War Photographer's Notebook

Chapter 1624 Flame

At the edge of the river bank where the stalemate was happening, Wei Ran anxiously waited for the Japanese to continue their attack from the other side.

Perhaps they were frightened by the series of poisonous gases just now, or perhaps they were busy treating the wounded, but the Japanese on the opposite side did not continue their attack. Not only that, even the artillery firing at them fell silent.

  Could it be that he was scared away?

Wei Ran muttered something in confusion, but then without delay, he groped his way along the trench to a Japanese tank that was tilted in the trench after its armor was blown off. He found the oil pipeline as if he was familiar with the route, and took out the three oil barrels from the metal book, filling them all with the remaining fuel in the tank.

He had just finished his work when he heard Zhao Jinyu calling his name.

Wei Ran quickly collected the oil drum, responded loudly and turned to look in the direction of the communication trench.

Along with the sound of running, he soon saw Zhao Jinyu wearing a gas mask running in.

"Brother Wei! I knew you were still alive!" Zhao Jinyu shouted excitedly, "Are you hurt?"

"no"

As Wei Ran spoke, he had already found a wooden bucket and continued to receive fuel. "You came at the right time. Send someone to find a clay jar. A wine jar is best, the kind that can hold a pound of wine. Also, ask those with gas masks to come back quickly, at least to set up the machine gun."

"to make!"

Zhao Jinyu didn't ask any more questions and ordered a soldier who was also wearing a gas mask behind him to find the wine jar and notify the soldiers who had retreated to the second line of defense to come back.

"Brother Wei, why are the people on the other side so quiet?" Zhao Jinyu asked curiously. His intuition told him that the abnormal behavior of the Japanese soldiers on the other side was closely related to Wei Ran.

"I just fired a few shells with a grenade launcher. They seem to be poison gas bombs."

Wei Ran pointed to a saddlebag filled with grenades not far away and said, "Those are the ones you thought looked different before."

"Poison gas bomb?!"

Zhao Jinyu exclaimed, and suddenly realized, "I was wondering why the Japanese soldier across from me in the mirror was jumping and rolling on the ground as if he was bitten by a dog. So this is what happened!"

As he spoke, he squatted beside the sack, rummaging through it and asking, "How many are left?"

"Fourteen or fifteen"

Wei Ran answered worriedly that the poison gas bombs were useful, but the quantity was indeed too little.

Before Zhao Jinyu could say anything, the surviving soldiers of the pistol team ran in along the communication trench, all of them wearing gas masks.

Wei Ran, the deputy company commander, issued an order directly over Zhao Jinyu, "Guard the machine gun first and get ready. Don't shoot without orders."

"What about the rest?"

Zhao Jinyu asked, after they wiped out the Japanese cavalry a few days ago, they distributed nearly two hundred pairs of gas masks that they seized. Now that the regiment is not fully staffed, basically every cavalryman has been given one.

As soon as he finished asking, more cavalrymen came running back, each holding a wicker basket, crouching over.

In addition to wearing gas masks, they also carried at least twenty or thirty grenades in their baskets.

Behind them, Ma Jintao, wearing a gas mask, followed them and asked excitedly before getting close, "Wei Ran, was that you who did that just now?"

"We seized several poison gas bombs from the Japanese and just returned a few of them."

After Wei Ran finished speaking, he immediately asked, "Brother Ma, let those without gas masks retreat. Let them find blankets, wet them and bring them over so that everyone has one. Also, bring wine jars, at least one or two. Oh, and if you have any, bring some corn bones over. Also, bring at least one pack of matches for each person."

"You go!"

Without thinking, Ma Jintao called a soldier beside him to pass on the order, and then he looked at the poison gas bombs and asked curiously, "What are you doing?"

"The poison gas the Japanese just fired was a sneezing agent."

Wei Ran pointed at the grenade the other party had just picked up and said, "What I just fired was corrosive gas. It's useless to wear a gas mask alone. If it sticks to your skin, you will be poisoned. So everyone should have a wet blanket. It will be of some use."

"Where is the wine jar?" Zhao Jinyu asked curiously.

"When the wine jars arrive, fill them halfway with sand, then add the oil from the Japanese tanks, and finally seal the mouths of the bottles with oil-soaked rags and corn bones."

