Battlefield of All Sides

Chapter 254 Stick to Welbomont
"Verbermont?"

Li Mu took the order document stamped with Commander James M Gavin in the opponent's hand, and immediately asked the signal soldier on the other side to take out the map.

As soon as the item is in hand, the system has already blessed Li Mu with various matching abilities. Li Mu estimated the approximate location on the map, and frowned when he saw a red mark on the tactical map.

"Is there an oil depot there?"

Li Mu said with a slight change in his expression, and the communications soldier immediately followed suit.

"Yes, Major. At present, there are remnants of the 28th Division guarding there, but we have received information that the German [-]st Armored Division has appeared not far away, and it is estimated that they will arrive there soon."

At this time, the officers of several companies also gathered around, looking at the signs on the map and frowning one by one.

"This place is too open. The oil depot was originally built to consolidate the frontline battle, but once it falls into the hands of the enemy, and it is still in the hands of mechanized troops..."

"That's when the cat caught the mouse. With the mechanized troops of the German army, our retreat will be cut off quickly. The northern part of the salient will be completely penetrated, and we will be quickly cut."

A middle-aged officer with chestnut hair said so, but immediately focused his attention on Li Mu.

"Major Mark, how do you decide?"

Li Mu thought about this place that he was not familiar with. In the Battle of the Bulge, the 101st Division performed brilliantly in this battle, and Encyclopedia mostly used them as report materials. As for what exactly did the 82nd Division do? Contribution, what Li Mu can remember now is that the 82nd Division killed the German 91st Division during the Normandy landing, opening a gap for the Allied forces.

But the Battle of Normandy has already passed!

Several officers looked at the silent Li Mu, and they were a little apprehensive, even ready to move.

"Let the soldiers prepare, march quickly at night, and be sure to reach the defensive position tomorrow morning."

Li Mu put away the map, said to several officers, and then said firmly.

"I know what you think. The oil depot must be guarded, but it cannot be blown up unless it is absolutely necessary."

"Major, are you sure? With such a large oil depot, our C Battalion has only more than 500 people, and we are facing armored forces. We have no chance of winning."

"Yes Major, we can't even reach the basic ammunition supply."

"I don't care about these, whether you steal or rob, and replenish the supplies by yourself, as for the oil depot, you must guard it."

Li Mu only left this sentence, and then called Captain Gavin to report the order decision, leaving several officers looking at each other in blank dismay.

Some of them didn't understand why this officer from West Point Military Academy who had always been a well-behaved officer made such an uncharacteristic decision today.

But military orders cannot be disobeyed. Although they complained, they had to bite the bullet and carry out the orders.

As for Li Mu at this moment, he had just reported his plan to the group leader Gavin.

"Major Mark, you think this position will benefit our armored advance later, but you're taking a risk."

"Yes, sir, the oil depot is of great importance. This location is very critical. Once we organize a counterattack, this place will be able to exert the greatest effect, and we will fight back in a short period of time, and even speed up our advance."

Li Mu spoke loudly with the microphone of the walkie-talkie, while Captain Gavin on the other end was silent for a moment, as if he had made a decision.

"Major Mark, I agree with your idea, but you must remember that the position must not be lost. Once it is lost, the oil depot must not be left."

"Get through this Christmas and I'm sure something will change."

"Yes, sir." Li Mu said loudly, and hung up the phone.

The C Battalion of the 505th Regiment ushered in another arduous march on the European battlefield. In front of them were tall birch trees and fir forests, and scattered snowflakes were falling in the sky. What was more serious than these was the bone-chilling coldness of the night. , Penetrating through the single clothes, straight to the bone marrow, each soldier's nose was red from the cold, shoulders were raised, and every skin was hidden under the thin clothes.

Li Mu was also marching in the queue, followed by a jeep, which was originally assigned to Li Mu, but the open-top jeep, galloping in such a winter, would only make people shiver even more.

Li Mu's troops marched towards Verbomont step by step, and in that direction, at this moment, the sound of artillery was rumbling.

The German offensive was very sudden and swift. Almost all the planes roaring in the sky were German planes, and there were also some planes with rumbling noises.

Li Mu, who has seen jet planes before, naturally knows that this is the first generation of jet planes developed by Germany, but when these American soldiers heard such a sound in the sky, they wondered whether it was the sound of a Stuka bomber or not. It's because of what's been added that makes the difference.

The German attack was very effective. At least for the time being, the Allied forces' front line, which had been advancing steadily, was torn open by the Germans, and even gradually torn apart.

"Major Mark, what will our A company do then?" At this time, Memphis, the commander of A company, came to Li Mu. The two looked at each other. Li Mu asked the orderly next to him for a map.

Memphis turned on the flashlight in a tacit understanding, and Li Mu opened the map, then locked on the location of Welbomont and pointed at a ridge on the topographic map.

"This side is guarded by you. Dig deep trenches and arrange foxholes in front. The German mechanized troops will bypass the foot of the mountain. Your purpose is to attract firepower and hold them back."

Memphis looked at the topographic map above, his expression was a little dignified, but he nodded.

"I'll collect all the bazookas in the battalion for you, but don't use them sparingly." Li Mu knew what Memphis was thinking. That ridge couldn't build a reverse slope position. As long as he opened fire, he was almost completely exposed to the opponent's firepower. attacking.

But that ridge is the highest place in the entire Welbeaumont, with a wide view, and it is also the last shelter of Welbeaumont.

Once the opponent bypasses the ridge and crosses to the plain field, Verbomont will have no shelter, and the only thing waiting is to be destroyed.

"Major, rest assured, we have seen a more difficult combat environment than this in Normandy, and we will not be timid."

Memphis said categorically at the moment, Li Mu nodded and told them to speed up and arrive first.

On the other hand, Li Mu continued to call several company commanders to assign his other tasks.

Verbomont is about to usher in a defensive battle, but no one knows what the outcome of this defensive battle will be.

Because the Allied forces have never experienced such a shortage of supplies since they landed in Normandy, and there is even no way to do a good job of in-depth defense.

For several kilometers, only Li Mu's battalion was defending. Even if they could call for help, they might be broken through by the fierce German armored forces in the waiting time.

Li Mu can only bet that the German army has not received the news of the oil depot in Verbeaumont, betting that the German army is trapped by the dense forest, so that his troops can reach the location first and build a defensive position.

After assigning the tasks one by one, Li Mu took off his white command gloves, breathed out on his hands, rubbed them hard, and then touched his waist, trying to find a water bottle to drink.

But apart from the combat uniform and combat vest on his body, there is no water bottle in it.

Li Mu was thinking about how to drink water, the orderly next to him handed Li Mu a water bottle, Li Mu reached out to take it, opened it and was about to take a sip, but stopped and sniffed it.

"Is there wine?" Li Mu asked the orderly with some doubts, and the orderly nodded in a daze.

Li Mu immediately took another kettle from his waist and handed it back to him.

"From now on, the kettle will only hold water." Li Mu opened the lid and took a sip of water, then continued, "Give this jug of wine to the medical soldiers, I think they will be more useful."

The orderly holding the wine jug looked at Li Mu who was walking forward in confusion, thinking that he filled the jug of wine every morning according to the major's request, why suddenly he didn't drink it anymore ?

……

(End of this chapter)