After the artillery lieutenant left, Sokov turned to Sidorin and said: "Chief of Staff, inform the battalion commanders that the superiors have sent us artillery observers to establish observation points on the hills and water towers to provide a clear guide for the east bank.
The artillerymen instructed the shooting targets. Let them send manpower to protect the safety of these artillery observers. If anything happens, I will only ask them."
There are many reasons why Sokov issued this order. First of all, the terrain of Mamayev Hill is gentle to the west facing the direction of the German attack, making it easy to attack and difficult to defend; while the terrain on the other side of the hill is gentle.
To the east, the terrain is steep, easy to defend and difficult to attack. Once the German army captures the high ground, the troops will inevitably pay a heavy price to regain their position.
Secondly, despite the fact that the infantry brigade had already built numerous tunnels and fortifications on the highlands as a precautionary measure, without the support of artillery or air force, the only way to defend Mamayev Hill was to rely on human lives to fill them in.
Under the current circumstances, the Air Force has no hope and can only rely on the artillery of the Army Group deployed on the east coast. Therefore, ensuring the personal safety of these artillery observers is an urgent matter.
Sidorin obviously understood this. As soon as Sokov finished speaking, he immediately called the commanders of each battalion, informed them of the group army's artillery observers entering the position, and ordered them
Send out capable subordinates to protect the safety of these personnel.
After putting down the phone, Sidorin suddenly remembered something and asked Sokov tentatively: "Comrade Brigade Commander, I have an idea. Is it possible to put the sniper team of the guard company on the position to assist the troops in defense?"
?With their marksmanship, I believe they can destroy more enemies."
"No, absolutely not." When Sidorin said that he was going to put all the snipers on the battlefield to assist the troops in positional warfare, Sokov immediately vetoed it: "How can we use snipers as ordinary soldiers?
?If we put them on the position to assist the troops in defense, a single shelling from the enemy may cause them to be completely wiped out. We cannot do such a loss-making business."
"So, they are only suitable for street fighting in the city." Although his suggestion was rejected by Sokov, Sidorin was not discouraged at all, but asked the other party for instructions: "Then when I arrange combat missions in the future,
Just arrange them in urban areas that are occupied or about to be occupied by the enemy?"
"Yes, snipers can only play a limited role on the battlefield. Arrange them all in the urban area." Sokov reminded Sidorin: "Currently we only have one sniper team, and the number is too small. You have to find a way
Deploy some more sharpshooters from the brigade to form a new sniper team."
"Deploy sharpshooters from each battalion to form a new sniper team?" Sidorin originally wanted to place snipers on the battlefield to participate in positional warfare. Who knew that this plan was not approved, and more manpower had to be mobilized to go there?
Establishing a new sniper team: "Comrade Brigade Commander, if we deploy sharpshooters to form a new sniper team, will it have an impact on the combat effectiveness of the army?"
Sokov came from a later generation and naturally knew what was going on in the sniper battle in Stalingrad in the following days. Therefore, he did not explain it to Sidorin, but said bluntly: "Chief of Staff, deploy some sharpshooters.
, forming a new sniper team will not only have no adverse impact on the combat effectiveness of our troops, but on the contrary, it will also achieve greater results."
"If the battalions have objections to the brigade headquarters' arrangements," Sidorin asked cautiously, "then what should we do?"
"What else can we do, my comrade chief of staff?" Sokov asked displeasedly: "Should the brigade command the battalion, or the battalion command the brigade? They have not been in the army for a long time, don't they understand what their superiors do?
Do you have to obey orders?"
Hearing Sokov's order without bargaining, Sidorin quickly replied: "Understood, comrade brigade commander, at dawn tomorrow, I will ask each battalion to select a group of sharpshooters and come to the brigade headquarters.
Report.”
…………
Although the German attack on Mamayev Hill ended in failure, those who were not willing to fail launched a fierce artillery bombardment of the hill early the next morning.
Sokov was surprised by the rumble of artillery coming from outside. He quickly left the rest room and went straight to the headquarters. He asked Sidorin who was busy inside: "Where is the artillery observer?"
He originally asked casually, but Sidorin immediately replied: "They are all observing in the observation post on the top of the hill."
"Nonsense, it's just nonsense." Sokov waited for Sidorin to finish speaking, then said angrily: "The enemy is shelling our position. If we let the artillery observers stay on the top of the hill at this time, wouldn't we let them die?
Chief of Staff, call them immediately and ask them to withdraw."
