After the battle, Sokov and Gurdiev came to the newly occupied position together.
Bely got out of the tank, came to Sokov, and said happily: "Comrade Brigadier, this battle was really enjoyable. More than 300 defenders on the position were wiped out by us, and
We only suffered about thirty casualties, and not a single tank was lost."
"Colonel Gurdiev, contact the second echelon immediately." Seeing that the troops had taken control of the positions that originally belonged to the German army, Sokov said to Gurdiev: "Let Major Yakov take all the
The wounded should come over as soon as possible, we must rush to the north to join our friendly forces before the German army recovers."
"Comrade Brigade Commander," Bely asked Sokov in a low voice while Gurdiev was looking for the radio operator: "Are we really going to blow up these tanks?"
Sokov knew very well that if today's attack did not have the cooperation of the tank battalion, even if the terrain here was easy to attack and difficult to defend, he would definitely have to pay a heavy price. If he really wanted to blow up all the tanks, he still felt
Somewhat reluctantly. Before making the final decision, he jumped into the trench, came to the north slope, leaned out and looked outside.
At the foot of the hillside, there is a river that is fifty or sixty meters wide. On the north bank of the river, there is a land with bomb craters within bomb craters. Countless destroyed tanks, armored vehicles and trucks are scattered haphazardly on this land.
Of course, there were densely packed corpses near these damaged technical equipment. From the uniforms on their bodies, Sokov could identify that these were the remains of Soviet soldiers.
On the riverside, in addition to the shocking piles of corpses, there are also many broken wooden boats. It seems that the Soviet commanders and fighters were destroyed by German mortar fire when they were preparing to cross the river. From the south bank of the river to the hillside of the position, there are also
It was covered with countless corpses. All this made Sokov understand how heavy losses Rokossovsky's troops suffered here.
After viewing the battlefield, Sokov turned to Bely who followed him and said: "Colonel Bely, look at the terrain here. The terrain here is gentle in the south, which is conducive to tanks; while the slopes in the north are too steep and crisscrossed with ravines.
Not to mention driving the tank down, I’m afraid it would be difficult even to climb the hill with bare hands.”
After Bely waited for Sokov to finish speaking, he also nodded and said: "Comrade Brigade Commander, you are right. Our tanks cannot drive down such a steep terrain. Even if they can barely drive down, they should
How to get through that river that’s dozens of meters wide?”
"Colonel Bely," even though Sokov has been shouting that after breaking through the enemy's defense, he will blow up the tanks and break out lightly, but now that he has actually occupied the German position, he has become hesitant: "
How much ammunition do you have left in your tanks?"
"Each tank also has seven or eight rounds of grenades and two or three rounds of armor-piercing rounds." Bely cast his eyes on an MG34 in the fortifications and continued: "As for the machine gun, if you use the German MG34, there should be no problem with ammunition.
"
"If I'm not wrong," Sokov waited for Bely to finish, looked at the other party and said, "You want to fight a blocking battle here to consume more of the enemy's vitality."
"Yes, that's what I think." Bely nodded and said, "We are carrying a large number of wounded, and it will take a very long time to safely cross the river at the foot of the hillside with them.
I think the enemy will soon know that we have broken through their defense line, and then they will come towards us. There will definitely be a fierce battle next, and without the cooperation of tanks, we will not be able to support it for long."
"Second Lieutenant Samoilov!" broke through the German defense line, but Sokov didn't know where to find friendly troops, so it was completely necessary to stay here for a while so that he could have enough time to send out
He called Samoilov and told him: "Take five soldiers and a radio, cross the river immediately to the other side, and try to find a way to find the friendly defense positions."
Shortly after Samoilov left with his men, Yakov hurried over with several soldiers. Seeing that the position had been occupied, he couldn't help but curiously asked Sokov: "Misha, since the breakthrough has been made
If we have broken the German defense line, why don’t we continue to advance and what are we still doing here?”
"Yakov, we don't know where Rokossovsky's troops are." Sokov replied: "I have sent people to look for them, and I believe we will get an answer soon."
Yakov found a mound of dirt and sat down, looked at Sokov and asked curiously: "Misha, I think it was easy for you to take the position, but why did Rokossovsky's troops always fail to use several divisions?
Why can’t we break through the defense here?”
"Yakov, come with me." Sokov did not answer the question immediately. Instead, he took Yakov to the trench, pointed downward and said to him: "Look below first and then talk."
