A few minutes later, Colonel Lister was led by Andri through a maze of turns to the telegraph room in the cellar.
Lelouch was still wearing his headphones, completely absorbed in sending and receiving telegrams. The endless dit-dit-dah-dah filled the room, and he did not notice anyone come in at all.
His fingers pressed the key at tremendous speed, so fast they almost left afterimages. The tiny arcs from the relay switching on and off at high frequency filled the room with a peculiar burnt, acrid smell.
The air around the relay contacts was repeatedly ionized, producing ozone and nitrogen oxides; these then combined with the oxidized copper dust rubbed off by friction, forming that distinct scent of electrical sparks.
Lister had served as a regimental commander for many years and often dealt with the regiment headquarters’ radio station. From the strength of that smell alone, he knew the signalman before him was highly skilled and had been working under intense, sustained load.
He stood there quietly observing for a few seconds. Andri wanted to step forward and call Lelouch to attention, but Lister stopped him. “No hurry. Let him finish sending.”
But Andri had no time to waste here. The 16th Regiment had just completed a forced march and was still gasping for breath, unable to enter battle immediately. For the moment, they still had to rely on Andri’s troops to hold out a little longer.
He could only lower his voice pragmatically and say, “Then take your time, sir. I’ll go command the battle first.”
Lister nodded.
About two minutes later, Lelouch finished sending the final round of warning messages, stopped, and rubbed his wrist. Only then did Lister interrupt him loudly:
“No need to send any more warnings. The flood has already reached everywhere.”
Only then did Lelouch realize someone was at the door. He hurriedly stood up, confirmed they were friendly troops, then let out a breath and saluted. “Sorry, sir. The gunfire and cannon fire were too loud. I didn’t hear your footsteps.”
Lister walked up to him and patted the collar of his uniform. “Lelouch Hunt? You really are a corporal? How old are you? How long have you been in the army?”
Lelouch clicked the heels of his boots together again. “I was born in ’92. I just graduated from university this July. I’ve been in the army for three and a half months.”
He roughly recounted his service record. Throughout it, Lister kept curiously looking him up and down.
Too young. It was hard to imagine that such decisive countermeasures had actually been made by a fresh graduate.
After listening, Lister praised him straightforwardly. “Whoever classified you as a technical NCO when you enlisted truly wasted your talents. But that is already in the past. You saved my regiment. I will report this upward.
“I heard your platoon leader was killed in action? Then from this moment on, you may temporarily command that communications platoon with the rank of sergeant major.”
Lelouch was still not very familiar with promotion regulations, and could not help being somewhat surprised. “You can promote me just by saying it verbally like this?”
Lister patted him on the shoulder and laughed teasingly. “A recruit is a recruit. You haven’t even memorized the Empire’s promotion regulations?
“NCO evaluations can be decided by the regiment headquarters to which one belongs;
“Lieutenant-grade promotions are decided by the division headquarters to which one belongs;
“Field officer promotions are decided by the army group command to which one belongs;
“General officer promotions are submitted by the Supreme Command for His Majesty the Emperor’s sacred judgment.
“If you were an NCO in our regiment, I wouldn’t even need to file the paperwork. I could decide it directly. Unfortunately, you aren’t, so I still have to add a filing procedure afterward.”
As the colonel spoke, he secretly observed Lelouch’s expression.
Unfortunately, he did not see even the slightest trace of excitement on Lelouch’s face.
“A promotion… What does a mere sergeant major amount to? Aren’t I still trapped inside the encirclement? Still, after being promoted, at least I won’t have to moonlight as infantry anymore. That’s better than nothing, and it raises my odds of survival a little,” Lelouch could not help thinking to himself.
In the colonel’s eyes, however, this expression made him appreciate the boy even more. He felt that this youth remained unmoved by favor or disgrace, and was indeed someone capable of great things.
The colonel even felt a little embarrassed, thinking he had given too little, unworthy of Lelouch’s achievement in saving all the officers and men of his regiment.
