It is not so much that the night attack on Motianling attracted retaliation, but that the Zeng detachment made the Japanese army overwhelmed, and then sent troops to "crusade" many times.
The Zeng Detachment, the third guerrilla detachment of the 1st Division, was a mobile force that reconnoitred and harassed the Japanese army in peacetime and cooperated with the main force in wartime. In August 1939, the roster of regiment-level cadres of the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Military Region recorded: detachment leader Zeng Yongya, political commissar Zhan Daokui.
Zhan Daokui was later transferred to the 26th Regiment. During the battle of Loess Ridge, "we deployed Zhan Daokui, the commander of the 26th Regiment, and Shang Ying, the political commissar, and Ma Hui, the commander of the 34th Regiment, and Huang Lianqiu, the political commissar, to lead their troops to suppress the enemies in Yixian, Mancheng, and Xushui. (Memoirs, People's Liberation Army Publishing House, 2007 edition.) The same hereinafter).
According to the statistics of the first division on October 2 of this year, there were 706 people in the Zeng detachment and 483 guns of various kinds, accounting for 68%+ of personnel, which was the unit with the highest proportion of guns in the first division.
According to the military region's 1939 "Diary in the Battle", on June 16, the Zeng detachment advanced from Futuyu to Wujianfang, about 10 miles south of Jianling, to take over the defense of the 2nd Battalion of the 12th Brigade, and the next day the 2nd Battalion of the 12th Brigade moved to the direction of the military town of Tang County.
Insert Arrow Ridge is located at the west foot of Baishi Mountain in the south of Laiyuan, is an important pass on the Inner Great Wall, along the Great Wall to the east is Baishikou, to the west is Dushan City, to the south there is a north-south flow of Wumen River, along the river valley south through Wujianfang, Jiaochang Village, Wumenzi can reach Zoumayi Town.
By the way, the map of that year shows that the old Zoumayi Town is south of the present-day Zoumayi Town, at the confluence of the Wumen River and the Tang River.
Coincidentally, four days before the change of guard of the Zeng detachment, the 11th Division of the Laiyuan Japanese Army occupied the Jianling Ridge and began to build fortifications and strongholds for a long time. On June 12, the "Work Diary" of the Military District Operations Section recorded:
The Laiyuan enemy has attempted to occupy the Arrow Ridge and urgently repair the fortifications, and has made a battalion of the 12th Brigade resolutely attack it tonight. ”
In the "Diary in the Battle" of the military region, the Zeng detachment left a lot of pen and ink.
On June 25, more than 250 Japanese troops from Jianjian Ridge attacked Wujianfang in three ways along the east and west high mountains and the middle ditch.
On July 1, more than 300 Japanese troops from Jianjian Ridge and Xiabeitou (now Baishishan Town) moved south along the western foot of Baishishan Mountain and along the valley of a tributary of the Tang River, and made contact with the Zeng detachment stationed in Jiaochang Village. At the same time, more than 300 Japanese troops from Laiyuan entered the three-way pass and the upper ** through Baishikou, and one went south along the eastern foot of Baishi Mountain, approaching Yansu Cliff.
Here's your chance. The big road from Laiyuan to the south forks in Zhaizi Village, like a personal character, passes through Baishikou and Jianjian Ridge on the Great Wall line respectively, and goes south from the east and west sides of Baishi Mountain, leading to Yinfang and Horse Station.
Figure 04-1 Survey Office of the National ** Jicha Political Affairs Committee, 1936 plate, 1 drawing in 50,000.
At that time, the main force of the 1st Division was in Yi County in the east, and the main force of the 3rd Division was in Tang County in the south.
At this time, the military region judged that the Japanese army was trying to move south to Yinfang, and was determined to destroy the eastern road.
** The commander ordered at 9 a.m. on the same day:
Ji Tingxie, the commander of the third regiment, led two battalions to set off from Yi County in the east and march westward, heading towards Yinfang and Zhangjiafen; Tang Zi'an, the commander of the 2nd Regiment, led two battalions from Tang County in the south to the north and marched towards Yinfang; Battalion Commander Liu of the cavalry battalion led two companies from Shunping County in the southeast to the north and also marched towards Yinfang.
