The tank battalion hidden in the small village, although it has no combat missions, is still a busy scene. After Bely conveyed the breakout deployment, he said to the tank soldiers: "Comrades, whether the main force can successfully break through depends on us.
Can we quickly break through the German defenses and tear a hole in their defense line?"
When the second company commander Ivantsov learned that the troops were about to break through, he was a little eager to try. As soon as Belly finished speaking, he couldn't wait to express his position: "Comrade Colonel, our company still has seven tanks. Let us break through."
The company will be responsible for the main attack mission. I guarantee you that we will be able to break through the enemy's defenses in the shortest possible time and open up a channel for our main force."
As soon as Ivantsov finished speaking, Lieutenant Valenla stood up, faced Bely and said: "Comrade Colonel, if you can add some ammunition to us, I think our tanks can also be qualified for the main attack mission."
When Ivantsov asked for orders, he considered that the number of tanks owned by his second company was more than the other two companies combined. If he proposed to take on the main attack task, no one would compete with him. Who knows, just when he thought
When this mission was almost certain, Cheng Yaojin showed up halfway, and Lieutenant Valianla actually wanted to compete with him for the main attack mission.
Everyone has seen the performance of the spherical tank in the past two days. On the battlefield, one of it can hold up to at least five T-34 tanks. As Valenla said, as long as they replenish some ammunition, they can
Send two T-34s as cover, and it is fully capable of breaking through the enemy's defense line in one fell swoop.
Just when Ivantsov was uneasy and thought that the mission would be neglected, he heard Bely say: "Lieutenant Valenla, the spherical tank you are driving will not participate in this breakout operation."
Hearing that Bely did not hand over the main attack task to the spherical tanks, Ivantsov couldn't help but feel ecstatic. But soon he frowned again. He knew very well that if it was really a spherical tank with two tanks,
The effect of T-34 assaulting the enemy's position is absolutely better than that of a company of seven T-34 tanks. Why doesn't Colonel Bely let spherical tanks participate in the battle?
When Ivantsov cast doubtful eyes on Bely, he found that everyone was like him, looking at Bely with puzzled eyes. Bely coughed lightly and said: "Comrades, don't let me
It was the brigade commander's decision to bring spherical tanks into the battle. Since our tanks are seriously short of ammunition and fuel, all the tanks may be blown up on the spot after breaking through the German defense line. The spherical tanks are newly developed by our army.
The new type of tank cannot fall into the hands of the enemy even if it is a wreck, so the brigade commander ordered us to find a way to hide this tank."
"What, you want to blow up all the tanks?" When Ivantsov heard this, he jumped up from his seat and asked Bely excitedly: "Comrade Colonel, if you blow up all the tanks, will you still need us?"
What do these tank crews do?”
"Yes, Comrade Colonel." Several other commanders also echoed Ivantsov's words: "Tanks are our tank soldiers' partners, and they must not be blown up."
Bielei raised his hand and pressed it down to signal everyone to be quiet. After the room regained calm, he said: "Comrades, I am also a tank soldier, and my feelings for tanks are no worse than yours. But no.
Ah, our tanks have insufficient fuel and ammunition. After breaking through the enemy's defense line, we can only abandon them. If they are not blown up, are you going to leave these tanks for the Germans to attack us?"
Several commanders originally had strong objections to blowing up the tanks, but after hearing what Bely said and thinking about it carefully, they realized that this was really the case. The ammunition and fuel carried by the remaining tanks were barely enough for one attack.
Once the fuel is exhausted and the ammunition is used up, the tanks are of little use. If they are not blown up, they will definitely be captured by the Germans, and then they can use these tanks to attack Stalingrad. This is absolutely not allowed.
After a while, Valenla stood up and asked: "Comrade Colonel, what should we do with the spherical tank? Can't we blow it up too?"
Hearing Valianla's question, Bely replied with some laughter and tears: "Lieutenant Valianla, didn't you hear what I just said? The spherical tank is a new tank developed by our army. It would be too big to blow it up."
What a pity. I give you a task now, which is to find a place to hide the spherical tank. Remember, after hiding it, you must erase all traces and never let the Germans discover it. Wait until we return to Austria.
On that day in Erlovka, ball tanks will continue to be used to attack the enemy."
"Don't worry, Comrade Colonel." Valianla quickly replied: "I will definitely hide the spherical tank well and the Germans will never find it."
"Alert, air raid alert!" As soon as Valianla finished speaking, a hoarse shout suddenly came from outside the house, and a burst of rapid footsteps came from far away. Then an infantry soldier appeared at the door and shouted breathlessly:
"Comrade commanders, air raid warning, several enemy planes are coming towards us."