To dispel the awkwardness in his heart, the colonel casually changed the topic and naturally asked how Lelouch had seen the Bilijin preparing to blow up the dike that morning, asking in even greater detail than Andri had earlier.
Lelouch had already gone over this question several times in his mind, and had even privately rehearsed their story with Klose repeatedly just now, so he was not afraid at all.
He carefully explained it again, even once more taking the initiative to pull Klose in as a witness. “At the time, he was the one who first reminded me. His eyesight is better than mine. If you don’t believe me, you can ask him again.”
After Lister listened, although he still felt a little doubt inwardly regarding Lelouch’s insight, the other party had, after all, saved his regiment, and the result was good. He could not be bothered to split hairs.
Moreover, even Lister himself did not know why, but when he saw Lelouch’s left eye, blood-red from tear gas poisoning, especially when he saw the sincere look revealed in that eye, he could not help wanting to believe the other party was not lying.
“So that’s how it was… It sounds like there was some element of luck, but war needs luck to begin with.” As he spoke, he patted Klose on the shoulder beside him. “Soldier, you observed the enemy situation carefully. I will also promote you to sergeant. While Sergeant Major Lelouch is acting as platoon leader, you will assume his former post.”
Klose was overjoyed. He stood ramrod straight and took a deep breath, making himself look as if he had impressive pectoral muscles, then gave a fierce salute. “Yes, sir!”
He only felt his heart pounding wildly. Listening to the veteran squad leader really was right! He had only just been promoted to platoon leader, and I’m already taking over his position! From now on, whatever Officer Lelouch tells me to do, I’ll do it!
The colonel was also very satisfied with this handling. He had been troubled by his own insufficient authority and could only promote Lelouch to sergeant major. Now, by adding a sergeant’s rank and promoting one more of his old subordinates, the favor was more or less repaid.
……
After handling the matter of rewards, Lister saw that they had rested about enough. He casually ate a few mouthfuls of rations, drained the water in his cup, and prepared to go replace Andri in commanding the battle.
At the same time, he would deploy the troops he had brought and fill them into the defensive line.
Lelouch still had a few traces of unease in his heart. Seeing that Lister was about to leave, he could not help asking one final question:
“Sir, earlier, Captain Andri relied on just one company and held out for almost an entire day. Now that your whole regiment has arrived, our forces have increased by more than ten times. Holding on until the end definitely won’t be a problem, right? I heard that in previous defensive battles, the Empire’s elites often had no problem holding back twenty times their number of enemies. That’s true, isn’t it?”
When Lelouch asked this question, half of it was sincere desire for guidance, and half was seeking psychological comfort.
He had only transmigrated here four hours ago. As for the brutality of battle and the troop ratios required by attackers and defenders, he still had not formed a clear understanding. He very much wanted to hear an authoritative opinion.
Lister’s expression remained serious. “Of course I will do everything I can to defend to the death, but we cannot underestimate the enemy either. Since you and I can be considered to get along well, I’ll tell you a little more military intelligence.
“The ones surrounded by us now are the Bilijin 1st, 4th, and 6th Divisions. When the war began, they only had six standing divisions, plus some temporarily mobilized reserve divisions. In the previous battles at Liège Fortress and Antwerp, the 2nd, 3rd, and 5th Divisions, along with all reserve divisions, were annihilated by the Empire.
“Now the Bilijin 1st Division is defending Ostend to the death. Its division commander is Lieutenant General Alfred Bastian. He is responsible for covering the retreat of their entire army and delaying the pursuit of Baria’s 2nd Division of our 6th Army Group. The king, cabinet, and general staff of Bilijin are all inside Ostend as well.
“And the ones who fought Andri today were mainly the vanguard of the 4th Division, commanded by Major General Henry de Giesel.
“In addition, there is Major General Viktor Bjørbek’s 6th Division. He was previously responsible for the southern flank, setting up defenses along the Yser River. But now that he has blown the river dike, the south has turned into a vast flooded marsh and no longer needs defense. I estimate that by the second half of tonight at the latest, he will also arrive here and join the 4th Division in attacking us.”
