Chapter 639

Before the German army's ground troops appeared, the enemy aircraft in the air circled a few times at high altitude, and then turned around and flew to the wharf in the black smoke of fierce anti-aircraft fire.

When I saw the enemy planes turning around and flying towards the wharf, I cried in my heart that there were so many people and materials gathered on the wharf. Once the enemy planes bombed, it would cause great losses.

Kirilov, standing next to me, suddenly made a strange voice in his throat, which attracted my attention. The telescope in his hand had already left his eyes, but he was staring out.

"What's the matter with you, comrade political commissar?" For his gaffe, I was slightly dissatisfied. It's not the first time I saw enemy planes bombing the dock. Is it worth making such a fuss?

"Don't you see what the enemy plane wants to do?" Kirilov said excitedly.

I nodded without expression and replied, "yes, the enemy plane is preparing to bomb the dock. Alas, I hope that the troops and civilians gathered on the wharf can hide in time, so as to reduce their casualties in the air raid. "

"No, not the dock." His fingers, trembling with excitement, pointed farther away. "Look further, look into the Volga River. There are more than a dozen of our boats in the river coming towards the wharf. "

I raised my telescope again and looked at the Volga River close to the highland. I saw a dozen steam turbines full of soldiers coming towards the wharf at full speed with smoke from their chimneys. The enemy planes that had just flown away from the Highlands were hovering over the fleet.

Looking at the enemy aircraft approaching, the antiaircraft machine guns on the steamboat opened fire. Together with the antiaircraft guns on the shore, they built a dense fire network under the fleet.

However, judging from the performance of the enemy aircraft, these pilots all had rich combat experience. They circled in the air, got out of the thick black smoke formed by the high shells as soon as they found the right opportunity, and dived towards the fleet driving in the river. As soon as the throwing and strafing are completed, the nose of the plane will be raised and the plane will fly to the high altitude to readjust the formation.

With the fall of the bomb, the surging Volga river suddenly splashed, raising high water columns around the steamship. In order to avoid the bombs dropped by the enemy plane and the strafing of the airborne machine gun, the sailor of the steamboat began to take the evasive route on the water. Although the sailor's posture was skilled, he could not hold up the enemy planes in the sky. With little effort, several steamships were shot and set on fire.

Just as I was worried about the sailors and commanders on these steamships, a steamship in the front of the fleet was hit by a bomb again. The steamer, which had been shot in the tail, burned quickly. The bow of the steamer rose slowly and began to sink down a little bit. The surviving officers and men on the ship began to plop into the water. When they got there, they waved their arms and swam desperately towards the wharf.

Looking at the enemy planes bombing our river crossing troops, kirilov was so angry that he gritted his teeth and said, "damn German, when our air force comes, we'll clean up all your land." After that, he went to the telephone and picked up the phone to call ahlomeyev: "chief of staff, this is kirilov. Please send an urgent telegram to the headquarters of the group army, saying that a large number of enemy planes are attacking our fleet on the Volga River. If the air force can't come to support quickly, our river crossing troops will be wiped out by the enemy planes in the river."

Looking at the domineering enemy aircraft in the air, I can't help feeling why when I cross, God didn't let me take some advanced weapons beyond this era like other passers-by. If there had been dozens of air-to-air missiles, all the enemy planes in the sky would have been shot down like flies.

When kirilov came back to me, he was deeply afraid that I would have any idea about his self assertion, so he specially explained to me: "Comrade division commander, I just called chief of staff akhromeyev and asked him to immediately send a report to the headquarters of the group army and ask the superior to send another plane to support us. As the matter is urgent, I made a decision without consulting with you. Please forgive me for my recklessness. "

"You are right, comrade political commissar." As soon as I waited for his words to be finished, I immediately expressed my attitude and pointed to the enemy planes flying over the Volga River, adding: "if it was me, I would also ask for help from my superiors. You see, the new antiaircraft artillery group set up by the superior is useless for such a large-scale German machine gun. Without the air force, we would have to hide in the fortifications and be beaten passively. "

"By the way, comrade oshanina, the enemy planes have been shelling and air raiding the mamayevgang and 107.5 highlands all the time today. What's their intention?"

