Chapter 561

After solving the love problem of artillery battalion commander yegonovych, I found a seat to sit down, looked up at him, and asked with great interest, "Lieutenant Colonel shejerikov, have you got the statistics of the results of your regiment?"

"Yes, it has been basically counted."

"Then report it to me, so that I can report the results of your regiment to the headquarters of the group army later."

Shejerikov agreed and reported to me as if telling a story: "after our regiment arrived at the designated position at eleven o'clock, I sent three companies to the East and west of the German camp respectively, and five companies to the south, and built simple fortifications in three directions of the camp respectively, so as to prevent the German troops attacked by our army from escaping.

After the shelling began, the priority target of the artillery battalion of captain yegonovych was the area where German tanks, armored vehicles and artillery were parked. As the first round of shelling hit dozens of oil tankers parked by the German army, after the shell landed and exploded, it detonated the gasoline barrels piled up on the vehicles, and immediately half of the camp became a sea of fire. The violent explosion and fire turned every gasoline barrel into a flying bomb and landed at the position where the German army piled up shells. As a result, the shells killed for explosion caused a larger explosion. The shaking explosion made the ground tremble slightly under our feet.

When the artillery battalion's target turned to other areas, I led nine companies to follow captain perskin's tank unit and launch a fierce attack on the enemy's camp. We rushed into the camp, and in the light of the fire, I saw that the camp was full of charred German bodies, and most of the camp was turned into Purgatory.

At the beginning, there was no resistance until we got close to the center of the camp. In the face of the fierce attack of our regiment, most of the surviving soldiers chose to find shelter or crater on the spot to resist. In particular, the surviving German officers at all levels, taking advantage of the opportunity of our artillery diversion, climbed out of the dead, looked at the bodies one by one, looked for the living soldiers, and drove them to use the ready-made craters to organize small-scale resistance.

However, the German officers and men who had been attacked by our army had already lost the courage to continue to resist. Basically, as soon as the soldiers of our regiment rushed up, they would stop shooting, lay down their weapons and surrender. Because our regiment's assault speed was too fast, in order to prevent being injured by our own artillery, I fired a signal bomb to stop the firing of captain yegonovich's artillery battalion.

Just after our shelling stopped, a group of enemies fled southward while our troops were taking in prisoners. Although our troops in the south line tried their best to block, they broke through the defense line and successfully broke through southward. "

When I heard that the escaped German troops actually broke through the defensive positions established by five companies, and succeeded in breaking through, I could not help frowning and asked with some displeasure: "Lieutenant Colonel xijerikov, did the commander in charge of the southern defense tell you how many German troops broke through?"

Shejerikov hesitated for a moment, and finally said a number that frightened me: "about two thousand, less than three thousand."

"What? Two or three thousand? " As soon as I heard this number, I immediately jumped out of my seat. Originally, when shejerikov reported on the phone, he only said that there was a German army breaking through the encirclement, but did not say how many people there were. At that time, I estimated that at most two or three hundred people would run away. I did not expect that a whole regiment would run away“ Why do so many enemies escape? Who can give me a reasonable explanation? "

Shejerikov and yegonovych looked at each other and winked at each other. Yegonovych quickly came forward, straightened up and explained to me, "Comrade Colonel, please listen to me. This is the situation. Because my artillery barracks have too few artillery, you know, only eight howitzers, which can't cover the whole German Barracks at the same time. " At this point, he shrugged his shoulders and said helplessly, "maybe the enemy took decisive action to break through the encirclement before our artillery fire hit them."

He has already said this. It is obviously unwise to be angry with him. I had to walk back and forth in the observation post with my hands on my back. I thought to myself that the result of the night attack tonight was not as big as I thought. Although I captured the German division commander, the whole regiment successfully broke through the encirclement. After meeting with their friendly forces tomorrow, I could continue to attack our division's fragile defense line. What should I do? Do you want to stay here, or do you want to move the troops to the area designated by trakov?

I inadvertently looked out of my observation mouth, but I found that the lights on the position of the fourth regiment were bright, and the commanders and fighters seemed to be busy. I quickly stopped and raised my telescope to look out. The officers and men of the fourth regiment were not only strengthening their two original lines of defense, but also digging new trenches two or three hundred meters in front of the position.

