After the Germans destroyed the armored train that posed a great threat to them, after resting for two hours, they launched a new round of offensive against the positions of the 35th Guards Division.
The 101st Regiment deployed on the right wing suffered similar casualties to the two regiments on the left wing, but because they were not supplemented by militia troops, there were only more than 300 people left on the position.
Seeing the German tanks appearing in the distance, the commander of the 101st Regiment immediately ordered a battalion commander with a bandage on his head: "Third Battalion Commander, the Germans have dispatched seven tanks. You immediately arrange for a few soldiers to hide in the tank."
In the crater in front of the position, wait for the tank to approach and use anti-tank grenades or cluster grenades to blow it up."
When the young battalion commander heard this order from the regiment commander, the corners of his mouth twitched violently. He knew very well that neither anti-tank grenades nor cluster grenades could be thrown too far due to their weight, that is,
He said that the soldiers who were sent to bomb the tanks were waiting for them to either be killed by German bullets or die together with the German tanks. There was no hope of survival. But after hesitating for a while, he still replied resolutely: "I understand, Comrade Commander.
, I’ll make arrangements right away.”
The third battalion commander walked out of the headquarters that was half destroyed by artillery fire and came to the area where his battalion was holding firm. The soldiers were originally sitting in the trenches to rest. When they saw the battalion commander approaching, they stood up one after another and leaned against the trenches.
The wall paid him attention.
After the series of battles, the third battalion only had more than 80 people left, less than the strength of a company. To blow up the seven German tanks that rushed over, at least double the number of people would have to be dispatched. In other words, now
Some troops have to lose another fourteen men.
The third battalion commander stopped and said in a voice that everyone could hear: "Comrades, the enemy tanks are rushing towards us. I need fourteen people to hide in the crater outside. Once the tank approaches, they will
Blow it up with anti-tank grenades or cluster grenades. Who among you is willing to go on this mission?"
Immediately after a brief silence, more than 20 soldiers took a step forward, expressing their willingness to carry out this life-threatening mission. Seeing these soldiers, the third battalion commander's eyes became moist, he sniffed and left
He went over and picked out fourteen warriors, and then said to the rest of the warriors with red eyes: "You stay here first, and you can come back after they have not completed their mission."
The fourteen soldiers climbed out of the trench holding anti-tank grenades or cluster grenades, and crawled to the crater in front of the position to hide. According to their idea, as long as they waited for the German tanks to pass by, they would just stand up and throw their weapons.
Mines or grenades can blow up tanks.
However, after suffering several losses from the Soviet army, the German army became smarter. They knew that the Soviet army in this defensive position did not have long-range anti-tank weapons, so the tanks moved very slowly to ensure that the infantry protecting them could keep up with them.
Above. When the first German tank approached the bomb crater where the Soviet soldiers were hiding, the soldier hiding inside suddenly stood up and raised the anti-tank grenade in his hand. Just as he was about to throw it out, he followed the car.
The German infantry opened fire, killing the soldier who tried to drop the bomb.
Upon discovering a Soviet anti-tank fighter hiding in a crater, the infantry stepped up their pace, passed over the slow-moving tanks, and carefully searched the crater ahead. Once they found a Soviet soldier hiding inside, they would immediately shoot and kill them.
In just a few minutes, eight soldiers were killed in the crater by German infantry.
Seeing their comrades dying under the enemy's gunfire one after another, the commanders and fighters on the position became anxious. The third battalion commander came to a light machine gun and said to the machine gunner: "Machine gun, kill those damn German devils."
"
The machine gunner nodded, immediately pulled the trigger, and fired at the searching German soldiers. After a few unlucky German soldiers were hit by bullets, they spiraled into the crater on the side. The German tanks found Su
After receiving the machine gun fire on the military position, they immediately stopped, turned the muzzle and fired there. Although the shot missed, the mud stirred up by the explosion still scattered the third battalion commander and the machine gunner.
Seeing that the situation was not good, the commander of the third battalion quickly said to the machine gunner: "No, the enemy has discovered your position and immediately moved to a new shooting position."
