The War of Resistance: My Expedition, My Country

Chapter 109: The Lonely Muhammad Saadin

"Boom boom boom!" Japanese mountain artillery and grenade launchers continuously fired at the Sardin camp in the trenches. The smoke and dust from the explosions blocked Sardin and others' sight. Robert was discussing the breakout plan with Sardin and other key officers.

The position defended by the Sardin Battalion was located on a high point in a valley, controlling several important passes leading to Aizawl. There were also several friendly positions around it, forming a cross-fire network with each other, effectively blocking the Japanese attack.

However, the Japanese army, finding a weakness in the defenders' flank, had already captured a more important stronghold behind Sardinia in a surprise attack the previous night, thus shattering what Lieutenant General Wilson called the Indian version of the "Maginot Line." Furthermore, due to racial tensions within the Indian army, the Hindu troops failed to notify the Muslim Sardinia camp during their retreat.

Captain Robert conveyed General Matthews's order to the commanders of the Sardin Battalion at all levels, while discussing with Sardin a plan to break out. For the Sardin Battalion, it really took a lot of courage to leave the strong position and rush out!

Lieutenant Colonel Sardin seized the opportunity when a Japanese attack was repelled and launched a sudden, all-out counterattack, breaking through the Japanese encirclement. He quickly entered a narrow valley and hid in the forest. The Japanese searched the surrounding area but could not find Sardin's remaining troops.

By nightfall, the Japanese army, after searching the surrounding area several times, slowly withdrew from the valley. Sardin and his companions, who had been in a state of tension, finally breathed a sigh of relief.

These Muslim soldiers from Abbottabad (now Pakistan) had grown up in the mountains, and their ability to hide in the forests was clearly beyond the reach of the Japanese. However, abandoning their strong positions and breaking out into unfamiliar territory was also fraught with danger.

Sardin took inventory and found just over 400 men remaining in the battalion, with no seriously wounded. Every soldier had a gun, mostly Lee-Enfields, and though they were short on ammunition, each soldier still had one or two grenades. The battalion's two 1mm mortars were still in place, with over ten rounds remaining. Morale was good. This was a good sign.

Sardin approached Robert and discussed the next course of action. Robert had just contacted the 14th Army Group Headquarters via radio. According to the order conveyed by the 14th Army Group Headquarters, after Sardin's battalion escaped the Japanese encirclement, it could not move westward into Aizawl, but should try to move south to Longlai to meet up with the 27th Division.

On the Aizawl front, the Japanese and British Indian forces had already engaged in a battle to capture and defend the city. Some surrendered and captured Indian soldiers were being coerced by the Japanese into joining the attack on Aizawl. To avoid being mistaken for rebels, Sardin and Robert decided to use the night to cover their movement and move closer to Longlai's 27th Division.

The entire battalion first unexpectedly headed east to avoid the Japanese army's blockade. After reaching the banks of the Kaladan River, they headed south along the river to Longlai to join the troops in the south.

Sardin and his men's operation went smoothly, encountering no Japanese interception along the way. Thanks to the naturally strong constitution of these mountain warriors, they quickly reached the riverbank. After a quick rehydration, the troops deployed in skirmish formation and drifted downstream along the riverbank.

In the tropical jungles of South Asia, any danger is possible. Not only are there the renowned Bengal tigers, but also deadly creatures like the king cobra. River shallows and other places offer ambushes for crocodiles. At this moment, the Indian army, like a field expedition, is steadily advancing deeper into the pristine rainforest.

Two soldiers led the way, using their signature machetes to clear vines and weeds from the path. The jungle's oppressive heat was unbearable, and the pesky mosquitoes swarmed around them. Unable to resist, several soldiers rushed to the riverbank to wash up, only to encounter crocodiles strangling an elk. They fled in terror, drawing laughter from the crowd.

Sardin grabbed a leech that had crawled up his neck and squeezed it hard, his hands covered in blood and leeches. Sardin wiped the leech on his clothes, walked quickly to Robert, and anxiously asked how far they were.

Robert opened the waterproof map and, after measuring, noted that there was still about 40 kilometers to go, estimating it would take another day. Sardin calculated the soldiers' rations and figured it shouldn't be a problem, so he called his adjutant over and whispered instructions.

A sudden scream from the front startled Sardin and his men. A captain rushed over and saw an oversized king cobra, its head erect, barking its blood-red tongue at the soldiers. One of the soldiers clearing the way had fallen to the ground, and a medic was trying to drain his blood to remove the poison.

The captain, enraged, unleashed a barrage of fire from his Sten submachine gun, smashing the cobra's head to pieces. Robert and Sardin also rushed over, shaking their heads at the sight. Given the circumstances and the technology available at the time, the wounded soldier could only resign himself to his fate.

Sardin once again reminded everyone not to wander around along the way and to pay attention to any abnormalities under their feet and around them.

Robert felt the soldiers needed to rest and recover their strength, so he arranged for the entire battalion to sit down in a relatively spacious open space nearby, light a fire, and boil some hot water to replenish their strength.

Several soldiers who were arranged to fetch water rushed over and told Sadin and others an astonishing news. Not far away, a huge python was entangled with a Bengal tiger, and the two were fighting!

Sardin was shocked. This was not a good sign. It also reminded him again that the tropical rainforest was obviously not as simple as he had imagined.

Sardin ordered everyone not to disturb their fight and to leave this troubled place immediately. Robert also believed that they could not continue walking along the river and should immediately turn west, cross the valley, and cut onto the Ailon Road.

Sardin and the others finally crossed the river valley and found the Ailon Highway. By then, it was already dark. Robert calculated the distance and concluded that they were about 14 or 5 kilometers from Longlai City.

In order to avoid misunderstandings, Sardin and Robert discussed and decided to camp along the road, contact their superiors after dawn, and then rush over.

After the entire battalion arranged for security, they set up simple tents on the spot. Some soldiers even slept on simple marching bags spread on the ground...

Not far away, a Japanese advance party of several dozen men, riding in captured British vehicles, was speeding towards them. Two regiments of the Japanese 1st Division had lightly crossed the Kaladan River and emerged on the outskirts of Longlai, where they were engaged in a fierce battle with the British-Indian 27th Division defending Longlai. The Japanese intended to exploit the Longai Highway to forge a detour, attack the Longlai defenders' supply lines, and force them to abandon Longlai.

The soldier on guard had very good eyesight and could see through the darkness that the troops rushing towards them were not friendly forces, but Japanese troops.

"Boom-boom-"

Two alarm shots marked the beginning of the defensive battle called "Molao Valley".