Arc of Gunfire

Chapter 453 Raid on Moha (Update 6/81)

August 27, 1915, Abawahan Suburban Airport, 2330 hours.

Lieutenant Colonel Richard, deputy commander of the 1st Parachute Division Task Force, looked at the time and said to Colonel Charlie, the commander of the task force: "If the decision to attack is made, it's time to board the plane now, otherwise it will be dawn when you land, and there will be serious casualties when you land."

Colonel Charlie looked outside: "They are waiting for the reconnaissance plane to send back the weather report."

Lieutenant Colonel Richard: "We have received training for parachuting in bad weather. If it doesn't work, the plane can land directly at the airport instead of parachuting. We have discussed this possibility."

Just as Colonel Charlie was about to answer, the phone rang suddenly.

The colonel rushed to the phone and picked up the receiver: "First Paratrooper Division!"

Colonel Benjamin's voice came from the receiver: "Rokosov asked you, if the plane landed directly, are you sure to take the airport?"

"Yes!" Colonel Charlie answered decisively, "We have practiced this situation. So the weather in the target area is bad, right?"

"The clouds are relatively low, we can land, but we are not sure if we can parachute."

"Tell the general that we must complete the mission and capture the airport completely."

In addition to cutting off the enemy's air support, another important goal of capturing the airport is to prevent the enemy from destroying the airport, so that the Free Carolingian Air Force and the Ant Air Force can use the airport to provide air support to the expeditionary force.

Although Barras's air force combat effectiveness is not good, Barras's ground forces probably can't stop the attack of the Ant Army, but it is safer to have air support.

After getting Colonel Charlie's guarantee, Colonel Benjamin seemed to be talking to someone, using the Ant language.

After a moment, Colonel Benjamin said, "Let's go, Colonel Charlie, good luck."

"Yes!" Colonel Charlie stood at attention, and after the other party hung up, he threw the receiver on the phone and said excitedly, "Let's go! The first battle is coming!"

Yes, this is the first actual combat since the establishment of the First Parachute Division. Charlie and his team are responsible for accumulating experience for the more important Torch Operation a few months later.

Lieutenant Colonel Richard asked, "Is it a parachute drop? Or will the transport plane land directly at the airport?"

"The transport plane will land directly at the airport. I hope those Ante pilots who fly transport planes are not bragging to us."

Lieutenant Colonel Richard shrugged, "Even if it's bragging, just give them some vodka. After drinking vodka, they dare to land on Emperor Plosson's bed!"

Colonel Charlie laughed, took his hat and ran outside, shouting as he ran, "Board the plane! Everyone, board the plane! Adopt Plan B! Plan B!"

————

August 28, D-Day, 0010 in the morning, Abavakhan Port

Wang Zhong heard the engine sound in the sky, so he looked up and saw the navigation lights of the transport plane flying across the sky like a group of fireflies.

"The paratroopers are leaving." He said.

Pavlov; "Good luck to them. Good luck to all of us."

"It shouldn't be a problem." Wang Zhong muttered, retracted his gaze, and continued to walk towards the cargo ship carrying the expeditionary force headquarters.

The 393rd Marine Infantry Brigade and the first batch of landing troops had already set off the day before, and the expeditionary force headquarters and the second batch of troops were boarding the ship now.

Wang Zhong climbed up the gangway to the deck of the cargo ship and saw Popov vomiting, so he said, "Why are you vomiting after such a little shaking?"

The inland sea is actually a larger lake, and the waves are far less than those of the real ocean. People like Wang Zhong will not get seasick at all.

Popov took out a handkerchief and wiped his mouth gently: "People's physiques cannot be generalized. It seems that I will never be able to serve as a ship's chief in the navy in this life."

Wang Zhong: "Why don't you lie down for a while, it will be better. The ship hasn't started yet, and you will be in even more trouble when it starts."

At this time, Pavlov also came up. When he saw Popov's condition, he frowned: "Are you starting to feel dizzy now?"

Popov: "The general has just said this once, please change the word."

Pavlov really thought for a few seconds and said: "Do you want to drink some vodka?"

No, seasickness can also be treated with vodka, right?

Popov: "Go to hell! But maybe some vodka will be better."

No, I think you are just craving vodka!

Pavlov took out a flat wine bottle from his pocket, unscrewed the lid and handed it to Popov.

The moment Wang Zhong opened the lid, he smelled a strong smell of vodka, and teased: "This is the first time I know you carry wine with you."

Pavlov: "It's normal for the Ante people to carry a bottle of wine with them. Come on, brother, drink it, and you won't be able to tell whether it's the ship that's shaking or you."

Popov took the flat wine pot, tilted his head and gulped down all the wine in it.

"Thank you, I feel much better now." He said.

Is it really useful!

Wang Zhong decided not to complain about these, so he got straight to business: "When can the command center start operating?"

"The radio station will start operating as soon as it is set up," Pavlov said, "It only takes a few minutes. But you can't command anything now, right? The airborne troops have already set off, can you still call a halt?"

Wang Zhong shook his head: "No."

