While Yakov was setting up heavy artillery positions, Sidorin made another suggestion to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, although we will not launch an attack on the fortress for the time being, let's see if we can request the air force to attack and bomb the fortress?"
"Comrade Chief of Staff, you mean to send out the air force to bomb the fortifications?" Sokov asked rhetorically.
"Yes, Comrade Commander." Sidorin said affirmatively: "I hope to destroy the fortifications in the fortress through bombing, so that our army will not pay a high price to seize these fortifications after rushing into the fort.
"
Regarding Sidorin's proposal, Sokov thought about it and finally rejected it. He clearly remembered that in order to capture the Brest Fortress, the German army shelled and bombed it, but the damage caused to the defenders in the fortress was not enough.
It is limited. If the defenders did not lack enough ammunition, food and water, as well as some necessary military supplies, they might be able to resist for a longer time.
"Comrade Chief of Staff, the fortifications in the fortress are strong. I think even if the air force is dispatched, I'm afraid it won't be able to cause much damage to these buildings. Instead, it will be a waste of ammunition." Sokov shook his head and said: "I think it's better.
After Yakov's heavy artillery battalion blasts through the city wall, let our troops rush in and eliminate the enemy."
Seeing Sokov's resolute attitude, Sidorin couldn't say anything more and could only reluctantly agree: "Okay then, we will wait for the artillery to open a passage for the infantry."
When Yakov came back and reported to Sokov that the super heavy artillery had been deployed, Sokov pointed to the map and said to Yakov: "Yasha, order the artillery to bombard the northern wall of the Kobrin Fortress. It must be
Blast several gaps in this direction so that our infantry can rush in."
"Misha." After hearing Sokov's order, Yakov said with some surprise: "Isn't there a bridge connecting the two sides? Why don't you launch an attack from this direction? Instead, open a gap in the northern city wall.
Woolen cloth?"
"The reason is very simple." Sokov did not beat around the bush and said straightforwardly: "If we launch an attack from the city gate, and the enemy deploys artillery and machine gun firepower here, it will cause huge casualties to our attacking troops. You
Think about it, although this bridge is spacious, if two or three tanks are destroyed by anti-tank fire and block the bridge, how will our troops enter the fortress? So my idea is to rush into the fortress from the city wall and then send troops to clear it out.
The enemy at the gate, so that our tank troops can enter the fortress with swagger."
"Comrade Chief of Armored Forces," Sokov said after saying this, he turned and asked Colonel Maryshev who was standing aside and said nothing: "Do you think I am right?"
"Absolutely correct, Comrade Commander." Malyshev heard Sokov asking himself, quickly took a step forward, and replied respectfully: "If we launch an attack directly from the entrance of the fortress, the enemy's anti-tank firepower will be enough to destroy it.
Our tanks, no matter how strong they are, have the weakest top armor. Even if the enemy's anti-tank gun deployed above the door is a 37mm anti-tank gun known as a stepping stone, it can still destroy our tank.
"
Yakov glanced at Malyshev casually, but after seeing the other person's face clearly, his eyes widened in surprise: "Are you Colonel Malyshev?"
"Yes, Comrade General." Since Malyshev rarely stayed in the headquarters, he had not seen Yakov just now and did not know that he had served as the artillery director. At this moment, when he heard the other party ask him, he quickly answered
He said: "I am Malyshev." He looked at the somewhat familiar Yakov and thought to himself: Who is this general and how does he know me?
"Hello, Colonel Malyshev." Yakov extended his hand to the other party and said friendly: "I think you may not remember me. Let me introduce myself. My name is Yakov, Smoleng.
During the defense of Sk, I was an artillery lieutenant in the 14th Tank Division and now work in the General Staff. But an hour ago, my friend Misha, your commander General Sokov, appointed me
Acting Chief of Artillery."
When he heard Yakov say that he had been an artillery lieutenant of the 14th Tank Division during the Battle of Smolensk, Colonel Malyshev's sleeping memory was awakened, and he immediately remembered who the general in front of him was.
He couldn't help but said in surprise: "It turns out to be you, General Yakov. Please forgive me, I didn't recognize you just now."
When Sokov heard the two chatting, he couldn't help but be curious. He was about to ask if the two knew each other. Suddenly he remembered that Colonel Malyshev had told him that he had commanded a detachment during the Battle of Smolensk.
Tank troops and several militia brigades, Yakov must have been his subordinates at that time.