At the same time, the Zeng detachment was ordered to "be on guard at the Arrow Ridge, and the other was on guard against the Yinfang on the **, and with.
The second and third regiments and the cavalry battalion cut off the contact". (Military Region's "Diary in the Battle").
This is actually a pull rehearsal before the battle of Yansu Cliff.
Who knew that the Japanese army turned back halfway, the Japanese army on the west road and the Zeng detachment retreated north after a day of exchange of fire, and the Japanese army on the east road also returned to Laiyuan at two o'clock in the morning on the 2nd after arriving at Zhangjiafen through Yansu Cliff, and the Eighth Route Army was empty.
On July 26, more than 500 Japanese troops in Laiyuan braved the heavy rain and once again went south through the arrow south, and occupied Jiaochang Village after fighting with Zeng's detachment. The next day, the Japanese army continued to brave the rain to move south, occupying the Zoumayi at 8 o'clock, and the Zeng detachment "went around to Wumenzi with the strength of three companies to attack the enemy's flank and rear", and at 12 o'clock, the Japanese army retreated to the arrow ridge, and the Zeng detachment regained the Zoumayi.
On 20 August, the 2nd Brigade of the Japanese Army stationed in Mongolia took over the 11th Division and was stationed in Laiyuan
The enemy of Laiyuan has changed its defense, there are more than 1,000 enemies in the city now, there are more than 130 enemies in the arrow ridge, there are more than 130 enemies in the north stone Buddha, and there are more than 30 enemies in the lower north head. ”
At the end of August, a brigade of the Zeng detachment was ordered to go to the Wuhui Ridge in Yi County, and Zeng Yongya led the main force of the detachment to be stationed north of Zoumayi.
On September 8, a platoon of the Zeng detachment attacked and harassed Jianjian Ridge, and the Japanese army "fired machine guns and artillery indiscriminately" and tossed all night.
On October 10, the Japanese army released its "1939 Third Phase of the Public Security and Rectification Plan", and the southern mountainous area of Laiyuan, where the detachment was stationed, became the target of the key "crusade".
On October 18th, the troops of the second independent mixed group stationed in Laiyuan were divided into three routes, and they would attack the Zeng detachment in the area of Mayi, and its left route would reach Yinfang at Baishikou and Zhangjiafen. Then detour west to the Horse Walk.
On October 19, on the day of the night attack on Motianling by the northward detachment of the 1st Division, more than 800 Japanese troops from all walks of life occupied the Zoumayi, and the Zeng detachment withdrew south to the vicinity of Daomaguan in Tang County.
The opportunity to destroy the enemy has reappeared!
On the same day, the 1st Sub-district sent a telegram to the military region requesting instructions from the "Ten Thousand Urgents."
According to the information of all parties, more than 800 enemies who entered the Zoumayi and Yinfang gathered at the Zoumayi camp on the 19th. It is estimated that the enemy is most likely to retreat to Jianjian Ridge tomorrow (20), then stay there, and then carry out guerrilla attacks in the vicinity. In order to destroy and combat the task of the enemy, we opinion:
Two battalions of the 1st Regiment, 2 battalions of the 3rd Regiment, all of the 2nd Regiment, one battalion of the 358th Brigade, and the Zeng Detachment (lacking one brigade) participated in the battle. The deployment is ...... as follows”
The Zhaituo and Coal Bucket Shops on the map of that year are the Zhaitou and Ink Bucket Shops in Yixian County today.
In the telegram requesting instructions from the first division, it was specifically mentioned that the division "cooperated with the operation of the first regiment and was under the command of the commander of the first regiment." Half a month later, in the battle of Loess Ridge, the artillery company of the 1st Division was again ordered to go out under the command of the head of the 1st Regiment.
After receiving the telegram, the military region quickly formulated operational arrangements and issued a letter to all units at 2 a.m. on the 20th, resolving to "annihilate this enemy in the Zoumayi area." ”
The specific deployment is:
The main forces of the 1st and 3rd Regiments, the 2nd Regiment, the Zeng Detachment, and a battalion of the 715th Regiment of the 12th Division entered the northeast, southeast, southwest, and northwest of Zoumayi at 10 o'clock on the same day, and began to carry out the main attack at 18:30 "at dusk" that night in order to concentrate and annihilate the enemy. ”
All corps are under the command of Yang and Gao Commanders, and if they need to unify the contact symbols during night battles, they will be uniformly implemented by Yang. ”
In the message, "Yang" refers to Yang Chengwu, commander of the 1st Division, and "Gao" refers to Gao Peng, deputy commander.