As Wei Ran spoke, he blocked the oil pipeline of the tank wreckage, and then continued to explain, "If another Japanese tank comes up, light the rags on fire and throw the wine jars at the tanks. As long as they are broken, they will catch fire, and they will definitely be defeated."

"This is a good idea!"

Ma Jintao and Zhao Jinyu said in unison, and even the cavalry soldiers around them who had just come in with grenades couldn't help but feel happy. They were all veterans who had fought in many battles, so naturally they could understand with a little thought that this method was better than grenades.

"When the time comes, throw them here, and burn them all!"

Wei Ran pointed to the tank's engine cooling grille, and took advantage of this short period of time to teach the surrounding soldiers how to find the oil pipeline and how to get the oil out.

He had just finished explaining when the soldier who had been ordered to leave not long ago brought over a dozen people, carrying more than twenty baskets of large and small wine jars on shoulder poles.

"report!"

The leading soldier saluted and said, "We got all the bottles from the landlord's wine cellar!"

"Where's the wine?" Zhao Jinyu asked subconsciously.

"It was poured into an empty water tank!" the soldier continued. "Not a drop was wasted!"

"Gawads!"

Ma Jintao shouted loudly, "After we drive the Japanese away, we'll have a good drink!"

"it is good!"

This order immediately drew cheers from many soldiers around. Among those soldiers, there were those who did not drink alcohol for religious reasons, there were Han people like Wei Ran and Zhao Jinyu, and there were also Tibetans who were used to drinking barley wine.

But without exception, they all had the same desire for this celebratory drink.

Without wasting any more time, the two hundred or so surviving cavalry soldiers each received two wine jars, and filled them with about one-third of yellow sand according to the method taught by Wei Ran. They also smashed the broken tanks and filled each person's wine jar with fuel in a relay manner. Then they blocked the mouths of the wine jars with rags found everywhere.

Even though they were fully prepared, the Japanese on the other side of the river remained silent, as if the battle had really come to a stalemate because of the poison gas bombs that were thrown back.

"Brother-in-law, Wei Ran, why do I feel that the Japanese on the opposite side are really holding back their farts?" Zhao Jinyu, who had taken off his gas mask, said puzzledly behind the observation hole in the trench.

After the preparations just now, not only did they each have two jars of wine that could be ignited at any time, but each of them was also covered with a wet blanket, and of course, they also had gas masks that they dared not take off.

Although these things were heavy, clumsy and inconvenient, no one disliked them at this time.

"What good can those damned beasts do?"

Ma Jintao, who was holding a telescope, snorted and then said in confusion, "There must be Japanese soldiers on the other side. I can see the reflection of their mirrors. What the hell are these bastards waiting for? Lao Qi? Lao Qi!"

"Here! What do you want, Commander?" An old soldier who was practicing wearing a gas mask not far away asked in a Sichuan accent.

"Shoot the opponent's eye!"

When Ma Jintao gave the order, his eyes never left the telescope. "That sign reflecting the light to the west of the crooked willow tree on Erdao Dike!"

"Get it!"

Before Old Qi finished speaking, he had already picked up a Type 20 rifle, slowly loaded the bullet into the chamber, and placed the muzzle centimeters away from the shooting hole.

"Everyone else, be careful to avoid the artillery fire!"

Ma Jintao issued orders again, and the surrounding soldiers immediately became alert. Thanks to Wei Ran's guidance in the past few days, they dug a lot of reverse bunkers to avoid artillery fire.

"boom!"

Accompanied by a crisp gunshot, Wei Ran, who was also holding a telescope, clearly saw that the reflective telescope in the observation hole on the opposite side was hit by a bullet, and the Japanese soldier holding the telescope also slipped to the side.

Seeing that the first shot had hit the target, everyone immediately tensed up. However, after waiting for almost 10 minutes, the other side did not fire a single bullet.

"They're not even fighting back? They're not even firing their cannons?" Ma Jintao muttered in confusion, "Why the hell are they acting like cowards?"

"How about asking Brother Wei to return another poison gas bomb to them?" Zhao Jinyu came up with a bad idea.

"no"

Wei Ran refused before Ma Jintao could speak, "We only have a few of them. We have no chance of winning a gas war. Let's not start this."

"Just wait like this?" Zhao Jinyu muttered.

"Just wait and see. I just don't understand what these damn Japanese devils are waiting for." Ma Jintao couldn't help but mutter.

“I guess I’m waiting for the wind.”

