In late April 1940, Tan Zhenlin, who had served as the deputy commander of the third detachment of the New Fourth Army, was instructed by his superiors to take 50 cadres of the New Fourth Army to the southern region of Jiangsu and began to carry out a new task - to form the East Road Headquarters of the Jiangnan Anti-Japanese Volunteer Army (also known as the "Jiangsu Resistance Force").
This means that the Anti-Japanese Struggle of the New Fourth Army has developed an important new force. As the commander and political commissar of this unit, Tan Zhenlin presided over the overall situation for the creation of the anti-Japanese guerrilla base area on the East Road.
On April 25, Tan Zhenlin was holding an important meeting with cadres at all levels when he suddenly heard a rushing sound outside the door.
Immediately afterward, a cadre ran into the house and reported to Tan Zhenlin and others: "More than a hundred puppet troops originally stationed in the area of Beixinzha suddenly attacked the area around Guijia City and Wu City, and have now arrived at the Beigang Temple Belt. What measures should we take, please instruct the chief! ”
Tan Zhenlin understood that this enemy was not good, and they were most likely coming to the headquarters. For the newly reorganized troops, it is urgent to fight a victorious battle to boost the morale of the whole army and make a good start for the anti-Japanese resistance on the eastern road.
Although the enemy suddenly attacked, our side was not fully prepared, but fortunately, the number of this puppet army was not too large, and there was still a distance from here, and it was certain that it would crush them.
Thinking of this, Tan Zhenlin immediately made a decision and decided to send a capable general to direct the battle.
He looked at the many cadres present, and finally set his eyes on the first detachment leader, Dekelin, and said to him: "You come to command the battle and teach this enemy a lesson!" ”
"Yes, resolutely complete the task!" Daiklin Hollyn stood up and said emphatically.
Interestingly, in order not to leak the news, the cadres at that time came to the meeting in civilian clothes. Wearing a top hat and a long robe, Deklin did not look like the detachment leader of the New Fourth Army at all, but rather like a businessman.
Commanding a war cannot be sloppy in the slightest, so Dekelin immediately considered two practical problems: First, if he dressed himself up to direct the battle in this way, would it make the cadres and fighters feel awkward, or even disobey the command? Second, he didn't have any weapons in his hands.
The first question was not difficult to solve, And Tan Zhenlin gave him a reassuring pill - "Soldiers are fast, it doesn't matter what they dress, you immediately go to command, I guarantee that no one will not listen to you!" ”
The second question was also easy to deal with, and deputy commander He Kexi did not know from whom to get a shell gun and a bullet, and handed it to Decklin.
Dykelin, who was in danger, no longer had the slightest concern, and immediately hurried to the local armed garrison of the Xinjiang Anti-Japanese Forces.
As soon as he got there, he said to the two captains, "I was sent by Commander Tan, and I will command this battle!" ”
Although Decklin was still wearing a top hat on his head, his robe had not been changed, and the two captains did not know Decklin, they still carried out the order without compromise.
Although the time was short and the task was urgent, Deklin fully demonstrated the talent of the commander and made proper arrangements for the battle.
Not long after they had set up their positions, they saw the enemy swooping down the road in the distance.
Deklin repeatedly frightened the cadres and fighters, brought the enemy closer and then fought, and did not hear his orders and must not shoot.
Immediately afterward, Deklin asked the soldiers to place a Czech light machine gun at the forefront of the position, and he personally operated it.
The enemy was getting closer, but Deklin remained still holding his breath, lying on the edge of the trench without moving.
It wasn't until the enemy was thirty meters away from the position that Decklin issued an attack order: "Fight! ”
Almost at the same time as he spoke, the light machine gun in his hand also sounded, shooting a string of bullets at the enemy.
The cadres and fighters who had been waiting for a long time also opened fire on all kinds of weapons in their hands, and they struck head-on blows and hit the enemy blindfolded.
More than a dozen puppet soldiers were killed on the spot, and many were wounded, screaming and rolling on the road, and the rest of the enemy saw that the situation was not good, and they took refuge on both sides of the road.
After a while, the enemy launched a counterattack under the command of a leader, but could not resist the fire of the New Fourth Army at all, and was beaten to the point of being beaten.
However, the situation changed again, a group of Japanese troops in the Area of Hupu were passing nearby, they heard the gunshots and immediately rushed to reinforce the puppet army, they fought desperately with mortars and other weapons, and fought inextricably with the New Fourth Army commanded by Dekelin.
Under such circumstances, Decklin sent several small troops to encircle the enemy from the flank, and finally at dark, with the support of the two detachments, all the Japanese puppet troops were repelled.
In this way, the new Jiangkang East Road Headquarters was out of danger and protected from the enemy's poisonous hands.
After the battle, Decklin rushed back to headquarters. As soon as he got there, Tan Zhenlin smiled and said, "The meeting has just finished, and you have also returned from the battle." In the future, the detachments will disperse their actions, and now I will entrust you with a new task to lead a detachment in the anti-Japanese struggle! ”
In this way, Declin took off his robe, took off his top hat, and officially took office.
Later, Decklin became an excellent commander of our army, and was awarded the rank of colonel in 1955 and promoted to the rank of major general in 1964.