The colonel’s understanding of the overall battle situation was far more detailed than Lelouch’s. With just a few simple explanations, Lelouch understood.
In other words, during the day today, their side had in fact only been fighting the enemy vanguard of one or two regiments.
Only in the first half of tonight might the entire 4th Division press forward. By the second half of the night, the entirety of its 6th Division would also successively press up to the front line.
If the enemy still could not break through Neopold by then, at the final moment, the 1st Division responsible for rear-guard blocking might also pull some regiments over and attempt to break out at all costs.
The hard fighting to come was still extremely arduous. All the auxiliary schemes spinning wildly in Lelouch’s mind had to be built on the premise that the frontal battlefield was sufficiently solid before they could be used.
……
After the colonel finished introducing the battle situation, he put on his military cap and turned to pull open the cellar door.
However, at the very moment he opened the door, there seemed to be a soldier outside who had just run over and was preparing to push it open. Thus, using too much force, he pushed into empty air and fell flat on his face.
“Why are you so reckless!” The colonel naturally frowned.
Ignoring the pain, the soldier scrambled up in one motion, straightened his spiked leather helmet, and quickly saluted. “Sorry, Colonel! Company Commander Andri has been wounded! The enemy’s latest offensive is very fierce. Deputy Company Commander Lieutenant Barak sent me to ask for instructions at once. He hopes friendly forces can immediately enter the defensive line.”
Just as the soldier finished speaking, a stretcher was carried into the cellar behind him. Lying on it was indeed Captain Andri.
His left arm had just been wrapped in bandages. Blood was seeping through layer after layer, and from the look of it, the wound was not short. It seemed to have been cut by some kind of shell fragment.
He had not yet lost consciousness. Seeing the colonel, he pulled at him with his still-intact right arm and struggled to say, “Enemy reinforcements have arrived again. This time they have Schneider 75-millimeter quick-firing guns. The enemies on both the east and west sides have them! My previous defensive deployment isn’t suited for dealing with heavy direct-fire weapons. Be careful…”
Before Andri could finish, his head tilted to one side and he fainted from blood loss.
Previously, the enemy Andri had faced had only ever possessed light weapons, at most hand grenades, heavy machine guns, or ultra-light improvised mortars. They mainly relied on filling the line with human lives. That was why Andri, relying on one company, had held out for most of the night and almost an entire day.
The enemy’s slow movements had been obvious to all. Unfortunately, however slow they were, the battle had already been going on for almost sixteen hours, and the first batch of light artillery had finally been dragged to the front.
Andri had been caught unprepared and had not immediately adjusted the defenses, so he suffered for it.
Fortunately, before he lost consciousness, he had already provided sufficient useful information. Colonel Lister was also a veteran of many battles and knew how to conduct counter-battery work.
“Do not panic! Our regiment also brought 77-millimeter field guns! Although their performance is inferior to the Frankish army’s guns, as long as they are concealed well enough and not exposed too early, they can completely counter-kill them. Everyone listen to my command immediately and adjust the deployment!
“Lelouch, you are familiar with the situation. Come with me and take a look. Don’t worry, it is very safe by my side.”
As a communications officer, Lelouch originally did not need to personally take part in observing the enemy situation and adjusting deployments.
But the colonel had just arrived and was not yet familiar with the other officers among the original defenders. He only got along well with Lelouch, so he could only pull him in temporarily to help out, doing some work relaying orders up and down.
Although Lelouch was somewhat afraid of artillery fire, he could not very well disobey an order. Gritting his teeth, he followed the colonel out.
Without the cellar’s sound insulation, the cannon fire rang in his ears several times louder. Lelouch opened his mouth wide, afraid his ears would be damaged by the shock, and followed close behind the colonel step by step.
Colonel Lister, however, appeared very calm and long accustomed to it.
Surrounded by seven or eight guards, he walked only a few dozen paces and had not even reached the observation post when, relying on his ears alone, he roughly made his judgment:
“At least four guns to the east, and about four to the west as well. All Schneider 75-millimeter quick-firing guns—hm, no wonder when our troops had just arrived earlier, I felt the enemy offensive had practically stalled. So they were accumulating strength and had agreed on a time to attack together from both east and west!
