Fortunately, Sokov saw Starcha's embarrassment and added: "But it is still possible to transfer troops from the second line to reinforce. After all, the two lines of defense are connected by traffic trenches. As long as the enemy does not break through your frontal defense, they cannot enter traffic trenches, so you don't have to worry that the enemy will enter the frontier position from the traffic trenches."
After the daytime battle, the first battalion lost one-third of its troops. Without reinforcements, it was really difficult to defend its position. Seeing that Sokov agreed to draw reinforcements from the rear, Starcha quickly picked up the phone and gave an order to his chief of staff, asking him to immediately send the second battalion to the frontier to reinforce.
After receiving the affirmative reply from the Chief of Staff, the stone hanging in his heart fell to the ground. But when he put down the phone, he saw Sokov sitting at the table and felt that the situation in the frontier position had become complicated. If the division commander continues to stay here, his life will be in danger, so he asked tentatively: "Comrade Commander, this place is too dangerous. Do you think, should you go back to the division headquarters first?"
He was worried that Sokov would not agree to his proposal, so he added: "Even if you go to the second-line regiment command post, it's okay. After all, the battle here has begun, and it's too dangerous for you to stay here."
"I don't go anywhere, I'll stay here." Sokov held the assault rifle that never leaves his body in his arms and said to Starcha and the first battalion commander: "Don't worry, go and command the battle. The guard platoon I brought will protect my safety." After that, he stood up and prepared to walk outside.
"Comrade Commander!" Seeing Sokov get up and walk outside, Starcha rushed over and blocked his way, and asked nervously: "Where are you going? It's too dangerous outside, you'd better stay here."
Sokov waved his hand and said, "If I continue to stay here, you two will be held back when commanding the troops." He knew that the two were worried about their safety, so he emphasized, "As for my safety, you don't have to worry, Lieutenant Samoilov and his guard platoon will protect me."
As soon as Sokov came out of the battalion command post, Samoilov came up and reported to Sokov in a low voice: "Comrade Commander, according to my observation, the position of the third company was attacked by at least one German company. Fortunately, the enemy did not have artillery support, and our troops could still withstand it."
"That's great." Learning that the commanders and fighters of the third company successfully withstood the German attack, Sokov nodded with satisfaction, then pointed to the most intense part of the battle, and said to Samoilov: "Comrade Lieutenant, I'll go ahead and take a look."
"No, division commander." Samoilov heard Sokov think of going to the front to watch the battle, and quickly grabbed his arm and said excitedly: "The front is too dangerous, I don't have the right to let you take risks."
Seeing that Samoilov prevented himself from going to the frontline, Sokov said in a stern tone: "Comrade Lieutenant, are you going to disobey my order?"
"Comrade Commander, my duty is to protect your safety." Samoilov replied in a humble manner: "Even if you remove my position now, I will never let you take risks in front of you."
"Okay, I won't go ahead." Sokov was unwilling to make things difficult for Samoilov, so he leaned back and said, "Then let's find a place with a wide view, so we can watch the battle, right?"
Samoilov thought to himself that with the character of the division commander, he would never leave after the battle begins. Instead of letting him stay in a dangerous place, it would be better to find a suitable location and let him see the progress of the battle. Thinking of this, Samoilov nodded and replied, "I understand, comrade of the division commander, I will take you to a safe place."
Under Samoilov's leadership, Sokov came to a reinforced concrete castle not far away. There was a heavy machine gun team in the castle. Seeing Sokov come in, he quickly stood up to salute. After Sokov raised his hand to return the salute, he sent them out, then walked to the shooting hole and looked outside. He found that the location here was really good, and he could see the battle area. Under the dazzling light of the flares, the German officers and soldiers rushing towards the position had nowhere to hide. Some of them were defeated by the Soviet soldiers on the position before they could find a hidden position.
Samoilov brought Sokov here because he felt that the shooting world of this burial was ideal, the observation area was large, and it was very strong. Even if a few heavy shells were received, the fortifications would not be destroyed. After he arranged the outside warning, he came in and reported to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, I have set up the warning. Even if the Germans rushed into our position, my subordinates and I have enough time to protect you from leaving here safely."
"Why, comrade Lieutenant, do you have no confidence in our army defending the position?" Sokov heard Samoilov say this, pointed his hand in front and said, "Did you see the attacking enemy being beaten by our soldiers on the position as a target?"
"Comrade Commander, I'm not going to be in case." Samoilov replied with a laugh, "Besides, the battle is just beginning, maybe the enemy will use artillery fire to support them when they see their infantry attacks frustrated."
As soon as Samoilov finished speaking, a scream of shells cutting through the air came from the air, and then two shells fell on the position and exploded. However, these two shells were obviously test-fired shells, but they exploded in front and behind the first trench, causing no damage to the Soviet commanders and soldiers in the trench.
"You crow's mouth!" Sokov raised his hand and slapped Samoilov's helmet, cursing unhappily: "You said the enemy will use artillery fire to support us, and the enemy will really start shelling our position."
"Comrade of the division commander," Samoilov, who was criticized by Sokov, replied in a little overwhelmed, "I just said it casually, and I didn't expect the Germans to fire."
"Okay, okay, let's talk about the serious business." Sokov turned to face Samoilov and asked, "Can we bring contact Lieutenant Seriosha?"
Sokov likes to run around after the battle, in order to avoid losing contact with the division headquarters, there is usually a radio operator in the accompanying guard platoon carrying a walkie-phone. When Sokov asked about this, Samoilov quickly replied: "Yes, comrade in the division commander. Do you need to talk to Lieutenant Seriosha now?"