Hearing kirilov's question, I shrugged my shoulders and said, "it's not very clear. They just want to kill us with all kinds of shells and bombs, and then send ground troops to easily occupy this highland. And take the mamayev post as the starting point to attack the city. "

After listening to my words, kirilov habitually said a routine: "our soldiers will stick to the position like nails, and will not retreat a step."

I looked at my watch and it would be dark in an hour, so I said to kirilov, "come on, comrade political commissar, the German ground forces are not going out. We can't see anything here. We'd better go back to the headquarters."

Kirilov frowned, reluctantly raised his telescope to look into the distance, and finally reluctantly agreed: "OK!"

The reason why I want to go back to the headquarters at this time is that, for the sake of my own safety, it is better to stay in the headquarters where the bomb can't blow down than in the observation post which may be destroyed by shells or bombs at any time; Second, we can get in touch with each regiment through the telephone to keep abreast of the latest situation.

As soon as I walked into the headquarters and saw akhromeyev sitting at the table, I asked aloud, "Comrade chief of staff, what's the situation with the regiments?"

Akhromeyev quickly picked up the notepad in front of him, stood up and reported to me, "Comrade division commander, Captain Godunov, the third group leader, reported that the enemy's shelling of highland 107.5 has completely stopped, and no enemy ground troops have been found within a few kilometers in front of the position."

While listening to his report, I went to the table and sat down. When his report came to an end, I looked up and asked, "how are the casualties of the third regiment?"

On hearing my question, akhromeyev was stunned for a moment, and then replied, "because the positions received by the third regiment lacked solid fortifications, a battalion on the high ground had been killed and killed when the enemy bombed and shelled. And the shelter of acting commander captain Godunov was also hit by a shell, and the captain was slightly injured. "

"So how many troops are still on 107.5?"

Without looking down at the notepad in his hand, akhromeyev replied without hesitation: "there are 129 people on the high ground, including 45 wounded. I have ordered Comrade Godunov to transfer the second battalion after dark to take over the defense. "

After listening, I nodded and then asked, "what's the situation with the regiment?"

Having just had the experience of answering the question, akhromeyev reported to me in detail: "Mr. reporter, there are more than 500 casualties in the first regiment, of which nearly 400 have been killed. The head of the army, Sergey reekov, and the political commissar, comrade oberstein, are adjusting their defense to prevent possible German ground attacks. " Seeing what else I wanted to ask, he said, "because the second regiment's fortifications are well repaired, apart from the small casualties of the infantry, the technical equipment of the division artillery barracks has not suffered any losses in the battle."

"Report to division commander," I was talking with akhromeyev, and the communication company commander razumeyeva called a report behind me. When I turned around, she continued, "group army headquarters is calling." With that, he handed me a piece of telegraph paper full of letters.

I took it and saw that there were many telegrams sent by trakov. In his telegram, he first praised us, saying that the operational plan proposed to him was very consistent with the present reality. Then it conveyed the decision made by the military committee of the group army

"1. First of all, we should make it clear to all the defenders of the city that they can't continue to retreat or have nowhere to retreat. The enemy's attack must be smashed. Slinger is our last battlefield. In order to defend this city, we have to fight against the enemy. We Soviet soldiers should respond to the call of the party, carry out the people's orders, either guard the city or die in battle. We don't have a third way to go. This decision should be publicized to all the people through Party and League organizations.

2. To establish an armed force composed of workers and staff in the major enterprises in the city, they should cooperate with the group army or rely on their own strength to defend the factory. They should be given weapons and other equipment according to military standards. Under the leadership of the party and Soviet organizations, those workers and staff who braved the bombardment of airplanes and cannons to repair all kinds of damaged technical equipment must, of course, be organized into a militarized team according to the company and battalion size.

