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The Fox of France - Chapter 465
🕑 Added 2024-04-04 05:40:57 +0000 UTCChapter 465: Railway Sabotage Battle
About three hundred independent soldiers casually strolled past Magid and their sentry post. Everyone in the post came outside, their hands empty, showing a simple and honest smile to the independent soldiers passing by them.
The soldiers didn't spare a glance at this bunch of dark-skinned dogs, continuing their silent march past them. They knew, despite the harmless appearance of these dark-skinned dogs now, there had been times when they caused more trouble to the common people than even the British devils. Their current docility was solely because the revolutionary people now had guns in their hands.
"If the people don't have shotguns in their hands, they're ferocious wolves; once we pick up shotguns, they all become lapdogs. Thus, without the people's army, the people have nothing!" Watching the security forces displaying a begging attitude, many soldiers couldn't help but recall this phrase they learned during political studies.
However, now was not the time for sentimentality; there was a combat mission ahead.
The independent soldiers kept moving past the "security forces'" sentry post without stopping. Only a few individuals left the ranks and approached the security forces standing there.
The sentry post commander, Roy, recognized the approaching figure as Edward, the local squad leader.
"Captain! What brings you here today?" Commander Roy hurried forward, bowing and scraping.
"You see that?" Edward gestured towards the troops passing by.
"Yes, yes." Roy didn't understand Edward's implication, but according to his experience with dealing with the British, it was best to agree first.
"What do you mean, 'yes'? What are you agreeing to?" Edward said, "Do you even know what's required?"
"I don't know, don't want to know, dare not know." Roy hurriedly replied. Such matters were not to be known casually. Knowing too much could only lead to trouble.
"I won't hide it from you; we have an important military operation. We're worried that once we leave, you'll immediately inform the Brits..." Edward said.
"Captain, how could that be? I'm Irish too. Don't judge me by this dark coat I wear; in my heart, I'm truly Irish. How could we do something so heartless? Right, lads?"
The other "security forces" soldiers naturally agreed, expressing their support for Irish independence as true Irishmen.
"Captain, you know, we've dealt with each other not just once or twice. Could you really not trust me? When have I ever deceived you?"
"Cut the crap, I just don't trust you. The gunpowder you gave me last time was all wrong! So, today, my brothers and I will keep an eye on you. Don't go anywhere; just stay here. Once the fighting starts, we'll naturally let you go," Edward stated.
"That's it? That's nothing. Let's all just sit here; we won't cause any trouble," Roy told his soldiers. Then turning back to Edward, he said, "Captain, about that gunpowder, it really wasn't me who shorted you. How could I dare? It was the damn Brits who gave us the defective goods. I can't be blamed for that. But Captain, I can't let you suffer a loss either. Next month, I'll give you two more guns; how about we call it even then?"
As the independent soldiers continued their march, the railway line soon appeared before them. Along the railway line, about a hundred meters on each side, were wire fences enclosing minefields. At intervals, there were forts. These forts were relatively simple, their main purpose being to delay the independent soldiers' attack, buying time for reinforcements to arrive.
As for reinforcements, the fastest response naturally came from armored trains. Generally, as long as the British soldiers in the forts could hold off the Irish for half an hour, British armored trains could arrive. Each armored train was equipped with four cannons and could carry over three hundred infantrymen. In most cases, this was sufficient to turn the tide of battle.
Once the independent soldiers were spotted by the British in the bunkers, they quickly called the nearest station, requesting immediate deployment of an armored train for support.
The independent soldiers immediately formed up to prepare for the assault. They first launched smoke grenades towards the British bunkers with grenade launchers to obstruct their view. Meanwhile, combat engineers, under the cover of the smoke, quickly used explosive charges to destroy the wire fences.
The British grenade launchers responded. Although the smoke affected their aiming, the British had already gridded this area and conducted test firings. Besides this bunker, the British had one or two hidden observation points further away on the other side of the railway, allowing them to pinpoint the independent soldiers' location and conduct blind firing with their grenade launchers. Thus, despite the smoke causing some interference, the British fire remained quite effective.
As a result, the grenade launchers took down eight
or nine independent soldiers. However, the limited power of the grenade launchers couldn't suppress the independent soldiers.
After the wire fences were destroyed, the independent soldiers launched mine-clearing rockets, quickly clearing a path through the minefield—a significant advancement in their weaponry since the French had forcefully opened a path with their ships.
By this time, the five cannons had also completed their firing preparations. These cannons had a significantly longer range than the grenade launchers, and their penetrating and destructive power against targets like bunkers were also notably superior to recoilless guns. So, as they began firing, the British bunkers were immediately suppressed.
The independent soldiers took this opportunity to charge forward, and then, the British in the bunkers raised a stick with a white shirt tied to it, signaling surrender.
After taking the bunkers, they began dismantling the railway tracks—a task with many uses for the materials. Meanwhile, the artillerymen started to replace the barrels of two cannons and pulled them back a bit further, camouflaging them with leaves. At this moment, a black smoke column rose in the distance—that was the British armored train approaching.
"Comrades, don't worry, that thing might look intimidating, but it can't withstand our cannons. If we don't teach them a lesson, they'll really think they can fight us. Remember, once the train slows down, Gun 1 and Gun 2 target the engine, the other cannons will use armor-piercing shells on the troop carriages."
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