Xu Shiyou is a tiger general under Xu Xiangqian, and Xu Xiangqian loves him. In his memoirs, Xu Xiangqian mentions Xu Shiyou many times.
Because, at the critical moment when Xu Qianqian was in danger, Xu Shiyou carried the girder for him three times.
The first time Xu Shiyou carried a beam for Xu Qianqian was in 1932.
At that time, the Red Fourth Front was forced to withdraw from the revolutionary base area of Eyu and Anhui and began a arduous western expedition. The enemy chased after and intercepted in a vain attempt to completely annihilate the Red Fourth Front. Once, the Red Army arrived in the Area of Xinji in Zaoyang. The key position of Aconitum had been preemptively occupied by the enemy army, posing a serious threat to the Red Army. Xu Xiangqian rode to the Red 34 Regiment and said to the regimental commander Xu Shiyou: "The Wutouguan position has a bearing on the overall safety and security, and it must be resolutely retaken." ”
Xu Shiyou said, "I understand, I can't retake the position, I'll see you!" After saying that, he drew his large knife and led a battalion to rush up. After a bloody battle, he finally recaptured the Aconitum Temple, stood firm, repelled the enemy's counterattack many times, and ensured the safety of the main force of the Red Army.
For this reason, Xu Shiyou also paid a great price, sacrificing two company commanders.
The second time Xu Shiyou carried the girder was in 1932.
Once, when the Red Army marched to Manchuan Pass on the border between Hubei and Shaanxi, the enemy Yang Hucheng had already blocked the pass with heavy troops, blocking the Red Army's way to the west, while the enemy Huzong's south caught up with it again, and the Red Fourth Front army was about to be surrounded by the enemy in a canyon.
The enemy was outnumbered and the terrain was treacherous, and the Red Army was once again in an extremely dangerous situation.
At this critical juncture of life and death, Xu Qianqian came to the 34th Regiment and said to Xu Shiyou: "You go and open a passage at the junction of the two brigades of the enemy's 44th Division at The Northern Pass to ensure the passage of the whole army." ”
Before Xu Shiyou could agree, Xu Xiangqian said: "Comrade Shiyou, the safety of the whole army is the only thing to do, we must seize the yakou at all costs, we can only succeed, we cannot fail!"
Xu Shiyou replied, "As long as the 34th Regiment can't fight hard, it will definitely kill a bloody road for the whole army!" ”
Xu Shiyou led the whole regiment to meet the rainstorm of bullets, bravely rushing towards the yakou, the front fell, and the back rushed up. Holding a large knife, Xu Shiyou rushed up to the pass with the regimental guard company, and then the machine gun company and the 3rd Battalion also rushed up.
The enemy's encirclement was finally torn open by Xu Shiyou with a bloody opening.
Xu Xiangqian personally commanded the troops to pass quickly. The enemy frantically wanted to re-close the gap, but could not resist the counterattack of Xu Shiyou's Red 34 Regiment, and the main force of the Red Fourth Front passed through the pass and got rid of the danger.
Decades later, Xu Xiangqian talked about this experience and still shuddered:
"The breakthrough of Manchuan Pass is a battle that has a bearing on the life and death of our army. Xu Shiyou's regiment made great contributions, and the 219th regiment also played well. Fortunately, the enemy had just arrived, the encirclement was not tight enough, and our army was determined to act decisively, acted quickly, and used the night breakout to work, otherwise the consequences would be unimaginable. ”
Xu Shiyou carried the girder for the third time in 1934 during the Battle of Wanyuan.
This was the decisive battle of the Red Army's Sichuan-Shaanxi anti-six-way siege commanded by Xu Qianqian.
Xu Shiyou, then deputy commander of the Red 9th Army and commander of the 25th Division, led his troops to defend the main position of Damian Mountain. The Sichuan army rushed out to launch the 4th general offensive. Xu Xiangqian commanded the Red Army to resist step by step, and had already retreated to the point where he could no longer retreat. Under the cover of artillery, the enemy launched a wave charge on the large side, charging five or six times a day. From time to time, the forward positions of the Red Army were broken, and the battalion death squads and regimental reserves were put into battle.
At the crucial moment of the fierce battle, Xu Qianqian personally visited Damian Mountain and told Xu Shiyou: "Damian Mountain is the enemy's main direction of attack and a key position on the whole front, and it must be defended. If you can't hold on, you'll lose everything. ”
Xu Shiyou said resolutely: "With me invincible, with the enemy without me, with our 25th Division present, the enemy will never think about Damian Mountain!"
As a result, Xu Shiyou fought fiercely with the strong enemy for dozens of days, and he frustrate the multiple onslaughtes of Liu Xiang's main force of tens of thousands of people and stubbornly held the position.
After the war, Xu Xiangqian said happily: "Xu Shiyou has carried a big beam for us, and he is a rare fierce general!" ”