We clearly saw that the enemy was right in front of us. If we blocked them, it would be a great achievement. However, due to the rugged and difficult roads, only one platoon and two machine guns arrived here to suppress the German troops coming from the church bell tower.
The machine gun firepower left only about twenty rifles, and the firepower formed by the submachine guns was unable to stop the fleeing German troops. Vanya was so angry that her eyes burst out with fire.
Sokov, who was leading his troops through the village, saw from a distance a company of soldiers arriving one after another. They were suppressed by the German machine guns on the church bell tower and unable to move in the cemetery. So he quickly ran to a parked car.
Next to the T-34 tank on the roadside, I banged the tank several times with the butt of my gun.
The tank soldier inside heard someone banging on the tank outside, and quickly opened the top cover of the turret and leaned out. When Sokov saw a tank soldier emerging from the tank, he quickly pointed to the German firepower point on the top of the church and rushed towards it.
He shouted loudly: "Tankmen, knock the machine guns off the church bell tower."
The tank soldier nodded, and then retracted into the tank. The tank slowly turned the turret and aimed at the church in the distance. After a loud bang, the shell accurately hit the bell tower. In the rising black smoke, it was
Exploded machine gun parts and human body parts were mixed with the flying rubble and thrown around.
Seeing that the machine gun on the church was shot down, Vanya stood up from behind the tombstone where he was hiding and shouted to the surrounding soldiers: "Comrades, follow me and kill every *** bandit you see. Move forward.
~~!" After shouting, he took the lead and rushed out of the cemetery with a submachine gun.
Although Vanya decisively led a company of soldiers to launch an attack, it was too late. Most of the enemies had already fled along the trail, and they only killed about twenty German soldiers who were behind.
After more than four hours of fighting, the Istria Battalion, with the cooperation of the 146th Tank Brigade, successfully occupied Popkovo. In this battle, more than 300 German troops were eliminated and ten heavy artillery pieces abandoned by the enemy were captured.
Five guns, five tanks, two assault guns, a dozen anti-tank guns and mortars, and a large number of weapons and ammunition.
However, the losses of the Soviet army were also very heavy. The Istria Battalion suffered more than 200 casualties. The 146th Tank Brigade, which cooperated in the battle, also lost nine tanks of various types. In addition, two tanks were lost in the previous day's battle.
An infantry battalion, the battle to capture Popkovo can only be regarded as a tragic victory.
After learning that Popkovo had been occupied, Rokossovsky immediately drove to the headquarters of the 11th Guards Division. As soon as he saw Chernyshev, he said enthusiastically: "Chernyshov
General Schov, I congratulate you! Congratulations on taking the important stronghold of Popkovo. By the way, which regiment was responsible for the main attack?"
"It's Major Sokov's Istria Battalion." Chernyshev replied: "With the cooperation of the 146th Tank Brigade, they took over this important German stronghold in just over four hours.
."
"This Sokov is not easy." Rokossovsky learned that it was Sokov's troops who had made the contribution again. He showed a happy smile and said appreciatively: "No matter how difficult the battle is, as long as he
Once our troops are deployed, they can defeat the Germans and defeat them."
"Comrade Commander, there is another situation that I want to report to you." Chernyshev said to Rokossovsky with a serious expression: "According to Major Sokov's report, the enemies in the villages and towns are, at most, not
There are more than 600 people, which is far from the 2,000 people we knew in advance."
"What, there are no more than 600 enemies in the village?" Rokossovsky frowned and asked, "Is the intelligence reliable?"
Chernyshev nodded vigorously and said with certainty: "This was reported to me personally by Major Sokov."
"Report!" The two were talking when suddenly a loud voice came from the door. Before Chernyshev could speak, Sokov had already walked in from the door and asked with a smile on his face: "Comrade, division commander."
, can you come in?"
Chernyshov and Rokossovsky looked at each other, and both saw smiles in each other's eyes. Chernyshov smiled and cursed at Sokov: "Major Sokov, come in."
Now, can I still kick you out?" He paused for a moment, then continued, "Comrade Commander is also here, please say hello to him."
After adapting to the light in the room, Sokov discovered that Rokossovsky was also here. He quickly took two steps forward, stopped and raised his hands to salute, and said loudly: "Comrade Commander, Commander of the Istria Battalion."
Major Sokov reports to you that I have been ordered by the front division to accept a new combat mission, please give me instructions!"
Rokossovsky nodded and said with a smile: "Major Sokov, please express my gratitude to your soldiers for their bravery and tenacity in the war to defend the motherland.
spirit, and the tremendous results achieved.”
Although what Rokossovsky said were all clichés, Sokov waited for him to finish and replied loudly: "I am willing to serve the Soviet motherland!"
"You have served well." Rokossovsky praised again and turned the topic to the aspect he was interested in: "It is said that there are less than 600 enemies in the village of Popkovo?"
"Yes, Comrade Commander." Sokov replied quickly and affirmatively: "After the battle, I ordered people to count the bodies of the German soldiers and the number of people who escaped, and they found that there were less than 600 people."
After getting the exact answer from Sokov, Rokossovsky held the edge of the table with both hands and leaned over to look at the map spread out on it. After looking at it for a while, he pointed to a location with his finger and pointed at Cherny.
Schov said: "Comrade division commander, come and see. Maklaki, a village fifteen kilometers southwest of Popkovo, is another important stronghold of the German army. If this stronghold is also occupied by us, then the Germans will
The entire defense in the direction of Zhizdra will be shattered. Our remaining task is to clear out the enemy garrisoned in the village of Buren and in the small villages scattered across the vast, forestless plain, so that they do not retreat.
To Zizdra..."
When Rokossovsky assigned the task to Chernyshov, Sokov, who was standing aside, thought to himself: It seems that the superiors want my troops to continue to participate in the battle, but they are planning to let us attack Maklaki.
, or should we clear out the enemies occupying the surrounding villages?
The answer was soon revealed. Chernyshov waited for Rokossovsky to finish and immediately continued: "Comrade Commander, I plan to leave a regiment to stick to Popkovo and consolidate the defense of the surrounding areas.
This prevented the enemy from shelling Susinich from this direction. The other two regiments and Sokov's Istrian battalion rushed to the southwest overnight to capture Maklachi and crush the German army in the direction of Zizdra.
overall defense."
Regarding the plan proposed by Chernyshev, Rokossovsky replied readily: "Okay, just implement the plan you said. The four divisions currently fighting on the right wing will wait to repel the German attack.
After that, I will immediately mobilize them to support you."
After receiving Rokossovsky's reply, Chernyshov immediately ordered Sokov: "Major, gather your battalion immediately, rush to the southwest as soon as possible, and establish an offensive starting position near Maklaki