army had no defense. It's still the old routine, with a slight difference being that when breaking through the Guangxi Army's position, Liu Yimin and his men claimed to be a search team from the Military Department, but this time they said they were an inspection team sent by General Xia Wei. When the commander of the Guangxi Army's logistics battalion and company commanders gathered their troops, they found themselves facing seven machine guns lined up in a row, and they meekly surrendered without a single resistance.

  Liu Yimin was truly delighted, counting a total of 46 large trucks of ammunition and dry rations. For the Red 34th Division, which had been unable to replenish its supplies since the Long March and was almost out of bullets and food, this was a timely rain. Moreover, it saved more than 200 wounded Red Army soldiers who were destined to be slaughtered. Therefore, as soon as Chen Shuxiang, the division commander, and Cheng Cuilin, the political commissar, met, they directly ordered Liu Yimin's vanguard platoon to be upgraded to a vanguard company, ordering the commanders of the 100th and 102nd regiments, Han Wei and Lü Gongyin, to each assign a platoon, and also assigning a squad from the division's guard unit to join the vanguard company. Given that Liu Yimin had just joined the Red Army and was not yet a party member, Cheng Cuilin, the political commissar, immediately appointed Cai Zhong, the director of the division's political department, to follow the vanguard company into action, but he was not allowed to interfere with Liu Yimin's military command.

  Liu Yimin reorganized the troops according to the original sharp soldier squad's formation, dividing them into three squads and nine combat teams. The sniper group was upgraded to a sniper team, and the firepower support team became an enhanced team. Each squad had one captain and one deputy captain, and each team had one team leader and two deputy team leaders. The first squad was led by Wang Dahai, the second squad by Shen Nantang, and the third squad by Wang Xinyun. The entire company consisted of 113 people, with each combat squad having 28 people, the sniper team having 7 people, the firepower support team having 19 people, one communication officer, and one code officer. The entire company was equipped with brand-new Type 79 rifles, as well as nine Czech-style light machine guns and 34 submachine guns. Liu Yimin and the captains and deputy captains of each squad were all armed with a pistol at their waist, a submachine gun on their back, and a Type 79 rifle on their shoulder. The current sharp soldier company was strong and powerful, with its light firepower being unmatched throughout the entire Central Red Army.

  Maybe some readers will ask, where did Liu Yimin and his men get their submachine guns? Nonsense. In fact, the submachine guns were all captured from the Guangxi Army. After the Red Army's Long March, Chiang Kai-shek had already anticipated the Red Army's breakout route and laid down four layers of encirclement lines. To make up for the lack of troops and also to weaken the local warlords' strength, Chiang Kai-shek asked the Hunan Army, Guangxi Army, and Guangdong Army to cooperate with the Central Army in a joint encirclement campaign. Bai Chongxi took advantage of the situation to propose two demands to Chiang Kai-shek: first, the Guangxi Army had insufficient troops, so he requested that the 44th Division, which was participating in the encirclement and suppression of the Central Soviet Area, be returned; second, he demanded that the central government provide new equipment for the Guangxi Army. To mobilize the Guangxi Army, Chiang Kai-shek agreed to both demands. Therefore, the current Guangxi Army is equipped with brand-new Type 79 rifles, Czech-style machine guns that can use rifle cartridges, and submachine guns, also known as "flower machines," which are standard issue for platoon and company commanders. Liu Yimin's continuous capture of Guangxi Army equipment naturally allowed the Sharp Blade Regiment to be re-equipped first.

  At this time, if the KMT reconnaissance plane passed by, it would see a strange scene: on the main road, in front of it was a company of vanguard troops wearing KMT uniforms advancing at a running pace, behind them were the main forces of the Red Army advancing in three columns at a running pace, dozens of large trucks carrying wounded soldiers and ammunition, and behind the trucks were prisoners without military uniforms also advancing at a running pace under the threat of bayonets, and bringing up the rear was a battalion of troops wearing KMT uniforms. The 34th Division of the Red Army was marching towards Jieshui Ferry in such a majestic manner.

  The current Red 34th Division, the soldiers' guns were fully loaded with bullets, and their bodies were hung with hand grenades. While running, they ate the dry rations of the Guangxi Army. Although there were less than 4,000 people, the soldiers' ammunition was greatly replenished, and they had eaten their fill, restoring the combat effectiveness of the Iron Flow Rear Guard.

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  The fierce battle is raging on the banks of the Xiangjiang River, calling for recommendation votes to support!