"Comrade Commander," Smirnov said with a serious expression: "It will take at least an hour and a half from the time the 116th Division is assembled to the time it enters the high ground. If it is delayed for too long, the battlefield situation may become unfavorable to our army.
Regarding the direction of development, I suggest that the 124th Regiment, which is closest to the highlands, be temporarily transferred to reinforce the 126th Regiment. After the reinforcements from the 116th Division arrive, it will not be too late to let them return to the defense area."
Sokov did not make an immediate decision. Instead, he called a combat staff officer in front of him and asked bluntly: "Comrade staff officer, please tell me what's going on with the German troops in the southwest."
"No, Comrade Commander." The staff officer replied simply: "According to our observation, the position of the German 3rd Armored Corps in the southwest is very quiet, with no movement at all."
After hearing what the combat staff said, Sokov thought that since there was no movement from the German army in the southwest, it would not be a big deal to temporarily transfer the 124th Regiment, which was temporarily stationed in the second-line position, to join the battle. Having made up his mind, he said to Smirnov: "
Comrade Chief of Staff, I agree with your opinion, let the 124th Regiment go up first, and then replace them when the troops of the 116th Division arrive."
Ten minutes later, the forerunner battalion of the 124th Regiment, together with the comrades of the 126th Regiment, launched an attack on the high ground occupied by the Germans. At the same time, artillery fire from the front army formed a barrier two hundred meters in front of the high ground.
An insurmountable wall of fire completely cut off the connection between the German troops on the high ground and the following German troops.
Smirnov called the 41st Guards Division every five minutes to learn about the progress of the battle there.
Fortunately, with the addition of fresh troops, the situation gradually became favorable to the Soviet army. Although the German army, which had lost foreign aid, had a combat effectiveness that far exceeded that of the Soviet army, due to the limited number of personnel and ammunition they carried, the more they fought, the fewer people they had and the ammunition.
There were not many left. Facing the Soviet commanders and soldiers who rushed into the trenches, they had to engage in hand-to-hand combat that was a headache for them.
Upon learning that hand-to-hand fighting had already begun on the high ground, Smirnov finally showed a smile on his tense face: "Comrade Commander, Colonel Sidorin reported that hand-to-hand fighting is currently taking place on the high ground. It seems that it won't be long.
We can wipe out all the enemies occupying the high ground."
Sokov fully agrees with Smirnov's optimistic speculation. The 41st Guards Division may not be able to compare with the German army in terms of equipment, but when it comes to fighting with bayonets, even if the numbers are equal,
Definitely have the upper hand.
At this moment, a staff officer came in and reported: "Comrade Commander, the prisoners escorted by the 41st Guards Division have arrived. Do you want to interrogate them personally?"
"Bring them in." Sokov said briefly: "We are looking for a German translator to assist us in interrogating the prisoners."
Soon two Germans were escorted in. They were both wearing white camouflage uniforms and steel helmets. Their silver coiled epaulettes revealed their identities as officers. Among the two officers, the older one was a lieutenant.
, and the young one is a second lieutenant.
When the translator arrived, Sokov first asked the two men's names and military ranks. Sure enough, they were officers of the 105th Grenadier Regiment of the German 72nd Infantry Division.
"Tell me, how did you arrive near Highland 239 without anyone noticing?"
Hearing Sokov's question, the older lieutenant snorted heavily with his nose, raised his head and said: "As a German officer, I can only tell my name and rank, but not the rest. If you
If you feel dissatisfied, you can send someone to pull us out and shoot us."
"How stubborn." Smirnov asked Sokov in a low voice: "It seems that we can't get any valuable information from their mouths. It's better to send them to a prisoner of war camp."
"Tell me, how many troops do you have, and how did you get to lurk near Highland 239?"
However, the German lieutenant snorted heavily again and tilted his head to the side, not wanting to talk to Sokov at all.
"I guarantee with my own reputation that if you tell us any useful information, I will send someone to take you to a prisoner-of-war camp and give you the treatment you deserve as a prisoner of war."
"Your reputation?" The German lieutenant glanced at Sokov from the corner of his eye and said disdainfully: "How much is your reputation worth?"
When the translator relayed these words of the German lieutenant to Sokov, he said angrily: "Comrade Commander, he is so arrogant. Otherwise, let me teach him a lesson and give him a lesson he will never forget."
"No need." Sokov waved his hand to the translator, and then said to the German lieutenant: "Let me introduce myself. My surname is Sokov. I used to command troops in Kursk, Belgorod and Kharkov.
I have fought against your army. It is said that my name is a taboo among the top leaders of your German army..."
Before Sokov finished speaking, the German lieutenant stood up suddenly and asked tremblingly: "Are you General Sokov, the original commander of the Russian 27th Army?"
"That's right, it's me."
The originally rebellious German lieutenant immediately became respectful after confirming Sokov's identity: "Please forgive me, General Sokov. I don't know your identity. I have offended you just now. Please forgive me."
.”
"Sit down, Mr. Lieutenant." After Sokov asked the other party to sit down, he continued the question: "Please tell me how many troops you invested in this night attack, and how you sneaked into the vicinity of Highland 239.
of?"
Everyone originally thought that the German lieutenant would answer this question truthfully because he was so respectful to Sokov. But what they didn't expect was that the German lieutenant shook his head and said with pain on his face: "I'm sorry, General Sokov, I didn't
The right to leak the secrets of our military."
Seeing that the German lieutenant refused to tell the truth, everyone could not help but feel a little disappointed, but Sokov asked confidently: "Mr. Lieutenant, actually even if you didn't tell me, I would have guessed that the troops participating in tonight's night attack, except for your third
In addition to the 105th Grenadier Regiment, there should be Lieutenant Colonel Lipt’s 5th Walloon Assault Brigade, right?”
As soon as Sokov's words came out, the German lieutenant's face suddenly showed a shocked expression. He instinctively said: "Oh my God, how did you know?" But he soon realized that he had made a mistake and hurriedly closed his mouth.
On the mouth.
From the reaction of the German lieutenant, Sokov knew that what he said was correct. The German troops participating in the night attack on Hill 239 tonight, in addition to the officers and soldiers of the 105th Grenadier Regiment of the 72nd Infantry Division, there were also
A rough calculation of the 5th Walloon Assault Brigade of the Viking Division shows that the German army invested approximately 4,000 troops.
"Come here!" Seeing that he couldn't get anything out of their mouths, Sokov called to the soldiers standing behind them: "Take them first!"