Wei Ran said uncertainly, "Wait for the wind to blow from their side to our side."

"Wait for the wind?"

Zhao Jinyu and Ma Jintao didn't react at first, but soon they both shuddered at the same time.

If we follow this line of thought, it is not difficult to predict that once the other party gains the upper hand, they will probably immediately launch a gas war.

"Then let's"

“Don’t panic”

Wei Ran waved his hands, "The Japs have no say in what kind of wind the sky blows. If they go against the wind, I think they might..." Before he could finish his words, a dusty signalman hurried over, saluted hastily and said, "Captain! The Japs have crossed the river six miles to the east!"

"what?!"

Wei Ran, Zhao Jinyu and Ma Jintao exclaimed in surprise. They immediately understood why the Japanese soldiers on the opposite side did not take any action!

"The Japs fired a lot of poison gas bombs!"

The signalman gritted his teeth and said, "Most of the regiment is trapped. Now the Japs have crossed the river and are pushing towards this side."

"What's the brigade commander's order?" Ma Jintao asked hurriedly.

"Organize the elite troops and launch a cavalry charge against the Japanese!" said the signalman, "Leave the lightly wounded to guard the trenches!"

"Yes!" Ma Jintao responded to the order without thinking, and blew the whistle without waiting for the signalman to leave.

"Lightly wounded, the kitchen team takes over the trenches!"

Ma Jintao said in a deep voice, "The rest of you, leave your gas masks and blankets behind and get on your horses!"

"Yes!"

The many cavalrymen in the trenches responded to this almost suicidal order without hesitation.

"Wei Ran, Zhao Jinyu, you stay here to command the position! And make more fire attack wine jars."

Ma Jintao continued to issue orders, "Also, be ready to fire poison gas bombs at any time. If necessary, fire poison gas bombs at us!"

"Yes!" Zhao Jinyu gritted his teeth and responded to the order.

"Captain, let me go with you."

Wei Ran did not accept the order, "I want to bring some poison gas bombs over there to give the devils a taste of what's new!"

Hearing this, Ma Jintao's eyes lit up, and before Zhao Jinyu could say anything, he said, "Leave the whole number, and take the small amount away!"

"Yes!"

Wei Ran responded happily, and without waiting for Zhao Jinyu to say anything, he picked up a grenade launcher, took four poison gas bombs, threw away his gas mask, and ran along the communication trench to the place where the war horses were hidden a few hundred meters away.

In the previous few days, they also dug trenches for the war horses.

These trenches are about three meters long and one meter wide. Outside the trenches, on the side facing the enemy, there is a one-meter-high earth wall that is well camouflaged.

Because of this, the battle in the morning did not affect this place. Even when Wei Ran found his biting horse, this stupid guy was sleeping with his head in the trough outside the trench.

Squatting down and patting the horse's butt, Wei Ran waited for the biting horse to wake up before leading it out. He then put the grenade launcher and the four poison gas bombs into the saddle bag, and then hung the two wine jars tied with cloth ropes on the saddle.

Without much delay, many cavalrymen mounted their horses and drew out their sabers from their bags.

"beep--!"

Accompanied by a long whistle, more than 200 cavalrymen, without gathering, followed Ma Jintao and began to charge.

At a distance of less than three kilometers, they saw from afar cavalrymen riding horses and charging towards the Japanese tanks and infantry.

"ignition!"

When Wei Ran saw Ma Jintao looking at him, he immediately gave the order on his behalf.

Before he finished speaking, many cavalrymen immediately stopped their horses, took out matches, and lit the oil-soaked rag and corn cob core that was blocking the mouth of one of the wine jars - just like lighting a torch that could explode.

"If I die, Wei Ran will be the acting leader!"

As Ma Jintao spoke, he lit a wine jar and weighed it in his hand, then shouted at the top of his voice, "Burn those iron bastards!"

"Burn! Burn! Burn!"

"Open the gate of heaven!"

  Following Ma Jintao's shout, many cavalrymen also shouted in unison, and the horses they were riding began to gallop at high speed as a conditioned reflex!

With the addition of this fresh force, the cavalrymen who were still charging in the distance were obviously energized. While waving their sabers to kill the enemy, they also began to shout!

On the bumpy horse's back, Wei Ran protected the burning rag with one hand, not even bothering to look at the cavalrymen around him who were mowed down by machine guns, and tried his best to close the distance between him and the tank.

