章節 15: Tear Gas and Mortars
Bruno and his company of riflemen would continue on with their patrol for the rest of the day. Coming across several other Boxer rebels on their route. It was becoming increasingly clear that the Boxers were acting out of desperation.
The overwhelming majority of their movement had been thoroughly obliterated in the early days of the conflict. What remained were a fraction of their initial numbers, many of which had resorted to banditry and brigandry in order to stay alive.
Rumors of contact with the Boxer rebels spread like wildfire across the military base upon Bruno's return. It was a rare occurrence, after all, there weren't many of them left, and their remaining cells were spread across the Northern Chinese countryside. Hiding where they could, and taking from the locals whenever possible.
To the men on the base it was surprising that Bruno's company had multiple incidents with the Boxer rebels, wiping them out to the last man in every encounter. While sustaining limited casualties. Under Bruno's watch, not a single man beneath his command had met an end. Albeit, some had been inflicted with minor wounds.
It had only been a month or so since the occupation began, and already things were progressing smoothly on Bruno's end. He proved very quickly to have a mind for counter insurgency.
Having learned how to think like an insurgent in his experiences within Afghanistan. Bruno was uniquely in a position to anticipate when and where the Boxers would strike, and how they would do so.
The battalion commander began relying more and more on Bruno's inputs, as his company alone appeared to having the most contact with the enemy. After weeks of conflict, things started to settle down. As less and less Boxers remained active participants in fighting against the foreign occupation.
Currently, Bruno was in a room that one might consider being the "officer's club" on base. It was a common gathering place for commissioned officers, whether to discuss the war effort, or to simply have a smoke and a beer.
Either way, Bruno refused to partake of alcohol while deployed. Believing, even if he was located within the safety of the base, that there was always a danger present. And it was the fact that he was the only one completely sober in this discussion, which caused several of his peers within the battalion to make fun of him.
"Every day we gather here to drink, smoke, and talk about the operations, and every day you refuse to do so, Captain von Zehntner. I'm starting to think you must be some kind of religious fanatic… Are you sure you don't want a beer?"
Bruno was leaning against the wall in the back of the room, watching the other officers entertain themselves with nicotine and alcohol. He himself was in the act of smoking a cigarette when he responded to the Captain's remarks.
"On the contrary, I am the direct opposite of a religious zealot. In fact, I am quite open about my lack of faith. But even so, it is an objective truth that partaking of substances that dull the senses is incredibly unwise while you are in the middle of an active Warzone.
You never know when the base could come under attack, and what would happen if that occurred while the Officers in charge were all intoxicated? My sobriety is a matter of professionalism, not morality. Which is something that you would know very little about Captain Mueller…."
Bruno had been on the receiving end of Captain Mueller's harassment ever since he was freed from his cell. The man was one of those officers who was investigated for war crimes. And while Captain Mueller had been cleared of any potential wrongdoing. Bruno understood that the man was most definitely aware of what was happening and looked the other way the entire time.
Combine that with the envy towards Bruno for the repeated successes in the field which culminated in gaining the ear of the Battalion commander, and it was no wonder why several of the other captains treated him with hostility.
The moment Bruno accused Captain Mueller of lacking professionalism he rose to his feet, clearly antagonized by the remarks, as well as slightly buzzed. Just enough that his judgement had been affected by it.
However, before the may could properly aggress towards Bruno the Battalion commander raised his voice. Having just entered the room to witness what was happening.
"Captain Mueller, stand down!"
The captain looked over at the Lieutentant Colonel who called out to him and immediately felt himself sober up. It became abundantly clear as he was chewed out by the Battalion commander that Bruno had laid a trap for him. Making sure that he would make a fool of himself just in time for the Lieutentant Colonel to witness it.
After being forced to sit down and remain silent, Captain Mueller glared daggers at Bruno, who continued to smoke with a smug smile on his face. It was not until the Lieutentant Colonel began speaking about their upcoming operations that Bruno put out his cigarette and joined the other captains at the table.
"Alright, for starters, I would like to commend Captain von Zehntner for his excellent display of gallantry in the field. His company alone has the lion's share of kills, composing of 82% of all rebels killed in battle by this battalion.
Now the reason I have gathered you all here is to announce our next punitive expedition. To put it simply, because of our Battalions' repeated clashes with the enemy, they have now effectively been driven into a corner. With the losses they have sustained over the last few weeks, they are bound to be gathering in a single location.
And Thanks to input from Captain von Zehntner towards suspected areas of Boxer activity, our scouts have surveyed the region and found the last stronghold of which the remaining Boxers are hiding within.
Captain von Zehntner, due to the your company's achievements on the battlefield so far, I will be granting you the honor of being in the Vanguard as we assault the enemy fortifications. You will be supported by the Battalion's attached artillery battery, who will bombard the Boxer's position prior to your assault.
You will also be supported by Captain Mueller, and Captain Bauer's companies who will be shortly behind you in the initial assault. If you have any questions or concerns for me, now is the time to voice them…"
Bruno remained silent as he looked at the map that was sprawled out in front of him. As he expected, the remaining boxers in the region had holed up at the top of Mount Cangyan within the Taihang Mountain Range.
More specifically, they were likely using the Fortune Celebration Temple, which was built into the cliff side as a base of operations. This was an incredibly difficult position to assault for multiple reasons.
