In mid-February 1938, in order to cooperate with its Jinpu Road operation, the Japanese army launched an attack on jinnan and western Jinxi from the railway lines of Pinghan, Tongpu and Daoqing with more than 30,000 troops. In order to suppress the Japanese army attacking the southern Jin, in March 1938, Liu Bocheng decided to besiege the city to help according to the law that "when the Japanese army is attacked in one place, other places must be rescued". The 769th Regiment attacked Licheng, and the 386th Brigade ambushed lucheng to help the enemy.
After accepting the task, Chen Geng, commander of the 386th Brigade, held a meeting of cadres at and above the regimental level at the brigade headquarters on March 15 to discuss where to set up an ambush. According to intelligence, the Number of Japanese troops in Lucheng increased to 3,000 at this time. Chen Geng said, "The steamed buns are big, we don't have enough troops, if we don't have a good place, this meal will not be delicious." ”
At the meeting, through the analysis of the situation, everyone's eyes were invariably focused on a place on the map: Shentou Ridge. There is a deep ditch there, the road passes just from the bottom of the ditch in Shentou Village, and the mountains on both sides are steep and easy to attack, which is very suitable for ambush warfare. Everyone looked at Chen Geng and waited for him to draw conclusions. Chen Geng, who had always been calm in his work, asked, "Which of you has ever been to ShentouLing?" Everyone shook their heads. Chen Geng smiled, "Aren't we talking on paper?" Eat on the Kuomintang map, we will be hungry. I think so, the meeting is here for the time being, let's look at the terrain, and then make a decision, okay? ”
When we arrived at Shentou Ridge, the scene in front of us made everyone stunned. The road is not at the bottom of the ditch in Shentou Village, but on a bare mountain beam several kilometers long. The width of the mountain beam is only one or two hundred meters. On both sides of the road, the terrain was slightly higher than the road, there was no concealment, and close to the side of the road, the trenches dug by the Kuomintang troops were left. On the north side of the mountain beam is a large ravine, and opposite the ditch is shenjia mountain. There are only a dozen or so households in Shentou Village in the western part of Shanliang. Such terrain is clearly not suitable for ambushes.
But Chen Geng quickly calmed down, and he repeatedly surveyed Shentou Ridge, letting several soldiers ambush in the old fortifications built on the side of the road, and observing on both sides of the road himself, seeing that hidden ambushes were difficult to find. So he waved his hand, smiled and said, "Go, go back and continue the discussion." The terrain is dead, people are alive, want to eat meat, or are they afraid that they will not find a place to kill pigs? ”
Back at the brigade headquarters, the meeting continued. Some people advocate fighting here, some advocate fighting there, and there is no result of all kinds of tongues. Chen Geng said, "I think this battle is still well fought at Shentou Ridge." ”
The crowd was stunned.
Chen Geng said: "Although the ambush at Shentou Ridge is not ideal, it can be unexpected. We ambushed our troops in abandoned trenches, which were difficult for the enemy to find. The mountain beams are narrow and not easy for both sides to unfold. I ask you: Who is in the interest of fighting on a single wooden bridge? ”
Xu Chenji, the leader of the 771st Regiment, smiled: "Of course, the first to attack takes advantage." ”
Chen Geng said: "Yes, as long as we suddenly make a move, the disadvantage will become advantageous." ”
Chen Geng also asked Ye Chenghuan, the commander of the 772nd Regiment: "If you put your 2nd battalion in Shenjiashan, can you rush to the highway in forty minutes?" ”
Ye Chenghuan said with great certainty: "Half an hour guarantee rushes in!" "The 772nd Regiment has always been known for its speed.
soon. The specific deployment of the ambush was out: the 771st Regiment was ambushed on the left side of the road, and the 1st Battalion of the 772nd Regiment was ambushed on the right side of the road. The supplementary regiment ambushed in the area opposite the shoe sole village, and the 3rd Battalion of the 772nd Regiment served as a guard in the direction of Lucheng and cut off the enemy's retreat.