3. It is strictly forbidden to withdraw from the existing positions without the consent of the commander and chief of staff of the group army.

4. The headquarters of the group army shall remain in the city of Stalingrad on the right bank, and under no circumstances shall they retreat to the East Bank of the Volga River or to the island. "

After reading the contents of the telegram, I handed it to kirilov and said to him at the same time, "Comrade political commissar, take a look. This new decision made by the Military Commission of the group army is very helpful for us to stick to this city."

Kirilov took the telegram and nodded as he read it, sharing his views with me. Because we talked so much that we didn't care to answer the phone that rang on the desk. In the end, akhromeyev answered the phone.

After putting down the phone, akhromeyev excitedly said to us: "division commander and political commissar, our air force has arrived. At the moment, they are fighting fiercely with the enemy's planes outside. I believe that they will soon be able to drive all these damned enemy planes out of our highlands and docks with the cooperation of anti-aircraft artillery forces."

"That's great!" Although I said that, I thought to myself that the enemy had nearly 50 planes. If there were no equal fighters, it would not be easy to defeat the enemy.

While waiting for the result of the air battle outside, the three of us were not idle, either by telephone or by telephone, contacting several regiments of the division, so as to know the situation on the battlefield in time.

After about ten minutes, the telephone on the desk rang again. I was nearest to the phone, so I picked up the microphone and said in a loud voice, "Hello, this is division headquarters."

From the earphone came Pugachev's excited voice: "report to division commander, our air force arrived at the battlefield, and after a battle with the enemy aircraft, the enemy aircraft have begun to turn around and run away."

I can't believe it's true to hear that all the enemy planes have been beaten away. How many fighters should our army send out to fight so many enemy planes? So he asked in a voice: "how many fighters have our army dispatched, have we lost in the battle, and what kind of results have we achieved?"

"Our army sent out 16 fighters. Maybe the enemy planes were short of fuel and ammunition, so they only fought with our air force for a short time and then retreated in a hurry. According to my observation, at least ten enemy planes were hit by our warplanes or anti-aircraft guns and fell from the air with flames and smoke. As for our fighters, there seems to be no loss. "

I put down the phone and said to kirilov and akhromeyev with pride, "political commissar and chief of staff, Pugachev, the third head of the army, just called and reported that our army dispatched 16 fighters and shot down at least 10 enemy planes. After driving them out of our sky, they have followed us."

On hearing the good news, kirilov was smiling, while akhromeyev was sad. He said to himself, "strange, how can it be like this again? When the enemy planes bombed us, as soon as they saw our fighters appear, they would fight perfunctorily for a while and then turn around and flee north. Is there any conspiracy? "

Akhromeyev's words made me think with a frown. The German army is really strange today. It's just shelling and bombing our division's positions, but it doesn't send ground troops to attack. What's the matter?

Before we could figure out the answer, there was a loud noise outside the cave. If a heavy object fell to the ground, the ground under our feet trembled slightly. Hearing this, kirilov immediately asked with vigilance, "what's the matter? What's the matter?"

I turned around and saw basmanov standing by, so I told him directly, "Comrade captain, go out and see what's going on, and then come back immediately to report to us. Do you hear me?" Basmanov nodded his consent, turned to open the wooden door and went out.

After the guard battalion commander left, akhromeyev came up to me and said cautiously, "is it the unexploded bomb dropped by the enemy from the sky?"

As soon as kirilov heard him finish, he immediately retorted, "it's impossible. How could a bomb make such a big noise. What's more, the main targets of the enemy planes this time are the river crossing troops driving on the Volga River and the anti-aircraft artillery positions deployed behind us. How could bombs fall outside our division headquarters? "

Without waiting for the three of us to analyze the reason, the wooden door was pushed open from the outside. At the same time, basmanov's confused voice came in: "division commander, political commissar, chief of staff, come and see, it's the pilot, it's our own pilot." Then busmanov and a soldier from the guard camp appeared at the door, supporting a man in a pilot's uniform.

