At this time, the enemy at the foot of the hillside, after losing unified command, had stopped attacking the Soviet positions and was alternately covering the retreat, trying to safely exit the Soviet ambush circle. The artillery company commander and machine gun company commander accepted
After Mikhailev gave the order, he discussed it privately and returned to his company.
The mortar fired at the enemy down the hillside, and the enemy immediately dispersed. As soon as they saw the enemy running all over the mountains and fields, the machine gun opened fire to drive them back together, and handed them over to the artillery to eliminate them.
Just as the German reinforcements were being beaten to the point of crying by Mikhailev's men, the German artillery bombarding the high ground suddenly stopped shelling.
As soon as the shelling stopped, the enemy, who was hiding a few hundred meters away from the position, launched a counterattack. Groups of German soldiers crouched and strode towards the position on the top of the mountain. According to their thinking, in such a fierce battle
Under the bombardment of artillery fire, the defenders on the position must have suffered heavy losses. Those who were lucky enough not to be killed were also blown up and dizzy at the moment. Maybe they would not fully wake up when I rushed in front of them.
But what the Germans did not expect was that before their artillery bombardment began, they had captured the division guard camp on the top of the mountain. Except for a few soldiers who were left to serve as guards, the rest had withdrawn to a safe area on the reverse slope. Seeing the enemy
After charging towards the position, the soldiers who stayed on guard immediately blew their whistles and issued an early warning to the troops hidden on the reverse slope.
When the guard battalion commander heard the whistle, he quickly shouted to the left and right: "The enemy is attacking. Everyone immediately enter the position and prepare to meet the enemy." As the order was issued, the commanders and soldiers came out of their hiding places with a roar.
Stand up, grab your weapon and rush towards the position on the top of the mountain.
The enemy was several hundred meters away from the position, while the Soviet soldiers were only dozens of meters away. After a while, the soldiers entered the position and looked for a suitable place as their shooting position.
When the German troops approached the position, they were greeted by dense bullets. The German officers and soldiers probably never dreamed that they would be hit by such fierce firepower in a place where they thought there were not many living people. The enemy sitting in front
A large number of them were knocked down directly, and even many of the soldiers who were following far behind were hit by stray bullets and fell to the ground with a scream.
The German captain who was commanding the attack saw a large number of his men falling down, and immediately realized something was wrong. He quickly ordered the machine gunners to choose a place to set up a shooting position, trying to use firepower to suppress the Soviet firepower. But what he didn't expect was that
, those machine gunners who had seized the position had just fired a few bursts, when the Soviet mortar shells roared over, landed directly in the queue and exploded. As the sound of explosions came, the soldiers near the explosion point danced with joy.
Flying into the air.
"Not good!" Upon seeing this, the German captain couldn't help but scream inwardly. Judging from the density of firepower on the position, the defenders holding the position did not look like survivors of the shelling at all, but a huge force.
He quickly called a communications soldier and told him: "Hurry, hurry up and convey my order, stop attacking the Russians, and withdraw immediately."
Originally, when encountering this situation, he only needed to blow the whistle, and the attacking soldiers would take the initiative to withdraw. But just before the attack started, he thought that there were not many defenders on the position, and his troops could easily recapture it as long as they attacked.
After losing the position and driving the defenders down the mountain, they did not carry the whistle with them.
Unexpectedly, a round of artillery bombardment by our own artillery did not seem to cause many casualties to the defenders, causing them to lose their troops. There were no whistles at this time, and it was obviously impossible to withdraw the troops who were suppressed by fire. They could only let
The signal corps ventured to the front to notify his subordinates and ask them to withdraw from the battle.
But what the German captain never dreamed of was that the fifth and sixth companies led by the second battalion commander and an artillery platoon were quietly approaching him, preparing to flank the enemy with the defenders on the high ground.
The second lieutenant who led the charge was a platoon leader. He saw that the troops in his platoon had suffered almost all casualties under the Soviet artillery fire and machine gun fire, and he had already begun to retreat. However, because he did not receive an order to retreat, he could only continue.
He lay on the ground and waited for the opportunity. At this moment, seeing the captain sending a messenger to convey the retreat order, he couldn't help but feel like he had escaped, and he quickly ordered the surviving soldiers to start retreating.
The Soviet commanders and fighters stayed in their positions and stopped shooting after the enemy retreated from a distance of 300 meters. At such a long distance, it was very difficult to hit the enemy. It was better to save some ammunition and wait for the enemy to attack.