To successfully eliminate the hostiles, one would need their forces to climb a single stone staircase up 360 steps to get to the summit. Where the only way into the facility was via a stone arch bridge spanning across a narrow gorge. This bridge also acted as a support for the entire temple complex.
Sure, they would be supported by artillery, but that had the potential to create catastrophic problems for them all. Assuming the 75mm Field Guns even reached the base of the summit and were positioned in a way that could successfully strike the temple. There was a very real possibility of an avalanche.
Having arrived in September, and spent the last two months in China, it was now winter, and such a strike on a narrow cliff side could bring the entire mountain's worth of snow down on themselves with the amount of explosives they would be lobbing at it.
When he thought about all of these potential consequences that had a high potential of becoming reality, Bruno was quick to voice opposition to the plan. Even if it meant taking a much greater risk.
"With all due respect, sir, the enemy fortifications are located on a cliff side, which is directly beneath a steep incline. If we launched an artillery strike in such a location, the potential for causing an avalanche is high. Higher than is worth taking such a risk.
Besides, sir, the artillery battery attached to our battalion is equipped with field guns, not mountain guns. How exactly do you propose we haul those things up 1,000m worth of elevation? The flaws with this plan are myriad, and the risks to our own troops are even greater."
The Battalion commander had not thought through these matters. It was true that getting their field guns up the mountains would be a difficult task. And Bruno was right. They could bring down an avalanche on top of themselves if they tried to launch a strike on the enemy fortifications.
But without artillery support, his men would quite literally be engaging in a frontal assault, as there was only one way to advance into the enemy position. The casualties would certainly be great if this happened.
Because of this, he found himself at an impasse and was quick to ask Bruno how he thought they should best proceed, considering the fact that Bruno was the one who had clearly poked the holes in his strategy.
"You may have a point Captain. But if we do not support the operation with artillery before the assault, then there will be mass casualties, as you and your men will be walking right into a fortified position. So if you have any better ideas on how to proceed, please enlighten me."
Bruno indeed had a much better idea of how to handle the situation. However, it would require sending a message to his father, as well as the need to wait long enough for his prototypes to be manufactured, tested, and then shipped off to China from the fatherland.
Because of this, he was quick to make this request, as he knew they were not in an urgent need to press forward, and that this was the best way to minimize casualties.
"Lieutentant Colonel, if I may be so bold. I have a plan that could effectively solve the flaws with our current strategy. However, you should be aware, this plan requires substantial preparations. Not only will I need to get in contact with the fatherland, but I will also need a month or two for the goods to be transported to our base.
If you can promise to hold off the assault until these preparations are made, and simply encircle the enemy position in the meantime so that they cannot escape. I can guarantee you minimal casualties, while also assuring utter annihilation of the enemy."
The Lieutentant Colonel was intrigued by this promise that Bruno had given him. Like Bruno had suspected, he was quick to grant approval, as the lives of his men were more important than a swift victory against the rebels and their last stronghold in the region.
"So long as you keep your word, I will grant you approval to contact whoever you need to speak to in the fatherland. However, be aware, if this operation of yours results in a failure, or more casualties than are to be expected I will hold you responsible for it!"
Bruno immediately saluted the Lieutentant Colonel, responding in the affirmative as he did so.
"Thank you, sir!"
After saying this, Bruno was granted permission to send a telegraph back home. Where he contacted his father, giving him the chemical formula for CS gas. Or more commonly referred to as Tear Gas. While also creating the means for its deployment via the use of lightweight 80mm mortars.
Lightweight mortars were an invention of the first world war. In the year 1900, mortars were generally very large bore artillery pieces that required the same means of transportation as howitzers and field guns. They simply fired at a different arc hence why they were called mortars.
What Bruno had sent his father via telegram was a detailed account on how to manufacture a lightweight 80mm mortar that could be carried and operated on the move by a small team of men. It was a revolutionary concept for the year he was in.
And had the potential to change the nature of warfare as the world currently knew it. That was assuming, of course, anyone other than the Germans learned about this device and how to copy it.
The mortar he designed was based on the ones used by German Paratroopers in WW2. In his past life, it was known as the kz 8 cm GrW 42. The weapon weighed 26.5kgs or 58.4lbs and could be broken down into three pieces for ease of transportation.
As for the chemical formula of CS gas, that would normally not be invented until the 1920s. And at this time, there was no outright ban on the use of chemical warfare. Even though the first of the Hague Conventions was signed a year prior.
Because of this, there were no moral qualms using Tear Gas to smoke the Boxer Rebels out of the temple, and into the open where they could be fired on while in a temporarily disabled state.
This also gave Bruno the ability to display his vast knowledge of mechanical engineering and chemistry for the first time since reincarnating in this world. Knowledge which he had gained in both his past life and his current one.
Bruno's father responded, affirming that he would begin the production of the 8cm Lightweight Mortars immediately, and would use his powers as a member of the Committee for Land Army and Fortifications to approve emergency deployment of the device once it had been tested briefly for functionality and safety.
It would be a month or two before the prototype weapon was shipped off to China, and in the meantime the Battalion which Bruno served in would encircle the enemy at Mount Cangyan while waiting for their revolutionary new weapon to arrive.
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