When the two of them helped the pilot to come to us, I found that the pilot was injured. He covered his eyes with one hand, and blood was running down his forehead through his fingers. I quickly told my own security battalion commander: "hurry up, comrade captain, help Comrade pilot sit down." Then he turned to razumeyeva and yelled: "Comrade lieutenant, call the female health worker shmakova quickly. This comrade pilot is injured and bleeding. "

Basmanov helped the pilot to sit down in his seat, took out a first aid kit from his briefcase, removed the pilot's hand, and directly covered his head with a roll of gauze. Then he loudly reported to me: "Comrade division, it was the plane crash. It was the pilot's plane that was shot down and forced to land not far from our hole."

Because I didn't know when the health worker would arrive and saw the pilot's expression of pain, I quickly diverted his attention by asking questions: "Comrade pilot, what's your name?"

The pilot looked up at me and said, "my name is Vitaly popkov. I'm a squadron leader of the close guard fighter Air Corps."

I took a look at his rank and continued, "Captain popkov, how was your plane shot down?"

When popkov heard my question, he said with a bitter smile, "my flight squadron and I are ordered to support you. In the air battle just now, I took the lead in launching an attack on the enemy plane that was bombing our ship team. After beating down a bomber with an airborne machine gun, I rushed to an escort fighter and launched an air chase with him. After two or three minutes in the air, I managed to blow up his plane. At this time, the tracer shot at me from three directions, just past my window. I looked down and was shocked. My God, it's our own antiaircraft guns that are firing! I don't know why they fired at me at all. Those antiaircraft Gunners must be new to the battlefield. Maybe they wanted to hit the German plane and hit the wrong target. The antiaircraft fire exploded around me, and I still don't know who hit me, them or the German plane. All I know is that my gas tank is on fire. You know, the plane is the closest partner of our pilots. Although the fire has rushed around the cockpit of the plane, I have no plan to parachute. I just drove my old man to make a forced landing in the open space outside your headquarters. My luck is obviously good. Although the plane fell apart, it didn't explode. Then the captain and several other soldiers around you dragged me out of the dilapidated cockpit. " At this point, he nodded at basmanov and said sincerely: "thank you, thank you, comrade captain. Thank you for saving me. I will never forget your kindness."

After listening to popkov, I couldn't laugh or cry. The pilot in front of me who came to support us was shot down by our own artillery fire. It's so funny. But as he said, he was lucky. Although the plane broke down when he landed, he was still alive.

In order to cover up the embarrassment on my face, I turned my head to the back and yelled: "what's the matter? Why hasn't the health worker come after such a long time?"

As soon as the voice fell, the door was pushed open again, and razumeyeva jumped in, panting and saying, "teacher, I've got the health worker." With that, her body slightly to the side, standing behind the shmakova let out.

Seeing that shmakova was going to salute us, I quickly raised my hand to interrupt her and told her in a hurry: "Comrade health officer, you're here just in time. The pilot captain is injured. Bandage him quickly."

While shimakova was bandaging bopkov's wound, kirilov pulled me aside and said in a low voice, "Comrade teacher, what do you think we should do about this?"

"What to do?" Kirilov's words confused me, so I asked in a fog.

Kirilov looked at the pilot and whispered, "our antiaircraft Gunners have knocked down their planes. If according to the regulations, those antiaircraft Gunners may be shot."