In order to do a good job of concealment, avoid the Discovery of the Japanese Army, and achieve the purpose of surprise victory, Chen Geng ordered that all units should not dig the old soil in the trenches, and the grass that fell down must be supported by the wind.
The battle plan of the 386th Regiment was quickly approved by Liu Bocheng.
That night, the 386th Brigade secretly set up an ambush as planned.
At the same time, the battle to attack Licheng also began.
The Japanese troops in Licheng were suddenly attacked by the Eighth Route Army and hurried to the Japanese army in Lucheng for help.
Licheng is the transportation base for the Japanese army's grain and grass soldiers, the location is remote, the number of troops is small, and the Japanese army in Lucheng cannot help but save. At dawn on March 16, the Japanese army in Lucheng sent more than 1,500 troops to March to Licheng.
At this time, the ambush of the 386th Brigade was accidentally discovered. A diligent peasant in Shentou Village got up early to herd sheep, came to the back of the mountain, and was startled to see the Eighth Route Army full of ambushes on the hillside. Several warriors waved at the farmer and motioned for him to leave. The peasant understood that the Eighth Route Army might have a big move, and immediately walked away without a word.
At 8:30, when the Japanese army approached the village of Shentou, it suddenly stopped. A cavalry squad was then dispatched to search along a trail towards the ambush site of the 1st Battalion of the 772nd Regiment. Some warriors could clearly hear the sound of horses' hooves getting closer and closer. Seeing them approaching the roadside trench step by step, about to step on the head of the soldiers, everyone was a little nervous. However, the enemy only paid attention to the Shenjia Mountain in the distance, and did not pay attention to the fortifications under his feet that he was already accustomed to. Seeing that there was no movement on the other side of Shenjia Mountain, he instructed the brigade behind him to continue to advance.
When the Japanese army swung into the ambush circle of the Eighth Route Army, Chen Geng gave an order, and the three regiments of the 386th Brigade attacked the Japanese army from three sides, hundreds of grenades exploded at the feet of the devils, and in an instant, the calm mountain beam turned into a volcano. The warriors jumped up from the fortifications and the grass, rushed into the enemy group, slashed and killed, and suddenly beat the enemy to the head.
However, this reinforcement of the Japanese army was well-equipped and extremely effective, especially it included the elite troops of the Japanese 16th Division. Despite being in a desperate situation, it is still trapped in the beast.
Compared with the Japanese army, the Eighth Route Army's weapons and equipment were extremely poor, and the supplementary regiment of the 386th Brigade had three newly formed companies, and the new soldiers were almost all armed with red guns. But the soldiers of the Eighth Route Army were brave and tenacious, and they were not afraid of sacrifice. Deng Shisong, commander of the 8th Company of the 772nd Regiment, was seriously injured in the head and chest, and still fought with the devils, and threw a grenade before falling. A soldier of the 1st Battalion of the 772nd Regiment was wounded, and he bandaged the wound with a towel, stabbed six devils to death in one breath, and inserted a bayonet into the stomach of the devils before dying. Because most of the areas were close-quarters hand-to-hand combat, the soldiers of the supplementary regiment just used the red tassel guns to fight the Japanese.
More than 300 Japanese troops fled to the village of Shentou, occupying houses and cave dwellings for reinforcements. Chen Geng saw this situation and promptly dispatched 7 companies and 1 platoon of the 772 regiment that could fight a hard battle, asking them to take back the Village of Shentou at all costs. A platoon of more than 20 people, led by the platoon leader, rushed to drive hundreds of Japanese troops out of the village and kill more than 10 people at the cost of 5 casualties.
The battle began at dawn and ended at 4 p.m. that day, annihilating more than 1,500 Japanese troops, capturing more than 550 long and short guns, more than 600 mules and horses, and a large number of other military supplies. Our army only paid the price of more than 240 casualties.
The Shentouling ambush battle, because of its meticulous deployment, good at concealment, timely attack, close combat annihilation of the enemy, and quick battle and quick decision, became the work of General Chen Geng.