Teach them a lesson.
The German captain was hiding behind a rock. When he saw his men withdrawing, he immediately grabbed the second lieutenant who was leading the charge and asked: "Second lieutenant, what are your casualties?"
The second lieutenant smiled brightly and replied with a bitter look on his face: "Mr. Captain, the Russian firepower is too strong. Of the more than 60 soldiers in my platoon, there are only less than ten left." After a pause, he asked tentatively again.
, “What do we do next?”
"It seems that our artillery did not cause many casualties to the Russians." The German captain said thoughtfully: "If we continue to attack, I am afraid that there is a danger of the entire army being annihilated. In my opinion, we should retreat.
When the main force arrives after dawn, it will not be too late to attack again."
Naturally, the second lieutenant who had just escaped from death would not object to the captain's decision. He nodded quickly and said: "You are right, Mr. Captain, judging from the distribution of firepower on the Russian position, they have at least one battalion."
With the strength of our troops, our chances of winning are slim, so we might as well retreat first."
A lieutenant interrupted and said: "Mr. Captain, there is intensive gunfire coming from the west. According to my analysis, it should be that the reinforcements and the Russians are fighting."
In fact, as early as when this German unit was lurking, it heard the sound of gunfire from the west, and the captain even sent people to conduct reconnaissance. Unfortunately, the soldiers responsible for the reconnaissance were unfortunately killed when they approached the battlefield.
Killed by a stray bullet. No matter what he saw, a dead man couldn't convey the message back.
The German captain thought for a while, and then said confidently: "Even if there is a firefight between our army and the Russians, with their combat effectiveness, they will definitely not be our army's opponent. Don't worry, we will be able to withdraw from the battlefield safely."
However, it backfired. They had just walked less than 200 meters when intensive gunshots suddenly came from in front of them. The dozen or so soldiers walking at the front fell to the ground in pieces without even making a sound.
"Hell, why are there Russians here?" The captain was frightened into a cold sweat when he saw the soldiers at the front falling down one after another. Fortunately, he was also an officer with rich command experience, and he quickly ordered his men to evacuate.
Come, find a suitable position and fire back.
It was the troops led by the second battalion commander who encountered the Germans. When he learned that the enemy was retreating, he quickly ordered the troops to disperse on the spot, find suitable positions and establish blocking positions. This enemy group must not be allowed to retreat safely.
Go down.
As soon as the gunfire rang out, the two sides immediately started shooting at each other, and the fight was lively.
Compared with the fifth and sixth companies, the German army was at an absolute disadvantage in terms of numbers. This company originally had more than 180 people. Just when they attacked the mountaintop position, they suffered heavy casualties under the powerful firepower of the guard battalion; when they went down the mountain, they suffered heavy casualties.
They were attacked head-on by the Second Battalion, and now there are only sixty or seventy people left, and they don't have any heavy weapons.
The second battalion that blocked them not only had two complete companies, but also a platoon equipped with 76 mm caliber cannons. The three artillery pieces were lined up a few hundred meters away. As long as they found where the enemy's firepower was stronger, they would
Immediately, several cannons blasted over, blasting the enemies there into bloody pieces.
The soldiers of the guard battalion staying in the mountain position were preparing to use this precious time to repair the fortifications when they saw the enemy retreating. Suddenly they heard the fierce fighting below, and they couldn't help but look down, trying to figure out what was going on.
.
In order to keep it secret, except for Weisbach and a few staff officers, the others did not know about Sokov's detour to the rear of the highlands. Seeing the fierce battle below, they naturally became suspicious.
Fortunately, after the guard battalion occupied the high ground, the communications troops in the division immediately connected a telephone line from the mountainside to the position. In this way, the guard battalion commander could directly talk to the division commander Weisbach: "
Comrade Division Commander, we just repelled a German attack not long ago."
"Well done, Comrade Major." Weisbach smiled and praised the other party: "You are well done!"
"But now there's something very strange."
"What's weird?"
"The enemy we just repelled seems to have been intercepted during the retreat." The guard battalion commander asked Weisbach tentatively: "Comrade division commander, do we have any troops to detour back to the enemy's rear?"
Weisbach did not immediately answer the guard battalion commander's question, but cast a questioning look at Sokov. Sokov heard the conversation between him and the guard battalion commander, and nodded slightly, indicating that the other party was truthful.
Answer the guard battalion commander's questions in a correct manner to avoid misunderstandings with friendly forces later.