Sidorin picked up the phone and connected to the observation post on the top of the hill. After speaking a few words into the phone, he put down the phone and said to Sokov: "Comrade Brigade Commander, the artillery comrade said, where they are
The top of the hill is right on the ridge, so it is difficult for the enemy's long-range artillery fire to hit them. If the artillery shell hits close, it will fall on the slope to the west of the hill; if it hits far, it will fly directly over their heads.
Already..."
Since the artillery observers said that they would not be in any danger, Sokov did not continue to dwell on the matter, but shifted the topic to his own troops: "The position of the 1st Battalion is located in front of Nangang. Every time the German troops
When the shelling was carried out, they were the first to bear the brunt. I wonder if Vanya was prepared for the shelling."
"During yesterday's shelling, half of their shell-proof caverns were collapsed, causing a lot of casualties." Sidorin sighed and said: "Last night, it was said that they were repairing the fortifications overnight. Presumably the commanders and soldiers of the first battalion were hiding in the shells at this moment.
In the cannon hole."
Sokov asked puzzledly: "Comrade Chief of Staff, I don't understand why the shell-proof cave built by the first battalion collapsed. Is it geological reasons?"
"I once asked Major Ozor for advice," Sidorin replied: "The shell-proof holes we built were too big and not reinforced, so they easily collapsed under the enemy's shelling. The only way is to build
That kind of small and narrow artillery-proof cave does not require any materials. Our soldiers can dig it in an hour with engineering shovels, and the artillery-proof capability is greatly improved compared to the previous artillery-proof caves."
Sidorin's words aroused Sokov's curiosity: "I wonder what this kind of bomb-proof hole looks like?"
Sidorin quickly picked up a piece of paper and drew a sketch on it: "... This kind of small anti-gun cave is an arched semicircular door, about one meter high, dozens of centimeters wide, and about half a meter deep.
Wait, the small one can only accommodate one person, and the large one can only accommodate three or five people. Its functions are mainly used to protect against artillery, hide, store ammunition, etc., and provide living space for our soldiers who hold the position."
After listening to Sidorin's introduction, a familiar picture suddenly appeared in Sokov's mind. Isn't the anti-gun hole built by a battalion of soldiers on the position the famous cat's ear hole in later generations?
After the shelling, Sokov immediately called the commander of the first battalion, Vanya, and asked directly: "Comrade Captain, how is the situation there? Are there many casualties?"
"We are counting the casualties of the troops." Vanya replied: "But since we built a new type of anti-gun bunker last night, I estimate that the casualties will not be too large. Comrade Brigade Commander, I have a request."
"Request, what request?" Sokov said into the microphone: "Comrade Captain, if you have any request, just say it."
"Comrade Brigade Commander, you also know that our battalion's position is located at the forefront of the entire brigade. Every time the enemy is about to attack, they will violently shell our battalion's position, causing us a lot of casualties." Wanni.
After getting Sokov's permission, Ya said cautiously: "I would like to ask if it is possible to withdraw the main force of the battalion into the tunnel of Nangang, leaving only one company of troops in the forward position for defense."
Regarding Vanya's proposal, Sokov frowned and began to think about it. The reason why he wanted to set up an additional line of defense on the front of Nangang was just to prevent the enemy from rushing to the foot of Mamayev Hill at once, so he
Deploy the first battalion there. But judging from the current situation, the decision I made at the beginning was wrong. The terrain there is easy to attack and difficult to defend. Placing so many troops there is equivalent to letting them die.
After some thought, he said into the microphone: "Comrade Captain, you leave one platoon on the position and the rest of the troops withdraw into the tunnel."
"One platoon?!" Vanya was stunned when he heard what Sokov said. He was worried that Sokov was wrong, so he quickly reminded him: "Comrade Brigadier, what you want to say is to leave one company behind."
Position?"
"It's not a company, it's a platoon." Sokov felt that he should not waste his precious troops in such an area that was difficult to hold, so he decisively ordered Vanya, "Withdraw the main force of the first battalion into the tunnel."
, assist the Second and Third Battalions in strengthening the defense of Nangang. As for your original fortifications, you can completely abandon them when necessary."
After confirming that Sokov's order was correct, Vanya quickly replied: "Understood, Comrade Brigade Commander, I will immediately withdraw the main force of the battalion into the tunnel. Only one platoon of troops will be left to hold on to the current position."
As soon as Sokov put down the phone, Sidorin asked in surprise: "Comrade Brigade Commander, why is this? Why do we want to abandon the forward position in front of Nangang?"
Not only did Sidorin not understand why Sokov would issue such an order, but even Belkin, who had always been silent on the military, found it unacceptable: "Comrade Brigade Commander, how can we easily move our defensive positions?"
What about handing it over to the enemy? I hope you can take back this wrong order."