Unexpectedly, three years have passed and Colonel Malyshev is still standing still. His former subordinate, Lieutenant Yakov, is now a general.
"General Yakov, Colonel Malyshev," Sokov guessed that the two were old acquaintances, but Sidorin asked curiously: "Have you two known each other before?"
"Yes, Comrade Chief of Staff." Malyshev nodded and replied: "During the Battle of Smolensk, the tank unit I commanded was Lieutenant Yakov, no, it was the tank of General Yakov.
14th Division.”
"It turns out that you two are old acquaintances." Sidorin finally understood. He nodded and said to Malyshev: "Comrade Director of Armored Forces, after the battle begins, the heavy artillery unit commanded by General Yakov will
Several gaps were opened in the wall of the Kobrin Fortress, allowing our infantry to rush in. After the infantry cleared the German troops near the fortress entrance, the tank troops under your command must quickly rush into the fortress from the fortress gate. Do you understand?
"
"Understood, Comrade Chief of Staff." Malyshev nodded and said, "As long as the tanks enter the fortress, they can play a huge role."
Sokov raised his hand to look at the time, and then said to Yakov: "Yasha, it's almost time, let your artillery take action."
Yakov nodded, walked to the table, picked up the phone, and said into the receiver: "Comrade battalion commanders, aim at the wall on the north side of Kobrin Fortress and fire!"
After the order was issued, there was no rumbling sound of artillery as everyone imagined. Sidorin listened to the noise outside and asked Yakov with some surprise: "General Yakov, why haven't your men fired the artillery yet?"
ah?"
"Don't be anxious, Comrade Chief of Staff." Yakov smiled and said to Sidorin: "What I command is not the artillery unit on the side, but the super heavy artillery unit. The firing rate of these heavy artillery is slow. You must be patient.
Wait."
As soon as Yakov finished speaking, several dull explosions came from outside, and everyone felt that the ground beneath their feet shook slightly. "Comrade Chief of Staff, did you hear that?" Yakov said with
He pointed his hand outward and said with a smile: "The super heavy artillery battalion has fired."
The six 203mm howitzers of the 203rd Heavy Artillery Battalion fired first. They let out an earth-shattering roar, and the shells roared and flew towards the fortress. A few seconds later, a violent explosion occurred in the Kobrin Fortress. It was two meters thick.
The thick concrete exterior wall was blasted with three large holes as tall as a person.
Seeing that the shelling was effective, the commander of the 203rd Battalion directed the ammunition hand to start loading and prepare for the second round of firing.
The 280mm howitzer of the 280th Heavy Artillery Battalion has a much slower rate of fire than the 203mm howitzer. Although they were loaded at the same time as the 203rd Battalion, when others finished firing one shot and started loading ammunition again, they had not even fired a single shot.
Go out. When the battalion commander saw this, he immediately became anxious and urged: "Comrades! The brothers of the 203rd Heavy Artillery Battalion have fired one shot and are about to prepare for the second shot. But we haven't even finished loading yet. We need to speed up."
speed."
Under the urging of the commander of the 280th Battalion, the three 280mm howitzers finally successfully fired the shells after the friendly forces completed the second shooting. Although the rate of fire of this artillery was slower, it was more powerful than the 203mm howitzers.
Much stronger. The gap made by three cannon shells is larger than the gap made by six cannons.
The artillery observer clearly saw that several gaps had been made in the city wall by heavy artillery, and quickly reported to Yakov: "Comrade General, the shelling of the two heavy artillery battalions has achieved great results. Now on the city wall on the north side of Kobrin Fortress,
Five gaps have been blown out, allowing our infantry to pass through."
But after listening to the report, Yakov did not get carried away. Instead, he asked cautiously: "How big are each of these five gaps? How many people can pass through at one time?"
"The five with the most gaps can pass two people at the same time; the remaining gaps can only barely pass one person."
After hearing this, Yakov couldn't help frowning and said: "No, this gap is not enough. We need to continue bombarding and make the gap as big as possible."
After putting down the phone, Yakov said to Sokov: "Misha, the artillery observer reported that the city wall of Kobrin Fortress has been blasted through five gaps. The largest gap can only pass through for two people, and the remaining gaps can barely pass.
I can pass one person. I felt that such a gap was still detrimental to our attack, so I ordered the heavy artillery battalion to continue bombarding in an effort to make the gap wider."