Shoot! This long lost word startled me. I looked towards the pilot in a hurry and saw that the people around me were all absorbed in watching shmakova bandage the wound, and didn't notice that kirilov and I were whispering. I said tentatively: "Comrade political commissar, if there is no one in the headquarters later, we will discuss with the pilot again, try our best to hide this matter and not report it. I believe those antiaircraft Gunners didn't mean to. Under such chaotic circumstances, it's inevitable that there will be misfire. "

Kirilov nodded, looked in the direction of the crowd, and said with approval, "well, I'll talk to captain popkov later. In addition, Colonel yershov, who is in charge of the antiaircraft artillery group, also needs to inform him that he has a clear idea. After all, our fighter plane was shot down and there were many people who saw it. If someone with ulterior motives poked it up, you and I would be in trouble. "

Shmakova's hands and feet were very sharp, and soon finished dressing captain popkov. After she was injured, she came to us and raised her hand to salute. She reported that: "the wounds of the teachers, political commissars and captains have been bandaged up. What he is responsible for is only skin injuries. After a period of cultivation, he will recover."

Kirilov nodded and then said to the woman health worker, "I see. Go back."

After she saluted us again, she turned and left.

The German army has been shelling and bombing mamayev hill and 107.5 highland since the morning. Seeing the twilight coming, I feel relieved that the Germans have been struggling all day, and it's time to be quiet. Did not expect that just thought of here, outside came the rumble of artillery.

The sudden gunfire not only attracted the attention of akhromeyev and I, but also kirilov and popkov, who were chatting in the corner of the headquarters. Popkov sprang up from his seat and asked in surprise, "what's the matter? Where are the enemy shelling?"

Akhromeyev, who was standing next to the telephone, immediately told Najia, "comrades of the telegraph operator, get in touch with the first and third regiments immediately, and ask what happened?"

"Yes Najia agreed and began to call a regiment.

When I heard Naja say that the whole group was connected, I quickly walked to the telephone, picked up the transmitter and cried out, "Hello, is that lieutenant colonel xiejerikov? This is colonel o'shanina. Answer me, what's the matter? Where are the Germans shelling? "

In the earphone soon came the reply of shejerikov: "report to division commander, the German army is shelling our regiment's position on the north slope. The commissar and I are leaving a few observation posts, and the rest of the officers and men are retreating into air raid shelters and bomb shelters. " Perhaps he was afraid that I would be worried. Finally, he specially stressed, "Sir, please rest assured that we will never let the enemy's feet step on our high ground again."

After talking to sjerykov, I talked to the third regiment. Godunov calmly reported to me: "the enemy is shelling our regiment's position. As the position on the north slope has been completely destroyed in shelling and air attack, I only left one class of soldiers on the top as a guard, and the rest of them have withdrawn to the south slope."

Thinking of the situation of the third regiment just reported to me by akhromeyev, there are only more than 100 people on the highland. If the German army launched a fierce attack at this time, they would not be able to stop it. So I asked with some worry, "Captain Godunov, where is the second battalion of your regiment?"

"The second battalion is still in the residential area. According to the plan, they will take advantage of the night to enter the Highlands in two hours to exchange guard with the first battalion."

"No, comrade captain, the second battalion must be replaced earlier." I said sternly, "immediately order the second battalion to set out from the residential area and rush to the south slope of the highland for standby. As soon as the enemy's shelling stops, they will enter the position immediately."

Godunov heard my tone stern, did not dare to mention any objective reasons, can only honestly promise: "yes!"

The enemy's round of shelling ended abruptly in ten minutes.

Listening to the sudden silence outside, kirilov and akhromeyev and I looked at each other. We were all confused by the German army's inexplicable way of playing. It's just shelling and bombing, but we don't send ground troops to attack. What's so interesting? Apart from consuming their ammunition reserves, it has little impact on us.

Just when we were puzzled, the telephone in front of razumeyeva and Najia suddenly rang. Heard two people shouting at the transmitter: "Hello, this is division headquarters, where are you?" My heart can't help but clatter. My heart says it's time to come. At last, the enemy's ground attack begins.

Information from the first and third regiments came one after another through the telephone in front of razumeyeva and Najia. Both commanders reported that the enemy infantry, under the cover of more than a dozen tanks, had launched an attack on our highlands.

