The smoke of the field kitchens rose up into the clear air; it promised to be a magnificent day.
I cannot remember how long I sat there amongst the fragrant green trees, but I should have stayed some considerable time if I had not been hailed from below. Some one called to me to go with Colonel Irman to Fort Ta-yang-kou North, upon which I quickly descended the hill, found my horse already saddled, and in a few minutes we had reached the fort mentioned by the town road. It would not have been safe to have gone straight across.
About half-way we passed a battery of 42-mm. guns (No. 4 Redoubt).
I pointed out to the commander of this battery the end of a Japanese trench, where our scouts said there were some Japanese machine guns which interfered with our sorties. The embrasures for these guns were plainly visible through glasses.
Our guns were quickly laid on the target, and after a few ranging shots the shells began to fall with extraordinary accuracy.
The dangerous end of the trench was destroyed, but I think the guns remained untouched, perhaps because the Japanese, anticipating the impending bombardment, had removed them to another spot. It would, however, give them a whole night’s work to put them into position again. The 42-mm. gun is a very accurate weapon, and it is a pity that the effect of its high-explosive shell is so slight as to render it good only for dismounting the enemy’s pieces. The gun is sufficiently mobile to be capable of quick and sudden concentration on any fully exposed hostile battery, a contingency which would, however, rarely occur, as nowadays all batteries are carefully hidden from the enemy’s view. Pieces, however, of this type are incapable of coping with heavy guns, and one would not advocate having many of them in a fortress. Their real place is in reserve, and not in batteries on the main fighting positions.
The enemy did not fire a single shot in reply to the 42-mm. guns and we quietly rode on to Fort Ta-yang-kou North, which we reached a few minutes later.
Everything was quiet at the fort. The men worked steadily and without hindrance, but there was an enormous amount to be done, the task undertaken by the garrison being to construct a covered trench as well as some splinter-proofs. Splinter-proofs for the gun detachments and officers had already been constructed, so the fort became more or less self-contained and able to put up a good defence.
Our riflemen had originally been posted outside the fort, but, with the completion of a large bomb-proof and covered way with traverses inside, it was possible for them to occupy the real defensive line and live in the fort. As always, the officers received us gladly, gave us tea, and then took us on a tour of inspection. Every one was at his post. The work was going on apace, and Captain Versi, of the Naval Construction Department, who was superintending the work on the fort, displayed great energy and resource. The exits from the ditch were covered, and the flank ditches well enfiladed from both sides.