I asked razumeyeva to contact Gaidar for me. As soon as I got through the phone, I asked Gaidar in a loud voice: "I said, comrade commander, your regiment doesn't rest in the evening. What are you doing?"

"Report to division commander," Gaidar replied in a smooth tone, "when it was dark, Second Lieutenant Mikhail yev, the commander of the engineering company, came to my headquarters and said that our regiment's defense line was too weak to resist the enemy's fierce attack. He took the initiative to suggest that we build a new defense line on the basis of strengthening the existing defense line. What you can see is that the soldiers are building new fortifications. "

Looking at the busy soldiers in the distance, I asked, "between the new line and the old line, there are many wrecks of destroyed tanks, armored vehicles and trucks. What are you going to do with these things?" The reason why I ask this is that during the Moscow defense war, I used to let soldiers build fire points under the destroyed tanks, and the effect was not bad. I also want them to copy it.

I didn't expect Gaidar to reply: "Mr. division commander, Mikhail yev suggested hiding the machine gun fire points under the abandoned tanks, so that even if we are attacked by the enemy, our soldiers squatting in the fire points won't be killed under the heavy armor of the tanks. When the enemy attacks, the machine gun firepower of our firepower points can give full play to its role and bring the enemy down like pieces of wheat

"Lt. Mikhail yev's idea is good. Let's do as he says." After praising mihayev, I told Gaidar, "Comrade commander, although our night attack tonight has achieved great results, the Germans who are not willing to suffer losses tomorrow will surely carry out crazy revenge. Your regiment should be ready for a hard fight."

When I hung up, Xie jerikov stepped forward and asked cautiously, "Comrade division, is everything you just said true?"

"What did I say?" I asked in a puzzled way.

"That is to say, the enemy will have a crazy revenge tomorrow."

"That's for sure, commander chejerikov." Because of his different position and intelligence, his judgment of the situation will inevitably deviate. Therefore, I remind him and yegonovich: "although we have severely damaged the German motorized infantry 29th division today, we should also see that the Goth tank 4th group army has not hurt much vitality. Even without a motorized 29th division, general Kempf's 48th motorized army includes 11th, 16th armored divisions, and 16th motorized divisions. In the fourth infantry, there are 94th and 371st divisions. At the moment, they are facing off with the second and third regiments in the two directions of spardanoka and orlovka. If the German forces, under the cover of aircraft and artillery, attack our division's defensive positions from several directions after daybreak, I think it will be very difficult for them to hold their positions. "

"What shall we do?" Asked shijerikov anxiously after listening to my analysis.

"Comrade xiejerikov," I ordered him solemnly, "immediately withdraw the regiment that has cleaned the battlefield, return to the forest, and continue to be the reserve of the whole division. And you, comrade captain. " I looked up at yegonovych and added, "your artillery battalion will immediately move with shejerikov's regiment. First, it will hide. When the time is right, it will attack decisively and give the arrogant enemy a hard blow."

As they were about to leave, it occurred to me that I had forgotten to ask about the whereabouts of two other people. I immediately stopped them and asked, "where are captain pelsky's tank unit and captain Morozov's artillery company?"

Shejerikov quickly stopped and replied, "the tank unit is still on guard in the camp to cover the infantry carrying materials. Morozov, on the other hand, took the remaining comrades of the artillery company back to the camp of the fourth regiment and used the captured mortars to form a new mortar company. "

"Well, I see. You can leave. " They raised their hands to salute me and then left. At the moment, I have a new view of Morozov. When the cannons company is almost exhausted, he knows how to use the captured mortars to build a new artillery company. It's not easy.

Thinking of the enemy's possible attack after dawn, I couldn't sit still and immediately called the second and third regiments. First of all, the second commander Oleg got through. I asked directly, "commander Oleg, how are your regiment's fortifications going?"

"Report to the commander," Oleg replied respectfully, "I will immediately organize the soldiers to reinforce and improve the fortification after receiving your order. Now, in the periphery of the regiment headquarters, two trenches have been completed. At the same time, a large number of anti artillery holes have been dug, so that soldiers can hide in them to avoid artillery fire when the German artillery bombards them. "

"How many companies have you put in the trenches?" Although I don't have to worry about these details, I feel that if I don't ask about the battle after dawn, I'm not sure.

