"Mr. Muting, this time you will personally command the first battle of our 54th Division's landing on Borneo. Don't be afraid of sacrifice! No matter how much you pay, you must win this battle!" Lieutenant General Akiyama Yoshidori looked serious Said.
"Hi, Your Excellency, Division Commander!" Major General Tomoki Muting, commander of the 54th Infantry Regiment, replied.
Lieutenant General Akiyama Yoshidori nodded with satisfaction: "All the wings are landing, and we must speed up. We are running out of time. Before dawn tomorrow morning, we must break through the German defense line."
"Please rest assured, Commander, we will definitely break through the German defense!" Major General Tomoki Muting replied firmly, as if he was very confident.
This time, the 54th Division of the Japanese Army went all out. Not only the three main infantry regiments under the 54th Infantry Regiment were all involved in this battle. Even the other troops of the 54th Division also participated in the battle. It can be said that all the troops that the entire 54th Division can use have been used. It can be seen that Lieutenant General Akiyama Yoshidori is going to put all his eggs in one basket.
At the same time, the second-line troops of the 2nd Division of the Japanese Army are also making an emergency landing. With the four main infantry regiments all suffering heavy losses, Lieutenant General Yoshimoto Teiichi could only desperately invest all the second-line troops. If you can't break through the German defense line this time, even if you can save a certain amount of troops, it will be completely meaningless.
Time passed little by little, and the island army was preparing for a large-scale night attack.
Similarly, the German 225th Infantry Division also realized the critical situation. The division commander, Major General Eric Benson, knew very well that if a breakthrough could not be achieved during daytime operations, the Japanese army could only choose other methods. There is no doubt that night has become the only way. No need to think about it, a fierce battle will break out tonight.
Major General Eric Benson knew that the troops were very tired after a day of fierce fighting. But he still issued an order requiring the frontline troops to be ready to resist the attack of the islanders. At the same time, orders were also issued to the second-line troops such as the divisional reconnaissance battalion, engineer battalion, and supply battalion, requiring them to be ready to reinforce the front line at any time. Once the battle on the front line is urgent, these troops have to be thrown into the battle as reinforcements. It can be foreseen that the battle tonight will be very tragic, and the casualties of the troops will also be very large. However, Major General Eric Benson has no other choice, except to evacuate Xiana Port now and let the islanders land easily. Otherwise, he can only bite the bullet and carry on.
"General, the heavy artillery brigade has arrived. We have received fire support from three heavy artillery battalions. They have already begun to build positions." Brigadier General Michael reported.
"Very well, let the people of the Heavy Artillery Brigade get ready. Once the islanders launch an attack at night, we will have to rely on them to launch an attack and let the islanders taste our power." Major General Eric Benson said.
The arrival of the heavy artillery brigade is undoubtedly good news for them. The 210mm heavy howitzer is very powerful. As soon as the shot goes down, a huge crater will appear on the beach. A fragile human body can only be torn to pieces in the face of such powerful power.
On the sea, landing craft are going back and forth between the beach and the transport ship. In the absence of seizing the port of Xiana Port, the island army can only rely on this method to transport troops to the beach. It's a little less efficient, but it's safe. Because under the night, the German artillery did not fire. When the accuracy cannot be guaranteed, it is just a waste of shells to fire rashly.
"How are the preparations of the 2nd Division and the 54th Division? When can we launch an offensive?" Lieutenant General Shozo Sakurai, commander of the 28th Army of the Japanese Army, was a little anxious. Although he has not rested for a day and a night, he is still holding on.
"Your Excellency, Commander, the 2nd Division and the 54th Division are mobilizing troops. Especially the 54th Division, all troops have to land on the beach first. Therefore, relatively speaking, it will take more time." Hao Panhao Major General Xiong reported.
"Let them speed up as soon as possible, otherwise, there may be accidents." Lieutenant General Sakurai Shozo said with a frown.
Major General Yanpan Haoxiong nodded, and quickly sent someone to inform the 2nd Division and the 54th Division.
In order to speed up, some transport ships and merchant ships even sailed directly to a place not far from the beach, which would save a lot of time.
It was not until ten o'clock in the evening that the main force of the 54th Division of the Japanese Army did not go ashore. And also only troops with light weapons went ashore, and those heavy weapons remained on the transport ship.
At this time, Lieutenant General Sakurai Shozo no longer had the patience to wait any longer. He ordered the 2nd Division and the 54th Division to attack immediately.
Lieutenant General Yoshimoto Sadaichi and Akiyama Yoshidori had to carry out the order.
The remaining main force of more than 12,000 people in the 2nd Division, together with the main force of more than 15,000 people in the 54th Division, officially launched an offensive.
Such a large-scale attack, it is almost impossible to keep it secret. After all, so many people landed with great fanfare, as long as the German Army is not a fool, it will not be ignorant.
It was also at this time that the German army responded immediately.
"Whoo! Whoo! Whoo!"
One after another, flares were launched into the sky, dispelling the darkness. The entire beach was illuminated by the dazzling white light of the flares as if it were daytime. Even the gravel on the beach is clearly visible.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Immediately afterwards, shells shot down from the sky. All the cannons of the German 225th Infantry Division started shelling at this moment. Howitzers and field guns, as well as infantry guns, mortars and grenadiers, were all added. And they all fired at the maximum rate of fire, which made the island army participating in the attack realize what it means to be raining bullets.
The shells exploded on the beach, leaving craters one by one. The shrapnel shot in all directions harvested the lives of officers and soldiers of the Japanese army. Countless army officers and soldiers of the island country were torn to pieces at this moment.
The heavy howitzer unit, which had just arrived on the battlefield, also participated in the battle. Thirty-six 210mm heavy howitzers poured shells on the beach at a rate of fire of two rounds per minute.
"Boom! Boom!"
The shells of the 210mm heavy howitzer are amazingly powerful, and they can often empty a piece of them with one shot. The islanders within the killing radius were almost all torn to pieces. Even the islanders in the core position have been bombed to pieces.