Bely recognized the soldier who reported the news as a soldier from the guard camp who had followed him to the small village. He felt that the soldier would not lie about the military situation, so he stood up and asked his subordinates: "Are the tanks hidden?"
"It's hidden." Everyone replied in unison.
Bely knew that the remaining dozen tanks were hidden in the woods outside the village, but just to be on the safe side, he specifically asked this question. After getting the expected answer, he waved his hands to everyone and said: "Here
We will be bombed by enemy planes soon, so everyone should quickly find a place to hide."
When Bely walked out of the village, he saw four enemy planes in the sky. Based on his experience, he recognized them at a glance as JU87 dive bombers. When this Stuka bomber dives, its unique sound device emits
The piercing screams psychologically intimidate the soldiers on the ground, thereby strengthening the attack.
When the tank battalion entered the small village, Bely knew that their hiding place would be discovered by the enemy sooner or later, and they might be shelled or bombed by then. Therefore, he ordered his men to dig a large number of mines in and outside the village.
Bomb shelters can now be put to use.
After the four enemy planes came over the village, they began to lower their altitude and took turns diving to drop bombs and strafing the village. The bombs landed in the village one after another and exploded. The houses hit by the bombs were reduced to rubble with loud noises, and then burned.
Rising smoke enveloped the entire village.
The enemy planes continued to bomb the village for a quarter of an hour. Seeing that the entire village was shrouded in gunpowder smoke, the enemy turned around and flew back. Bely, who was staying in the bomb shelter outside the village, saw the enemy planes disappearing and quickly stood still.
He straightened up and said to the communications soldier next to him: "Go and tell the company commanders of each company and ask them to immediately tally the casualty data to see what kind of losses the enemy has caused us."
Valenla, who was squatting in the same bomb shelter as Bely, glanced at the burning wooden houses in the village and asked tentatively: "Comrade Colonel, do we need to organize soldiers to put out the fire?"
Bely shook his head and said: "Lieutenant Valenla, there is no need to put out the fire. Such a big fire, let alone a small number of us, can't control the fire even if the professional fire brigade comes. Our tanks are still hidden in the village
Besides, even if the whole village is burned down, it won’t have any impact on us.”
When the small village was bombed, Sokov saw the thick smoke rising there, and he suddenly became nervous. You must know that whether the troops can successfully break out of the encirclement depends entirely on Colonel Bely's tank battalion. The small village where the tank battalion is now hiding
, was being bombed by enemy planes, it would be strange if Sokov was not anxious.
Sokov quickly ordered the radio operator: "Operator, call Colonel Bely immediately and ask him what the situation is like there."
When the radio operator started calling, Sokov prayed silently in his heart: "Nothing happens to the tanks hidden in the village. If without the cooperation of tanks, his troops break through to the north, it will be like hitting a stone with an egg."
In front of the strong German defense line, the head was bruised and bloody."
Seeing that Sokov was nervous, Yakov quickly comforted him and said: "Don't worry, Misha, Colonel Bely is also an experienced commander. He knows how to avoid enemy air attacks. If I hadn't
If you guess wrong, his tanks should not be parked in the village, and even if enemy planes level the village, he will not suffer any loss."
"I hope so," Sokov said absently, looking at the village with black smoke rising in the distance: "If something unexpected happens to the tank battalion, our breakout plan will have to be readjusted, otherwise we will have to rely on just a few
It is simply a daydream for a hundred infantrymen to break through the German defenses."
The enemy planes that bombed the village flew away, but the radio operator had not yet contacted Bely. Sokov became a little frustrated: "Hell, why hasn't Colonel Bely called back yet? Has something really happened to the tank battalion?
?”
Having said this, he turned around and shouted to Guchakov who was standing not far away: "Guchakov, you rush to the small village immediately to check the damage there."
Guchakov agreed, turned around and ran down the hill, but was stopped by Yakov. Yakov said to Sokov: "Misha, don't worry. Maybe Colonel Bely and the others are being bombed.
At that time, the antenna was blown up, so I couldn't communicate with you. Wait a little longer, and maybe Colonel Bely will take the initiative to contact you."
"Comrade Brigade Commander," while the two were talking, the operator suddenly shouted in surprise: "We have contacted Colonel Bely. He wants to talk to you."
Sokov knelt down next to the radio operator, put on his earphones, and spoke loudly into the microphone: "Colonel Bely, report your losses immediately."