In this short distance of less than one kilometer, some cavalrymen and their horses were shot to the ground, and the wine jars in their hands were broken and burst into flames.

However, these fires, which were particularly sticky because they were mixed with sand, gave great confidence and encouragement to the surviving cavalrymen around them, which in turn urged their horses to run faster.

Not only them, but even the cavalrymen who had been charging between the tanks before realized something. Some of them were so bloodthirsty that they actually used themselves and their horses to block the gun barrels and cannon barrels of the tanks to seize the opportunity!

Finally, as the cavalrymen around him fell to the ground one by one, Wei Ran finally ran to the side of a tank on his horse!

Before throwing the jar of wine in his hand, he first ignited another jar of wine, and then threw the first jar of wine onto the engine cooling grille of the tank!

"Snapped!"

With a crisp sound, the glazed coarse pottery wine jar shattered, and the fuel oil and the yellow sand mixed in it fell under the grille at the moment of ignition.

"Snapped!"

Before the flames could even start burning completely, Wei Ran had already smashed the second jar of wine in his hand onto another tank!

Amid the fierce burning fire, Wei Ran pulled out his box gun and fired a fan-shaped barrage of vengeance at the cavalry behind the tank!

"Da da da--!"

As soon as the intensive gunfire stopped, the box gun in Wei Ran's hand disappeared instantly, but his other hand had already been prepared and pulled out the box gun from his waist and continued to fire in a fan-like pattern.

After using up all the bullets in the two box guns, Wei Ran finally drew out his saber, leaned forward sideways, and killed a Japanese soldier with a swing of his saber.

"Boom! Boom!"

There were two loud bangs in succession, and the two Japanese tanks behind Wei Ran exploded because of those large Molotov cocktails.

Although they didn't know what critical location the fire had hit, it didn't stop Wei Ran from following Ma Jintao and turning around, circling back and fighting back.

At this point in the melee between the enemy and us, the Japs no longer dared to use poison gas bombs, otherwise they would definitely hurt the enemy by a thousand and lose a thousand of their own.

But just because the Japs don’t dare, doesn’t mean Wei Ran doesn’t dare!

"cover me!"

While Wei Ran was shouting at the top of his lungs, he had already poked the troublesome cavalry rifle into his saddlebag, and at the same time took out the grenade launcher and pulled out the four poison gas bombs wrapped in leather bags.

"Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!"

Ma Jintao immediately blew a short whistle, and the surrounding cavalry also gathered around following the whistle.

"The burning chariot!"

Wei Ran pointed the grenade launcher in his hand diagonally at a tank that had just exploded not far away.

"Kill them all!"

At Ma Jintao's command, the surrounding cavalrymen immediately sped up and rushed over, hacking and killing their way around the destroyed tank.

Wei Ran, who arrived almost at the same time, also slowed down his horse and then jumped directly from the horse's back onto the burning tank.

"Boom!"

Wei Ran directly placed the grenade launcher, which had been adjusted to the maximum range in advance, against the turret and pulled the trigger.

"Tom!"

With a slight sound, the first poison gas bomb flew straight towards the direction where the Japanese landed.

"Tum! Tum! Tum!"

Three poisonous grenades were fired in succession, but Wei Ran didn't even want to throw away the grenade launcher in his hand. He grabbed the biting horse that had just circled back and flipped it back onto the saddle.

As time went by, shrill screams were heard from the place where the Japanese had landed, and the Japanese who had already attacked seemed to panic as well.

  but

But it's not enough

Wei Ran sighed helplessly. After this round of fighting, they only had about a hundred people left, but many of the enemy's tanks were still able to move! According to this loss, they could only fight one more round at most before there would be no one left!

He was just thankful that Ma Jintao was not getting too excited at this time. He had already led the cavalry to charge to the flank.

But will he launch another charge?

  Wei Ran looked at the blood-stained saber in his hand. He had no doubt that Ma Jintao would organize them to charge again!

Under the protection of the cavalry soldiers who kept falling, this cavalry regiment with only more than a hundred people left finally temporarily broke away from the front line and returned to the edge of the battlefield again.

Fortunately, perhaps because of the poison gas bombs, the Japanese stopped advancing. Seeing this, the cavalry belonging to each regiment immediately began to retreat.

The only thing they could do at this time was to retreat - those Japanese soldiers who had stopped were about to open fire again!

(End of this chapter)