After the various parts of the Eighth Route Army arrived at the designated position, they learned that the Japanese army had already retreated. The "Diary in the Battle" of the Military Region recorded:
On the morning of the 20th, the enemy who had occupied the Horse Post retreated through the teaching ground, and after our army had formed an encirclement situation, it was reported at 14 o'clock that the enemy had retreated (but it was not yet clarified), and it was not until dusk that it was correctly learned that the Horse Post was invincible. ”
Although it is said that it is the second rehearsal of the coordinated operation of various units before the battle of Yansu Cliff, there is no road in vain in the world.
On October 24, the Japanese army took the opportunity of changing the defense from Laiyuan and Lingqiu to carry out a "crusade" against the 715th Regiment stationed in Lingqiu Shangzhai and Xiaguan.
On the 27th, the military region ordered "all the Zeng detachments (1b) of the Chengzi and Zoumayi in the north and south of the city to march from the spot to the Jingzihui and Shangzhai in Buckwheat Chaxiang, cut off the enemy's transportation, and cooperate with the 715th Regiment in the battle." ”
B is the abbreviation of the battalion, the gray fort is now the water fort, and the buckwheat cha is now the buckwheat stubble.
Military districts at the same time ordered:
The 2nd Regiment of the 3rd Division set out from Chuanli Town, Tang County, and "arrived at Zoumayi before 12 o'clock tomorrow (28) to take over the defense of Zeng's detachment." The main force of the regiment was located on the line of Zoumayi and Wumenzi, and a battalion was sent to cut contact with the Zeng detachment near Gaojiatai to prevent the enemy from making a detour from the flank, and a small part was sent out to the west and south of the Jianling to carry out reconnaissance activities. ”
Three regiments and one regiment are still on standby (three regiments are in Yinfang, and one regiment is in Loess Ridge and Sigezhuang). ”
On October 29, the Japanese army in Laiyuan camped at Shuibao on the way back, "Zeng's detachment gave the enemy a night attack and killed and wounded one enemy. (Military Region's "Diary in the Battle").
On October 30, the 1st Division telegraphed to the Military Region:
The enemy who met from Laiyuan and Lingqiu in Shangzhai retreated to the gray fort and has now returned to Laiyuan. 1r will still return to the line of Yuangang and Sanggang tomorrow, because there are relatively few houses in the current station, and it is not suitable for long-term residence. ”
1R is a regiment, and R is the abbreviation of regiment.
On October 31, the 1st Division reported to the Military Region: "The enemy in Gray Fort has retreated, the Zeng detachment is still back to the north and south of the city, the area of Zoumayi, and assembles at Jianjian Ridge, the 2nd Regiment returns to Chuanli Town, and the 3rd Regiment is still paying attention to liaison in Yinfang. ”
Looking at the "Diary in the Battle" of the Military Region, the Zeng Detachment was the unit with the most frequent combat operations in the first division during this period, and it was also an independent existence.
In fact, from August 20, when the Mongolian army took over Laiyuan, to the end of October, the Eighth Route Army, which fought with it many times, was the only unit of the Zeng detachment, which may have been when Abe formulated the "crusade" plan, but the Zeng detachment of several hundred people became one of the main targets.
There is a detail: Yinfang originally did not have the Eighth Route Army garrison, this time the third regiment was temporarily stationed in Yinfang to standby, and the second regiment went to the horse post to temporarily replace the Zeng detachment, which were all on the map of the enemy situation of the Mongolian army at the end of October.
Figure 04-2 Map of the enemy situation of the troops stationed in Mongolia on October 31, 1939.
During these days, the Japanese army went south to Yinfang twice, and the Eighth Route Army transferred troops to encircle and annihilate twice, although they did not hit, but the sky lived up to its wishes, and it was only three things, and it was finally rewarded.