It's better to conquer them than to command the steel torrent

Chapter 276 | British Composure

Meanwhile, in the middle of the marching column, where the division headquarters was located.

Shang Ke had already gotten out of the car, put on a raincoat, and was gazing northeast.

In the distance, the dark night sky was flashing with faint light, clearly indicating that fierce fighting was taking place on the outer perimeter of Cleveland's suburbs, about 20 or 30 kilometers away.

Zhang Anyuan clicked his tongue in amazement: "It looks like the fighting is really fierce. The Cleveland command probably has two or three enemy divisions on the south side."

"Any updates on the armored forces?" Shank tugged at his raincoat; a lot of rainwater had slipped in through the seams, making him very uncomfortable.

"The number of tanks is unclear. The latest intelligence comes from aerial reconnaissance the day before yesterday, which estimates it to be around two hundred."

"I have a bad feeling. Hudson is a bit too far ahead, so it's not an ideal assembly point. In that case, our division will stop east of Medina and set off under the cover of night."

"Okay!"

Shang Ke then asked, "How's the reconnaissance battalion doing? Get back to them as soon as possible."

Just as Shang Ke was talking with the division staff, the communications staff officer and a female civilian captain rushed over.

"Report!" The former, his face wet with rain, reported anxiously and excitedly: "The first company of the reconnaissance battalion has engaged the enemy, about three or four hundred men, without heavy weapons, and we don't know anything else."

A moment later, more specific details came back.

When Mr. Shang learned that the vanguard had already eliminated hundreds of enemies, he found it very strange.

Damn it! Wasn't Akron supposed to have US military checkpoints and several guard posts? How did it become the enemy?
He thought to himself that it was fortunate he hadn't trusted the Americans.

"Order! All units to deploy immediately! The 22nd Mechanized Infantry Regiment and the Artillery Regiment are to move to the west flank as quickly as possible and establish a circular defensive position! The 23rd Mechanized Infantry Regiment is to reinforce Akron immediately after deployment!"

After a moment's consideration, he quickly issued instructions and then personally led the chemical defense company to the front line.

There were only a few directly subordinate units, and the closest ones that could be set off immediately were the military police company and the chemical defense company. Without much thought, Mr. Shang led the latter straight to the front line.

Since the advance troops' fighting against the enemy in Akron town was basically limited to light weapons, and they were so easily defeated, it was probably just an infantry unit that had not yet established a foothold.

At 3:30 a.m., as they approached, the reconnaissance battalion provided more detailed information about the battle results, and Shang learned that these hundreds of enemy soldiers belonged to the motor transport battalion of the 12th Motorized Infantry Division of Imperial Russia.

The reconnaissance battalion's sudden and fierce attack caught the enemy completely off guard. Unable to mount an effective resistance, they quickly collapsed.

In the chaos, the officers and soldiers of the company killed or wounded fifty or sixty people, captured more than twenty people, destroyed or captured more than forty trucks loaded with supplies, and the remaining enemy forces also scattered to the north.

When Shang Ke led the chemical defense company to the scene in a hurry, the traces of the battle on the ground had not been completely washed away by the rain. The soldiers did not have time to move the corpses at the moment, as the blood flowing from the corpses had already seeped into the soil.

Several officers from the reconnaissance battalion were discussing something next to a truck when they saw him arrive and immediately turned around and saluted.

"The division commander has arrived!"

Shank glanced around and asked, "What's the result of the interrogation? When did this place (Akron) fall into enemy hands? How did this 12th Division supply corps end up here?"

The captain shook his head and said, "I still don't understand. These people are from the logistics unit. They know nothing when asked. They only arrived recently, just after midnight."

"Where is the main force of the 12th Division?"

“The prisoners confessed that the main force was following the tank formation and advancing northward.”

Shank had already figured most of it out; the prisoners' confessions only solidified his assessment. Clearly, the enemy was attacking Cleveland from multiple directions simultaneously, while the American troops in Akron had long since fled—or perhaps been wiped out—but in any case, the 8th Mechanized Infantry Division hadn't been notified in time.

Just then, a corporal arrived on a motorcycle and shouted from a distance, "Something's up! I can hear it! An enemy tank platoon is approaching on the eastern highway!"

Um?what's the situation?
The enemy's armored and motorized infantry units should have already advanced to within ten kilometers.

The captain asked in surprise, "Aren't the enemy's tank units supposed to be the vanguard? Where did these come from?"

Armored reconnaissance battalion commander Xu Dong was very anxious and urged, "Division commander, we can't worry about that now, shall we set up an ambush?"

"What do you think?" Shang Ke smiled slightly.

"Huh?" Xu Dong was taken aback.

"Is that even a question? Of course we'll fight!"

"understand!"

But as the armored force approached the town, the rows of tanks stopped.

The commander of a tank opened the hatch, raised the signal gun, and a flare shot into the night sky.

The flares were dazzling, and the raindrops falling from the sky reflected the brilliance, creating a beautiful scene.

"It's a pity we can't set up an ambush. Never mind, let's prepare to take them down head-on!"

Without hesitation, Shang Ke adjusted his deployment, determined to annihilate the enemy in front of him in one fell swoop.

He guessed that the armored unit had become suspicious after hearing the gunfire from the previous exchange of fire, or that fleeing Imperial Russian soldiers had encountered them and informed them of the situation.

Holding binoculars, he ran into a building and looked closely. He saw that the tanks were different from Russian tanks; their slender, small-caliber tank guns and the rivets on their external structures were full of British style.

Matilda? So many Matildas!
Shank didn't have time to figure out why Matilda's infantry and tank units were here.

As the armored reconnaissance battalion and chemical protection company were rapidly moving into their prepared positions from two directions, the tanks were also spreading out from their long, single-file lines to the sides.

Shang Ke turned to Han Qingye, the female civilian captain who had come with him, and said, "Pass on my order: have the 23rd Mechanized Infantry Regiment move quickly and enter the city immediately. Also, have the division's tank battalion come with them!"

Suddenly, a series of gunshots rang out, the rapid-fire gunfire as intense as during the Lunar New Year!
The unexpected battle thus began.

There's not much to say; on the ever-changing battlefield, life and death are determined solely by guns and cannons.

Both sides were aware of each other's existence, but the British army had no idea who their opponent would be.

"Lieutenant Colonel! A large number of enemy armored vehicles! There may be ten or twenty!"

"Don't be nervous, it's just an armored vehicle. Aim and fire, take out those Americans."

Lieutenant Colonel Evans sat calmly inside one of the Matildas, directing the squadrons to disperse and engage in battle.

According to previous reports, a small number of US troops were stationed in the town of Akron, but they hastily withdrew as Imperial Russian forces approached.

Logically speaking, the town is currently under the control of the Imperial Russian forces, and it seems that a supply depot has been set up there. This town is also the temporary destination of Lieutenant Colonel Evans's troops.

(End of this chapter)