"Comrade Major, you are right, we did send a unit to detour back to the enemy's rear." Weisbach said to the guard battalion commander: "They are from the 73rd Infantry Brigade. You must send people to get them as soon as possible."
Contact me to avoid any unpleasant misunderstandings later."
"Understood, Comrade Division Commander." The guard battalion commander confirmed that there was indeed a friendly force in front of his position, and quickly assured Weisbach: "I will immediately send someone to contact them, and there will definitely be no misunderstanding or conflict."
After Weisbach put down the phone, he looked at the mountaintop position occupied by the guard battalion in the distance, and said thoughtfully to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, I feel that after daybreak, the enemy will definitely carry out violent attacks on the mountaintop position.
When the bombardment begins, should we withdraw the troops inside to the reverse slope?"
"Comrade Colonel, this is for sure." Sokov said: "If the terrain on the west side of the highland is flat and easy to attack and difficult to defend, then it is completely feasible to move our troops to a safe area before the enemy's shelling begins.
necessary."
"What should we do if our troops are attacked by enemy air attacks while withdrawing from their positions?"
Weisbach's words made Sokov fall into deep thought. Don't see that the distance the troops retreated each time was not far, only one or two hundred meters. But when the soldiers retreated, they would be crowded on this short road. In order to fight for
At this time, many commanders and fighters will climb out of the trenches. If the Germans carry out an air attack at this time, it is indeed possible that the commanders and fighters exposed in the open ground will suffer heavy casualties.
Sokov thought for a while, and finally thought of a good way, and said to Weisbach: "Comrade Colonel, I thought of a good way. Even if the troops are attacked by enemy air attacks during the transfer process, the casualties can be eliminated."
drop to lowest."
"Comrade Commander, if you have any good ideas, please tell me quickly."
Sokov bent down and pointed to a small mound on the ground, and explained to Weisbach: "Comrade Colonel, for example, this is the high ground in front of us. This is the top position. We can dig holes on the north and south sides of the position.
An extended communication trench goes around the east side of the highland..."
Weisbach squatted in front of the mound and listened carefully to Sokov's explanation. As soon as the other party finished speaking, he slammed his fist on the dirt and said excitedly: "Comrade Commander, the traffic trench you designed
It's really wonderful. From the north and south sides of the mountaintop position, a communication trench was dug extending to the east of the high ground, so that the soldiers could retreat along the communication trench to a safe reverse slope before the enemy's shelling began. Even if they encountered during the retreat,
In case of bombing by enemy planes, they can also rely on the traffic trenches for air defense."
"Now that you have understood my intention, quickly send someone to notify the guard battalion commander on the high ground and ask him to seize the time to dig a communication trench according to my idea." Sokov raised his hand and looked at his watch: "Now stay here
There is not much time left for them. Once they wait until daybreak, the enemy will definitely launch a fierce bombardment on their position, and it will be too late to dig communication trenches by then."
Weisbach knew about this kind of thing over the phone, but he couldn't explain it clearly. He quickly called a staff officer and explained Sokov's idea of setting up a circular position in detail, using the mounds on the ground as an example. Finally, he asked
Said: "Do you understand everything?"
"I understand, Comrade Commander."
"Now that you understand everything, rush to the mountaintop position immediately, introduce the idea of building a ring position to him in detail, and order him to complete the soil work of the communication trench as quickly as possible."
"Yes, I'll go right away." After the staff officer finished speaking, he raised his hand and saluted Weisbach, turned around and ran away.
Looking at the retreating figures of the staff, Weisbach said with emotion: "I hope the guard battalion commander can complete the construction of the two communication trenches before dawn, otherwise they will suffer huge losses when encountering enemy shelling or bombing."
"
Sokov nodded slightly, and then asked Weisbach: "Comrade Colonel, since you are now the commander of the 300th Division, I would like to ask you, what do you think of the combat effectiveness of this division?"
"Comrade Commander, to be fair, the combat effectiveness of the 300th Division is indeed inferior to that of any division of the 27th Group Army." Weisbach said seriously: "But we should also see that this gap exists for a reason.
For example, there are many new soldiers in the 300th Division. Due to the lack of weapons, they are not familiar enough with the performance of firearms and cannot use them skillfully in battle, which affects their combat effectiveness.
However, I am very satisfied with their heroic performance in the battle today. As long as they are equipped with sophisticated weapons and undergo a few battles, the combat effectiveness of this division can be greatly improved."