The machine gunner put away the machine gun, bent over and ran along the trench for a few steps. The shooting position just now was hit by a shell fired by another tank. A stream of soil mixed with countless shell casings rose into the sky and hit the ground when it fell.
The helmets of nearby soldiers clanked.
While the attention of the German tanks and infantry was attracted by the machine guns on the position, a soldier not far from the tank jumped out of the crater and jumped into the bottom of a tank next to him. After a loud bang,
, the tank body jumped in place, and then puffs of black smoke came out from where it lay. The two tank crews, who were on fire, helped each other climb out of the open turret, and stumbled towards the back.
When the remaining four soldiers saw that their comrades had successfully blown up a German tank, they all jumped out of the bomb crater where they were hiding, desperately pounced on the German tanks not far away, and perished with them. But in the end
Only one soldier succeeded, and the other three soldiers fell to the gunfire of the German infantry hiding behind the tanks.
Two of the seven tanks were destroyed. In order to prevent further destruction, the remaining five accelerated their speed, abandoned the infantry covering them, and rushed towards the Soviet position.
Looking at the tanks rushing over, the soldiers who had just been brushed off did not wait for the third battalion commander to give orders, tied grenades on their bodies, and crawled out of the trenches one after another, so that the German tanks that were speeding towards them climbed away.
When the third battalion commander saw his soldiers crawling towards the German tanks again, he quickly shouted to the machine gunner on the side: "Fire with the machine gun and eliminate the infantry behind the tanks." As the order was given, the machine gunner set up the machine gun.
, he shot at the infantry behind the tank so that his comrades could successfully approach the German tank.
The moving German tank found that the machine gun on the position had come back to life, posing a considerable danger to the infantry following it. It quickly used the vehicle-mounted machine gun to suppress the Soviet firepower. Under the intense German firepower
Under the blow, the Soviet machine gunner was shot and lay down next to the machine gun before he could finish firing a bullet tray.
When the third battalion commander saw the machine gunner sacrificed, he quickly pulled out the machine gun from under his body, mounted it on the nearby mound, and continued to shoot at the German infantry behind the tank. The machine gun on the German tank's position was silent for only a moment.
, started shooting again, stopped quickly, and fired a shot towards the position of the third battalion commander.
The shell landed behind the trench and exploded. The flying shrapnel embedded itself in the back of the third battalion commander. He endured the pain and after firing the last bullet in the shell tray, his body tilted and he fell in the trench.
Thanks to the support of machine gun fire, the soldiers who climbed out of the trenches this time approached the German tanks and died together with only two sacrifices.
The German tanks were blown up and the German infantry lost their support. They immediately lost the courage to continue advancing and retreated from the Soviet positions.
Seeing the Germans retreating, the commanders and fighters of the third battalion who were stationed in this area did not cheer. Although the battle that had just ended was not very intense, they paid a huge price. Not only did the battalion commander sacrifice himself, but in order to blow up the Germans
Tanks and more than twenty soldiers were sacrificed, leaving only fifty men in the entire battalion.
After the regiment leader learned that the Third Battalion suffered heavy losses, he felt that with his current strength, as long as the Germans made another such attack, his position would be breached. Therefore, he called Glazkov and asked him for instructions.
: "Comrade Division Commander, there are only more than 200 people left in our regiment, and we lack anti-tank weapons. Once the German army launches another attack, we will not be able to defend it at all."
After hearing the report from the commander of the 101st Regiment, Glazkov glanced at Zalitzman beside him. He was determined to let the other party take the remaining militia company to reinforce the 101st Regiment. But then he thought about it.
The multi-person militia unit has little combat effectiveness. Even if they are sent to the defense area of the 101st Regiment, it may be difficult to hold the position. Anyway, Commander Chuikov has informed himself that if he cannot hold the position, he can withdraw with the troops to Ma
Mayev Hill. Thinking of this, he said into the microphone: "Comrade Colonel, since the German attack has been temporarily repelled by you, you should immediately move your troops in the direction of Mamaev Hill."
"What?!" After hearing Glazkov's order, the commander of the 101st Regiment was stunned for a moment, and then replied: "Comrade Division Commander, we are six or seven kilometers away from Mamayev Heights. If we are retreating during the retreat,
If we are pursued by the German army, the whole army may be destroyed."