"I have two companies in each of the two trenches. In order to prevent the German heavy artillery fire from killing our army, I temporarily put the remaining twelve companies behind as reserves. I plan to send reinforcements when there are too many casualties in the front forces. "

Then, when I talked with the third team leader kosga, what I said was similar, except that there were only two or three companies in the front line, and the rest were hidden in the rear as reserves.

When I finished the call, I made up my mind that no matter what happened in the war tomorrow, as soon as it got dark, I would order the troops to retreat to the rear and carry out the combat order of withdrawing while fighting issued by the superior. At the same time, I'm also considering waiting for the right time to make a request to trekov to send me a chief of staff, so that I don't have to do things myself.

The German attack on the fourth regiment began at dawn.

First, more than a dozen shells fell in front of and around the newly built trench of the fourth regiment and exploded. According to my experience, I know that the German artillery is carrying out test firing, and then large-scale shelling will begin. If I didn't expect it, in a minute, rows of shrapnel shells fell down, and the position was covered in smoke.

I feel that the ground under my feet is trembling slightly. I can't help but worry about the soldiers at the front. Can they carry the German artillery attack?

This round of crazy bombardment lasted about 20 minutes before it stopped. As the smoke dispersed, I saw a large group of German infantry, about two companies, marching towards the fourth regiment with weapons in the distance.

Originally, with the training level of our army, if we put the German infantry within 50 meters and then shoot them, the killing effect would be the best. But I didn't expect that the officers and men in the trench were too nervous, or they were stunned by the shells. The enemy still had more than 100 meters to shoot. As soon as someone opened fire, all the officers and men in the trench opened fire. After crackling for a while, more than a dozen German soldiers were killed, and the rest turned around and ran back.

I was so angry that I grabbed the phone and asked Gaidar in a loud voice: "fourth commander, what's wrong with your soldiers? When the enemy is still more than 100 meters away, they shoot indiscriminately. They think they are sharpshooters? "

"Report to Mr. division commander," Gaidar replied with some shame, "it's all my fault. Today's soldiers in the first line of defense didn't take part in the battle yesterday. Maybe they were a little nervous, so when they saw the German appear in front of them, they fired in order to embolden themselves."

Ignoring his reply, I continued to teach him a lesson: "you see, you wasted so many bullets and knocked down a few German soldiers? How much more? Comrade commander, you should tell the soldiers that our aim is not to drive away the enemy, but to destroy them. Although you have driven him away now, he will attack you again soon. If you run out of bullets, you will fight them hand to hand. "

"Yes, I see, sir. I'll call the commander at the front line immediately and ask them to restrain the soldiers, stop shooting casually, and put the enemy in and fight again. You can see the next time of our regiment. "

As soon as I finished, the second round of German shelling began. Seeing the position shrouded by the smoke of gunpowder again, I can't help feeling heartbreaking pain, and I don't know how many soldiers will pay their lives in this round of shelling.

After the shelling, the German infantry attacked again. Maybe they had learned the lesson just now. When they got into the 100 meter range, they broke up the formation and rushed forward in groups of three or five.

As they got closer and closer to the position, there was no movement in the trench. My heart can't help pounding. My heart says that the soldiers in the trenches won't all die in the shelling, right?

When the German soldiers were only about 30 meters away from the position, they saw no movement in the trench. They thought that after the heavy shelling just now, the defenders had been destroyed, so they could not help slowing down, straightened up and walked towards our army.

At this time, there has been no movement in the trench, dense grenades whistling up, like a group of black crows toward the enemy's team have covered down. Grenades or in the queue or in the air volley explosion, short continuous explosion sound, flying shrapnel will explode within the scope of the German soldiers have cut down. Then the mortar in the second line of defense kept silent all the time spoke. The shells originally belonging to the German army smashed into the enemy group, and the German army's attack line suddenly burst into fire one after another, blowing up the German soldiers to flee.