Yakov looked down from the trench and couldn't help but take a breath and said in surprise: "Oh my God, our army actually paid such a heavy price in front of the German positions."
"Yakov, you are right. In order to break through the German defense line here, General Rokossovsky's troops paid a huge price." Sokov pointed downwards and said: "The traces left on the battlefield
It can be judged that the friendly forces were bombed by enemy planes on their way to the river, and a large number of tanks, armored vehicles and trucks were blown up. The commanders and soldiers who finally reached the river were attacked again when they boarded the ship.
The German firepower was overwhelming and killing. After suffering huge casualties, the survivors who finally crossed the river had to brave the enemy's bullets and rush up the steep hillside, but in the end they all fell to the enemy's intensive firepower.
Down."
After listening to Sokov's explanation, Yakov was silent for a long time, and finally said: "Misha, I think what we need to do next is not to continue to break out, but to stay here and build defensive positions to prepare for the possibility of fighting against the Germans.
launched an attack.”
"Yakov, don't you know that the terrain here is easy to attack and difficult to defend?" Sokov heard Yakov's proposal and said with some laughter: "If we really stay and hold on, I'm afraid we won't be able to last long.
of."
"Misha, listen to me, this is how I think about it." Yakov patiently explained to Sokov: "General Rokossovsky's troops suffered heavy losses in order to capture this position.
But we still failed to capture this position that was guarded by only a few hundred German soldiers. If we gave up here so easily and tried to recapture it in the future, I don’t know how many commanders and soldiers would have died on this hillside of death.”
Bely and Gurdiev, who were standing nearby, heard what Yakov said and agreed: "Comrade Brigadier, Major Yakov is right. If we give up here easily today, we will be in trouble in the future."
If you want to take it back, you will definitely pay a heavier price."
"Then tell me, what should we do next?" Sokov did not express his opinion easily, but asked: "Is it really true that we are fortified here?"
Yakov turned to look at Bely and Gurdiev, and seeing both of them nodding with serious expressions, he replied decisively: "Yes, Misha, I absolutely must seize the time to repair the fortifications and resist the German army here.
attack. As long as General Rokossovsky knows that we are holding on here, he may soon send troops to reinforce us."
Sokov admitted that Yakov's words had some truth. The German defense line blocked the friendly forces' road to Orlovka. Now that he has occupied this place, he must not give up easily, otherwise he will have to do it again.
If we want to take it back, we don't know how many lives of commanders and soldiers it will cost.
Thinking of this, he turned to the radio operator and said: "Operator, send a report to the Army Group Headquarters and tell Commander Chuikov that we have jumped out of the German encirclement from the north of Orlovka. We will hold on to the newly occupied position.
Please contact General Rokossovsky immediately and ask friendly forces to come and meet us."
Yakov and others were also worried that Sokov would go his own way and prepare to lead the troops northward from here. At this moment, they couldn't help but be overjoyed to hear that Sokov decided to stay and hold on. Bely said first: "Comrade Brigade Commander, don't worry, the German army
Even if we have to rush over, we have to wait until the afternoon at least, so we have enough time to strengthen the defenses."
Yakov said happily: "Misha, if we hold on here, General Rokossovsky can use this as the starting point for the attack, and can concentrate his strength on Orlovka at any time to fight with the people in the city.
Troops unite."
"Colonel Gurdiev," Sokov directly ignored Yakov's optimistic estimate. He remembered that there were two small troops left in Orlovka, and quickly ordered Gurdie
Husband: "We still have two small troops staying in Orlovka to monitor the enemy's movements. Since we have decided to hold on here, we order them to withdraw as soon as possible. If they are surrounded by the enemy, they will not be able to withdraw even if they want to.
.”
"I understand, Comrade Brigadier." Gurdiev quickly expressed his position: "I immediately asked someone to send them a message, asking them to abandon their positions immediately and move closer to us."
Sokov thought for a moment with his eyes closed, and felt that Yakov could not be allowed to stay here to accompany him on the adventure, and should send him as far away as possible, so he said to him: "Yakov, I will escort the wounded."
The task is entrusted to you. Once the wounded arrive, you will lead them across the river to the north and find a way to join our friendly forces."
"Misha, you should leave this matter to others." Unexpectedly, Yakov did not accept his favor, but stubbornly said: "I want to stay and fight alongside you."