Zalitzman heard the conversation between Glazkov and the regiment commander and suggested: "Comrade General, if you have no objection, you can have the troops of the 101st Regiment withdraw to our Dzerzhinsky factory area.
After they rested there for a while, they retreated along the Volga River to the Mamayev Hills."
Regarding Zalitzman's proposal, Glazkov frowned and thought about it, and felt that it was a good idea. If the 101st Regiment were to move at this moment, it would definitely be pursued by the German army. Maybe the troops had not arrived yet.
Mayev Gang, had already been routed or completely wiped out. So he nodded to Zalitzman, expressing his agreement with the other party's opinion, and then said into the microphone, "Comrade Colonel, you should withdraw immediately with your troops."
Position, move in the direction of the Dzerzhinsky Factory, I will send someone to meet you."
After putting down the phone, Glazkov looked at Zalitzman and said: "Comrade Deputy Director, the 101st Regiment may be withdrawn soon. At that time, please bring the militia to pick them up and bring them to
Dzerzhinsky Factory.”
"Comrade General," Zalitzman asked hesitantly after Glazkov finished speaking: "If I take the troops away, what will you do here?" He asked this for a reason. After that
After the hand-to-hand battle, there were no more than ten people left alive in the entire division. If the Germans came over again, they would have no power to fight back.
"Comrade Zalitzman, don't worry." Glazkov guessed Zalitzman's thoughts and said to him with a smile: "You took my 101st regiment to Dzerzhinsky, and I
There will definitely be no danger in taking the other two regiments to Mamayev Heights."
After Zalitzman left with the militiamen, Glazkov immediately called the 102nd Regiment and ordered Dubyansky, who was supervising the battle there, to immediately move the troops in the direction of Mamaev Hill.
Dubyansky heard Glazkov's order and asked with some confusion: "Comrade division commander, if we retreat at this time, the enemy will rush to the factory area. There are no regular troops in the factory area.
They are some newly formed militiamen, do you think they can stop the enemy?"
"Comrade Deputy Division Commander," Glazkov said with some dissatisfaction in response to Dubyansky's question: "The retreat was approved by the Army Group Headquarters. Even if we don't withdraw, do you think that with our existing troops and technical equipment?
, can it block the enemy’s attack?”
Glazkov's rhetorical question left Dubyansky speechless. After a long silence, he replied: "Understood, comrade division commander, I will immediately organize the 102nd Regiment to prepare for retreat."
When calling the headquarters of the 100th Regiment, the chief of staff of the division who was supervising the operations here heard the withdrawal order and did not raise any questions, saying that it would be implemented immediately. However, he asked another question: "Comrade Division Commander, I heard that the division headquarters has not
Who is left? Do you think you need me to send a small force to protect you?"
"No need." Glazkov replied simply, "I still have several staff members who are capable of fighting. We can reach Mamayev Heights safely. You should seize the time to prepare for the transfer."
Although Glazkov kept saying that he did not need protection, the division chief of staff felt uneasy. After he ended the call with Glazkov, he immediately called Deputy Division Commander Dubyansky: "Deputy Division Commander
Comrade, have you also received the retreat order from the division commander?"
"Yes, we have received the order to retreat and are making preparations." Dubyansky knew that the division chief of staff would not call him casually. There must be something important, so he quickly asked: "What can you do?
?”
"That's right, Comrade Deputy Division Commander." The division chief of staff quickly replied: "After the division headquarters was attacked by the Germans, there were not many people left. I was worried about what danger the division commander would encounter during the transfer, so I planned to send
People go and protect him.”
"Comrade Chief of Staff." Dubyansky did not wait for the Chief of Staff to finish speaking before interrupting him: "Based on my understanding of the division commander, he definitely did not agree with your suggestion."
"Yes. Comrade Deputy Division Commander." The division chief of staff nodded and said, "The division commander rejected my proposal to send someone to protect him."
"Chief of Staff, listen to me." Dubyansky felt that Glazkov's safety was very important, so he said to the division chief of staff: "You and I will each send a platoon back to the division headquarters to protect the division commander when he goes to Mamaye