Seeing that the Germans were badly beaten, the soldiers who were ready to go jumped out of the fortification one after another, carrying machine guns, submachine guns, rifles and firing at the enemy. The German soldiers who had been badly bombed were swept down. When this group of German soldiers with more than half casualties turned around and ran back, our soldiers chased after them for a while, and the mortars were not willing to lag behind. When they saw that there were many enemies, the shells would fall wherever they saw. Although the German army had heavy artillery, it was unable to support these poor guys. The time was not long. Except for a few of the German soldiers of the two companies who took part in the attack, the rest lay in this open field.

Seeing that the enemy's attack was defeated, I spoke to Gaidar again and praised him again and again: "good fight, comrade commander. Well done, that's the way to play. "

The attacking soldiers quickly collected weapons and ammunition from the enemy's corpses and then quickly withdrew to the trench. Just after all this, there was a German bomber formation in the sky.

Seeing the enemy aircraft appear, I quickly told Gaidar: "Comrade commander, quickly hide your people, German aircraft will soon bomb your positions."

After circling over the position of the fourth regiment, the enemy planes began to dive in line, bombing and strafing the position of the fourth regiment. The German artillery, not to be outdone, began to attack our position, and the whole defense line of the fourth regiment was surrounded by fireworks.

When the enemy's bombing and shelling ended and the smoke of gunpowder dispersed, I saw that the three trenches were hollowed out. The open space in the middle of the trench was full of dense craters, and the soil was blackened by gunpowder. The firepower points originally built under the tanks were destroyed because the tanks were overturned by bombs or shells.

A new wave of German infantry, taking advantage of the aircraft bombing and artillery bombardment, quietly approached within 200 meters of the position. As soon as they saw the plane flying away, the artillery stopped shelling. They could not help but quicken their pace and dashed towards the position of the fourth regiment. There was no movement in the trench as the German soldiers approached the position. Seeing this scene, I estimated that the officers and men in the trench either died or were buried in the collapse of the anti gun hole. Many German soldiers crossed the first trench and continued to rush towards the second line. As they passed half the distance in an instant, several surviving firepower points hidden under the tank began to fire. In the clattering of gunfire, the German soldiers who rushed to the front fell down one after another, and the rest quickly jumped into the crater, raised their guns and fired at these firepower points. The German attack was blocked for a moment by these machine gun fire points, giving the mortar company hidden in the second trench a chance to open fire. More than a dozen mortar shells landed in the middle of the German soldiers and exploded. The flying fragments and clods crackled so that they had to retract into the crater. The soldiers in the second trench, armed with weapons, jumped out of the trench one after another and launched a counter charge against the enemy. Compared with the attacking German soldiers, the soldiers of the fourth regiment were obviously inexperienced in fighting. When they charged, they did not know how to bow and straighten their waists. As a result, they were knocked down one after another by the firepower of the German soldiers. Fortunately, Morozov had rich experience in fighting. Seeing where the German firepower was more fierce, he directed the mortar company to smash it, which made the German soldiers bloody. Although the soldiers in the fourth regiment had little combat experience, they were not completely stupid. They often saw that the German firepower was hit by a shell, and seven or eight soldiers rushed up to stab or make up two shots at those German soldiers who were not dead yet. With more and more soldiers rushing up, and the mortar company's cannonballs that seemed to have long eyes and hit the German troops accurately from time to time, the morale of the German soldiers was extremely low. They fired indiscriminately, turned around, crossed our first line of defense, and stumbled back. As soon as the enemy's attack in the South retreated, the second commander Oleg called. He said anxiously on the phone: "report to division commander, a battalion of the 371st German infantry division, under the cover of 12 tanks, launched a fierce attack on our regiment's position. Due to the lack of anti tank weapons in our regiment, the German tanks broke through two lines of defense of our regiment and rushed to a place only 20 meters away from our headquarters. "“ What's the situation now? Are the enemy tanks still out there? " My heart sank when I heard that Oleg was in danger, and I realized that if his line of defense was broken, the German 371st division would suddenly open the fourth regiment's position from the side“ It's still out there, but it's all burning. Our soldiers blew up the tanks with cluster grenades“ Commander Gaidar, "I was a little relieved when I heard that he was ok, and then solemnly ordered him:" at all costs, we must block the offensive of the 371st division, or the position of the fourth regiment will be broken through by the German army from the side. "