————

At 03:30 in the morning of the 28th, the Ante army landed on the sea 23 kilometers north of Mokha.

Commodore Alomeev raised his head immediately when he heard the sound of the engine, but the thick clouds prevented him from seeing anything.

At this time, many naval infantrymen who heard the sound came out of the cabin and looked at the sky.

"Damn, I can't see anything."

Aromeyev shouted: "Okay! Stop looking! The airborne troops will complete their mission! Now you hurry up and write your will. You can still sleep for a while!"

As soon as the voice fell, the sailors ran out of the cabin and began to operate the crane on the deck.

Aromeyev grabbed a sailor and asked: "What's wrong? Have you started to change the landing craft?"

"No, we will put the landing craft down first, and then it will be your turn! Don't worry!" The crew patted Aromeyev on the shoulder after saying that - probably because he didn't see that he was a brigadier general.

Aromeyev didn't care, but shouted to the naval infantrymen: "Okay, don't stop the crew from putting the boat down, leave the side of the ship!"

————

United Kingdom 1st Parachute Division Task Force, lead aircraft

Colonel Charlie stuck his head into the cabin: "How is it, can we land?"

The captain said in the Ansa language with a strong Ant accent: "Of course, we haven't torn our faces with Baras yet, so I just called them, they will turn on the lights to help us land!"

Colonel Charlie: "Really?"

"Yes, so when we land, we must first occupy the lighting control and make sure that the lights are on at the airport. There is still an hour before dawn, and we need lights." The captain said.

Just as Colonel Charlie was about to answer, he saw the co-pilot fiddling with the PPSh, so he asked: "Why fiddling with the PPSh?"

The captain: "We have nothing else to do after landing, and other planes are going to land, and we can't use the runway, so we will go down to provide you with some fire support."

After the captain finished speaking, the co-pilot pulled the bolt handle open and loaded the PPSh.

Colonel Charlie was embarrassed: "It's enough for you to protect yourself, we can solve it."

"Are you sure?" The captain asked, looking very reluctant to get a positive answer from Colonel Charlie.

The colonel nodded: "I'm sure we don't need help."

The captain and the co-pilot looked very disappointed.

At this time, the alarm clock on the co-pilot's side rang.

Colonel Charlie's eyes widened, watching the co-pilot take out a clockwork alarm clock from under the seat, press the stop button, and the ringing stopped abruptly. Then the co-pilot said to the captain: "It's time to descend."

The captain gently pushed the joystick, and the plane dived down and drilled into the clouds.

After more than ten seconds, the clouds were suddenly left behind, and everything became clear. Even Colonel Charlie saw the lights of the airport.

Colonel Charlie: "Oh my God, this trick actually works. Is it your idea?"

The captain shook his head: "No, how could I think of this? This was suggested by General Rokossov. He is our expert in deceiving the enemy!"

While speaking, the landing gear of the plane hit the runway of the airport hard, and the whole plane shook violently, as if it would disintegrate directly in the next moment.

Colonel Charlie had to hold the armrest above the cockpit door tightly.

The turbulence finally ended, and the pilot Ante directly hit the joystick, and the plane slid diagonally.

"The enemy didn't react!" he shouted, "Let your people get off quickly, otherwise the enemy will react and start shooting, and the plane's shell can't stop the heavy machine gun!"

Colonel Charlie turned around, kicked the cabin door open, and shouted to his subordinates: "Hurry! Just like in training! Remember to cushion the landing, let's go!"

The corporal sitting by the door held down his beret, threw down his equipment first, and jumped down with a Sten submachine gun and portable ammunition.

Colonel Charlie didn't even look at the people who jumped down, and continued to urge: "Hurry up!"

Until this time, there was no gunfire outside.

After the fifth soldier jumped, the pilot shouted: "Don't jump, the enemy didn't find anything unusual at all. I'll slide directly to the command tower, you go down and occupy it!"

Charlie grabbed the soldier who was about to jump down: "Wait a minute, it seems that the situation has changed."

At this time, a soldier leaned on the cabin window and shouted: "Look, the No. 2 plane has also landed, and the enemy didn't find anything wrong at all!"

At this time, the speed of the command plane had dropped very low and was slowly sliding towards the airport control tower.

The two guards finally felt something was wrong and began to shout over here.

Colonel Charlie made a prompt decision and jumped down first with a pistol in his hand. After a roll on the ground, he stood up and strode towards the sentry post.

The slow-gliding plane followed him, and paratroopers kept jumping out of the open hatch.

The two guards had never seen such a posture before, and they were stunned. They watched Colonel Charlie walk up to them, and they didn't even want to load the machine gun on the sentry post.

Colonel Charlie: "We are the United Kingdom Instructor Corps, and we are here to provide you with training."

Guard A: "Uh, we haven't heard of any instructors coming from the United Kingdom."

Guard B: "We have retired instructors from Proson here, will they fight?"

At this time, two United Kingdom paratroopers suddenly appeared, with submachine guns pointed at the hearts of the two men.

"Don't talk! You won't be killed if you surrender your guns!" The paratrooper shouted in poor Balas - obviously he learned this from the manual he was given before.