"Yasha, you did the right thing." Sokov agreed with Yakov's arrangement: "The walls of the fortress are densely covered with artillery launch ports and gun shooting holes. If these fortifications are not destroyed as much as possible, our
Once the troops launch an attack, they will suffer heavy casualties under the enemy's powerful firepower."
"Misha, I have another suggestion."
"Tell me, Yasha, what's your suggestion?"
"When the heavy artillery blasts the gap in the city wall large enough, other artillery can be used to bombard the inside of the fortress." Yakov suggested to Sokov: "This may cause a certain degree of casualties to the Germans in the fortress."
"Okay." Sokov agreed to Yakov's proposal without hesitation. Although the fortifications in the fortress were strong and ordinary shelling would cause limited casualties to the defenders, it was still better than nothing: "When the gap in the wall is large enough,
At this time, you can order other artillery units to bombard the inside of the fortress."
The infantry responsible for the offensive mission this time was the 6th Guards Division of Major General Onupryenko. At this moment, he felt that the time was ripe, so he took two steps forward and asked Sokov cautiously: "Comrade Commander, I don't know.
How long do my troops have to wait before they can attack the fortress?"
"It's not too late to launch an attack after the artillery blasts a big enough gap in the city wall for you." After Sokov said this, he suddenly remembered something and quickly told Yakov: "Yasha, you
Tell the heavy artillery battalion not to concentrate the gaps created too much, but to spread them out as much as possible."
After hearing this, Yakov asked with some confusion: "Misha, why?"
Sokov picked up a piece of black bread on the table and explained it to Yakov. He first cut a few notches in the middle with a knife and said casually: "Yasha, look at it, for example, on the bread
The gap is the gap we blasted in the wall of Kobrin Fortress. If it is concentrated in one area, then there are no destroyed firepower points near the gap, and it can fire on our troops crowded here, causing huge damage to our army.
casualties."
After cutting several gaps in different positions of the bread, he continued: "But if our gaps are spread out, the troops entering the fortress through the gaps will not be congested. Even if there are many survivors near the gaps,
Even with their firepower, they cannot block so many gaps at the same time, but our offensive troops can successfully enter the fortress."
"I understand, Misha." After Yakov waited for Sokov to finish speaking, he nodded and said, "I immediately informed the commander of the heavy artillery battalion and asked them to blast holes in different positions to prevent my attacking troops from attacking the city wall.
There is congestion on the side.”
After receiving Yakov's call, the heavy artillery battalion readjusted the shooting angle. In the next hour, more than 20 gaps were opened in the city wall for infantry to pass through.
Seeing that the city wall was riddled with holes, Yakov ordered other artillery units to fire into the fortress. For a time, the entire fortress was full of explosions. The Soviet artillery shells roared and hit the masonry structure of the fortress wall, shattering it.
Stones were flying and fire was everywhere.
When Sokov heard the sound of artillery coming from outside, he said to Onupryenko: "Comrade General, it's almost time to order your troops to attack. I wish you good luck!"
"Thank you, Comrade Commander!" Onupriyenko said excitedly: "I will never let you down."
When the officers and men of the Guards Division began to cross the river, although the German troops in the fortifications on the other side also conducted fire blocking fire, the firepower was obviously not as good as the firepower they used against the two infantry brigades.
The reason for the sudden weakening of firepower was that some firepower points were directly destroyed by heavy artillery. Although some firepower points were still intact, the German officers and soldiers inside had been stunned and it was impossible to resist.
Precisely because the enemy's firepower was weak, after the commanders and fighters of the Guards Division reached the other side of the river, they poured into the fortress through the blasted gap and competed with the defenders for ownership of the fortress.
Shortly after the first batch of commanders entered the fortress, they cleared the defenders of Kobrin Gate and sent a passage signal to the tank troops waiting in the distance.
The tank crews, who had been waiting impatiently for a long time, immediately started their tanks after seeing the signal sent by the officers and men of the Guards Division, and drove toward the Kobrin Gate aggressively. Behind them, closely followed by the 1st Guards Division
division commander.
Upon learning that troops from the 1st and 6th Guards Divisions had entered the fortress one after another, Sokov couldn't help but breathed a sigh of relief. Although it would take a difficult battle to seize the fortress, tens of thousands of commanders and soldiers entered smoothly.
The fortress was reached, which meant that the battle had achieved an initial victory.