"Yes, contact him immediately." Sokov nodded slightly and said in a affirmative tone: "Maybe they will be available soon."
The communications soldier entered the castle and started calling Selyosci directly with the sender, which was quickly connected. Sokov took the sender and headphones and said loudly: "Is it Lieutenant Selyosci? I am Sokov."
"Comrade Commander," Samoilov heard Sokov reveal his identity carelessly, and quickly reminded him: "The enemy may eavesdrop on our communications, so you should use code words."
"It's okay, even if the Germans eavesdrop on our communication, they can't do anything." Sokov replied to Samoilov and continued to ask in the microphone: "Seryosha, where are you and your subordinates?"
"Report to the division commander." Although Selyoshao and Sokov were good friends, he respectfully called each other's military rank on such formal occasions: "I am on the position of the 125th Regiment."
"Did you see the enemy's attack on the 124th Regiment?" Sokov asked briefly.
"See." After giving a positive answer, Selyosha asked Sokov for advice: "I wonder what instructions are there for the commander of the division?"
"Send people to closely observe the frontier positions of the 124th Regiment," Sokov said to the sender: "Once they find that their situation is critical, use rockets to cover the attacking enemies. Do you understand?"
"I understand, comrade of the division commander." Selyosha naturally understood what Sokov was saying and quickly replied: "I will immediately send someone to monitor friendly positions. Once they find dangers in their place, they will use rockets to cover the enemy with fire."
The call here just ended when the German army's fierce shelling began. For a moment, the frontier position of the 124th Regiment was shrouded in smoke. Although the castle Sokov was staying in was strong, he still felt that his heart was beaten faster and his internal organs seemed to have been displaced.
Despite the German shelling, Sokov held up a telescope and carefully observed the enemy situation ahead. Although the Soviet army on the position did not fire flares into the air due to the enemy's shelling, the huge flames emitted from the shell explosion had already illuminated the German figures in front of the position clearly.
Through the smoke of gunpowder, Sokov saw the German officers and soldiers who were originally suppressed by the Soviet fire and could not raise their heads, all of whom were getting up from the ground. They might be worried about being accidentally injured by their own artillery fire, so they rushed to the back.
"Teacher Commander, is the division commander here?" Sokov was observing the enemy situation when he suddenly heard a cry of low pressure from the sound of shell explosions coming from outside. He turned his head and looked at the door and said loudly: "Who is here to me?"
An officer walked into the castle. After raising his hand to salute Sokov, he replied respectfully: "Comrade Commander, I am the staff officer in the regiment. The enemy has begun to launch artillery bombardment on our regiment positions. The regiment commander and battalion commander are worried about your safety, so he specially sent us out to find you. And if possible, transfer you to a safe place."
"I'm safe in the place I'm now." Sokov said to the other party: "Go back and tell Lieutenant Colonel Starchar that the Germans are bombarding your positions and don't let people walk around in the trenches."
The German shelling stopped for a quarter of an hour. When Sokov felt his ears still buzzing, a new round of German offensive began. This time, not only did they continue to attack in the area defended by the third company, but also a large number of German troops appeared on the front of the other two companies.
"Oh my god." Samoilov couldn't help but scream in surprise when he saw dense black shadows appearing on the snow in the distance: "The German army has dispatched at least one battalion this time. I wonder if our troops can withstand it?"
"I think it should be fine." Sokov saw that the soldiers were hurrying to repair fortifications and make various preparations for war, so he said confidently: "Our soldiers should be able to block the enemy's attack."
When the Germans on the snow began to trot, more than a dozen flares rose from the first battalion's position, illuminating the Germans in white camouflage clearly. After the commanders and fighters on the position clearly saw the location of the Germans, they immediately fired. For a moment, the shooting sounds of various guns on the position sounded, and many German soldiers rushing forward seemed to hit a transparent wall and fell to the snow.
"Comrade Commander," Samoilov couldn't help but sigh: "You are thoughtful. With the help of these flares, the Germans had to change from sneak attacks to strong attacks. Since they didn't wait to take the position away from us during the day, their conspiracy would still not succeed at night."
"It's right, lieutenant." Sokov smiled and nodded, "If every officer and fighter have the awareness of you, it will not be difficult to defeat the enemy."
The German officers and soldiers who were attacking were quite frustrated. They lurked in the snow for several hours. When they were about to be frozen, they finally launched an attack on the Soviet positions. According to the original plan, it was originally a sneak attack, but because the Soviet army desperately fired flares into the air as if they were not worth money, their sneak attack turned into a strong attack. Under the light of the flares, the Soviet army in the trench could see them clearly, but they could not see where the Soviet army in the trench was, and the battle became more and more frustrating.
The battle lasted until dawn. The German army left more than 300 bodies and more than 100 wounded men in front of the first battalion's position, and then retreated in shame.
Seeing the enemy retreating, Samoilov said to Sokov excitedly: "Comrade Commander, have you seen it? The Germans ran away and we won!"
"Yes, the German soldiers have retreated." Sokov looked at the German army who was retreating in a hurry with a telescope, and said with some amusement: "I think Seryosha must be full of anger at this moment. After waiting for the middle of the night, they were not used for rockets."
Samoilov originally wanted to say a few more words, but he suddenly found the black smoke rising from afar, pointed at it, and said to Sokov in surprise: "Comrade Commander, look, what is the black smoke there? Have the friendly troops heading south rushed over to meet us?"
Chapter completed!