“It’s not surprising that the Frankish army to the west can pull up four Schneider guns. I didn’t expect the Bilijin to the east to pull up this many as well. It should be the main artillery force of the 4th Division that has arrived. A Bilijin division, at full strength, should have thirty-six guns, among them twenty-four 75-millimeter Schneider guns.
“But they retreated in defeat all the way here from Antwerp. They must have lost at least seventy to eighty percent of their heavy equipment. If four guns remain, that is more or less all the artillery of a single division. The division responsible for covering the rear might not be able to bring even one gun away. With this many cannons, the accompanying infantry strength must also be at least one regiment on each of the east and west sides, or even more.
“You men, listen to my orders. First pull two companies from the 1st Battalion to the east and fill the line along the reverse slope of the ruins in the town’s second street district. Pull two companies from the 2nd Battalion as well and deploy them to the west in the same manner. The remaining troops will stay put for now as reserves. All 77-millimeter field guns are not to move for the time being. Have the troops behind the first line of ruins at the edge of the town temporarily withdraw for now. Do not hold on stubbornly and avoid pointless casualties.”
With a few sentences, the colonel first explained the deployment adjustments. Several trusted orderlies also hurriedly split up and moved out, having each unit adjust its deployment and fill the line.
Listening to the colonel’s analysis and command, Lelouch could not help revealing surprise in his eyes. As expected of an old hand. Just by listening to the density of fire, he can judge how many guns the enemy has and what model they are. How many years of war does it take to develop that?
“Colonel, you truly are amazing…” Lelouch praised from the heart.
However, before he could say more, the colonel suddenly raised his hand to stop him. After listening quietly for two seconds, his expression changed drastically. “What is going on? The enemy also has 150-millimeter heavy artillery? That’s impossible! With the Frankish army’s slow, dragging nature, how could they possibly pull 150-millimeter heavy guns here so quickly?”
It turned out that while the colonel was quietly listening and observing, another especially enormous cannon report had aroused his vigilance, and one or two traces of wavering naturally appeared in his eyes.
Fortunately, Lelouch understood this issue particularly well and hurriedly explained, “Colonel, don’t panic. This is a Britannian light cruiser in the North Sea. It has been cruising there since early morning. When I woke up in the morning, it was already shelling the coast. Every time the Frankish and Bilijin armies attack, it also cooperates by firing a few rounds of shelling to provide fire cover.
“But Captain Andri has already figured out its tactics. The elevation angle of its main guns is poor, and it can only fire from due north. When we deployed our defenses, we abandoned the side along the coastline and placed all fire points on the south-facing reverse slope side of the ruins. As long as you also follow this established practice, its cannons cannot hit us.”
Hearing that the enemy ship’s guns had a limited firing arc, Colonel Lister finally let out a slight breath again. Still, he was not reassured and carefully pressed for details. “Are you certain that cruiser’s firing arc is poor? Is it one of those old warships focused on naval interception missions?”
Lelouch immediately gave an affirmative answer. “Yes. Earlier, Captain Andri sent men to use high-powered reconnaissance binoculars and observe it when there was a chance. Judging by the hull form, it is a Nymph-class light cruiser of the Britannian Navy. They said it has two 6-Britannian-inch main guns and six 4-Britannian-inch secondary guns.”
“Why would the Britannians send a single light cruiser here of all places… And it is a ship type meant for anti-destroyer missions. It is clearly a vessel more suited for naval combat than shore bombardment…”
Colonel Lister was utterly perplexed, but for the moment, he had no time to concern himself with that.
Lelouch had already relayed how to neutralize the cruiser’s bombardment. He only had to incorporate these command elements into his previous plan and make targeted adjustments.
Under the colonel’s deployment, the rate of German casualties soon slowed. However, the charges by the Franks and Bilijin seemed to become smoother as well. They had already occupied the first street district on the outskirts of the town.