In this case, the order I gave was very brief: "the order is clear, and we will firmly hold the position at all costs."

Next, when discussing the combat deployment with kirilov, akhromeyev took the initiative to put forward to me: "Comrade division commander, since it's dark, it's estimated that the enemy's aircraft will not be dispatched again. At this time, can we send out our artillery and tank battalions to attack the enemy head-on? "

Akhromeyev's words immediately resonated with kirilov. He quickly nodded and said with approval, "I agree with the chief of staff. Since the enemy's aircraft can't be dispatched, we can also take out our secret weapons and teach the Germans a lesson."

"I don't mind using the artillery battalion. But the tank battalion, "as for their proposal, I only agreed to use the artillery battalion, and explained my reasons to the two men," because of our limited fuel and ammunition, I mean not to use it for the time being. After all, the fight is only beginning now. If our strength is exposed too early, more enemies will be attracted to our direction. At that time, with the strength of our division, we will not be able to defend the mamayev post. "

After listening to my statement, kirilov did not insist on his opinion any more. After thinking for a moment, he nodded and said, "OK, let's send out our artillery battalion. I think with our heavy howitzers and thunder guns, we can defeat the enemy who comes to attack."

Just as we were talking happily, razumeyeva suddenly cried nervously, "teacher, come here quickly!"

I saw her look flustered, quickly walked in front of her, bent down and asked in a low voice: "what's the matter?"

She handed me the earphone and transmitter, and said in a low voice, "the position of the third regiment is lost!"

"Lost position?" Razumeyeva's voice is small, but it is like a bolt from the blue, almost put me directly on the ground.

I put on my headphones and yelled at the transmitter, "Hello, Hello, is that gordonov?"

Godunov's feeble voice came from the earphone: "Comrade division, the enemy's infantry quietly touched the position when the artillery bombardment was over and the smoke of gunfire was not over. After a class of soldiers in our regiment's left behind positions found out, they fought with them tenaciously, but they were outnumbered and all of them died bravely. "

"Get it back, get it back for me! As soon as your second battalion arrives, immediately organize the troops to fight back and take the position back to me. " I yelled at him angrily, "if you can't take back the position, you won't come back. You can live or die with the position."

I angrily threw the earphone and transmitter on the table and said to kirilov and akhromeyev who were surrounded, "Godunov's position is lost."

My words surprised both of them. Akhromeyev asked in surprise: "there are more than 100 people on the high ground. How can we say that if we lose the position, we will lose it?"

I said angrily: "just after the shelling, Godunov said that all the positions on the north slope of 107.5 highland had been destroyed by the enemy's shelling and bombing, so he left only one class of soldiers on guard, and the rest of them were evacuated to the south slope for standby. Unexpectedly, after the shelling, the German infantry took advantage of the smoke of gunpowder and touched the position. The class of soldiers who held the position, though very brave, died because they were outnumbered. I have ordered Godunov to organize the troops to fight back as soon as the troops of the second battalion arrive, so that the positions must be taken back from the enemy's hands. "

When I said this, Najia called me timidly again: "Sir, the first group leader, Lieutenant Colonel xiejerikov, wants to talk to you."

I haven't been liberated from the anger of losing the position of the third regiment. When I heard that one regiment leader came to me again, I was worried about the same problem, so I was rather impolite when I spoke: "Lieutenant Colonel xiejerikov, what do you want to report to me? Don't you also tell me that your position is occupied by the German army? "

"Ah?! What position is occupied? I don't understand you, sir. " Shejerikov's tone was a little tense. After a moment's silence, he said to me in a loud voice: "report, sir, just now there was an enemy who tried to touch our position before the smoke of gunfire had gone out, but we found it and beat it back. Now the political commissar, with the soldiers of the second battalion, is making a counter charge, striving to wipe out all this enemy. "