The time it took to erect the bridge on the ice far exceeded the original idea. Engineers and soldiers from the front army and group army worked overtime all day and night. It was not until two o'clock in the afternoon the next day that the bridge was completed.
.
When Sokov heard the report from the observation post that the bridge had been erected, he was certainly very happy, but to be on the safe side, he took Yakubov to the observation post on the top of the mountain and raised his telescope to carefully observe the ice surface to confirm
Whether the bridge has been erected. When he saw that a bridge across the two banks did appear on the ice, he nodded with satisfaction, turned to Yakubov and said: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, I will give it to you as soon as I get back to the headquarters.
The troops sent a telegram asking them to cross the river as soon as possible."
As soon as the two returned to the headquarters, Yakubov sent a message to the commander in charge of his regiment through the division's radio operator, notifying the troops to cross the river immediately.
While Yakubov went to send the report, Sokov specifically ordered Sidorin: "Comrade Chief of Staff, the comrades of the reserve group are not familiar with the terrain. You immediately send a few soldiers to guard the bridge and wait for them to cross the river.
After that, they were taken to the assigned positions and handed over to the commanders of each regiment for the distribution of soldiers."
After Sidorin waited for Sokov to finish speaking, he nodded and said: "It is a good way to mix the commanders and fighters of the reserve regiment with the original troops, so that they can become familiar with the environment here as soon as possible so that they can better
Go into battle."
Since the commanders and fighters of the reserve regiment were about to cross the river, Sokov felt that it was necessary to tell the commanders of each regiment the news immediately, so that they could all laugh, so that they would not complain in front of him all the time, saying that the troop attrition was serious, and hoped that
With the supplement of soldiers. Nowadays, if a regiment is supplemented with 800 men, its strength will be improved.
He first called the headquarters of the downsizing regiment, wanting to tell Belkin the good news first, and to find out what the situation was like in the barricade factory. After the call was connected, Belkin took the lead and asked: "Misha
, I have something important to ask you."
"whats the matter?"
"Captain Andre reported to me that you assigned him a deputy battalion commander." Belkin asked on the phone: "I want to ask what is going on and why you suddenly assigned him
A deputy battalion commander, don’t you trust him and want to send someone to monitor him?”
"Should I send someone to monitor Captain Andrei?" Hearing Belkin's statement, Sokov felt dumbfounded. He asked: "My comrade political commissar, who did you hear to say this?
, that’s incredible, isn’t it?”
"Don't worry about who told me." Belkin's mouth was still quite tight. He refused to reveal to Sokov who made such an analysis for him. Instead, he asked: "Misha, look
Since we were once partners, can you tell me the truth as to why you suddenly thought of assigning Captain Andre a deputy battalion commander?"
"My comrade political commissar, I called you just to tell you about this matter by the way, but I didn't expect you to ask about it first." Sokov thought that he had arranged for Zu Mingt to serve as the deputy battalion commander of the third battalion, but he didn't.
After talking to Belkin, he couldn't help but blush a little, and then said frankly into the microphone: "The superiors sent us a reserve regiment with four full infantry battalions. After research by the chief of staff, deputy division commander, and I,
It was decided to distribute these four battalions equally among your four regiments to replace the men you lost in the battle."
Hearing what Sokov said, Belkin realized that he might have misjudged him. He asked tentatively: "Misha, so the deputy battalion commander you newly assigned is a member of the reserve regiment?"
"Yes, this deputy battalion commander named Zumint is indeed a member of the reserve regiment." Sokov nodded instinctively and replied: "He came to me with the regiment commander, Lieutenant Colonel Yakubov, to carry out training.
I contacted and was recognized by Colonel Ivanov. The deputy division commander told me that Zumint was once the best battalion commander under him, with rich command and combat experience, and was later transferred to General Romanov’s
172nd Infantry Division. He was captured by the Germans during the battle. Although he later escaped from the prisoner of war camp, he was sent to a punishment camp for special reasons..."
After listening to Sokov's detailed introduction, Belkin said thoughtfully: "Misha, according to what you said, Lieutenant Zumint should be an excellent commander. Only let him serve as deputy battalion.
For such a long position, isn’t it a bit overkill?”
Sokov raised his head and glanced at Ivanov sitting opposite, and saw that his deputy division commander was looking down at the map in front of him, as if there was something important on it that attracted him. Sokov knew in his heart that he and others
Erkin was talking about Zumint, and Ivanov deliberately avoided his eyes to avoid suspicion. He said into the microphone: "My comrade political commissar, I also know that the deputy battalion commander's position is a bit low, but he wants to
To obtain higher positions and military ranks, you need to perform well in battle. If he can really prove it with facts, he is an excellent commander, not to mention the deputy battalion commander, even the deputy regiment commander or even the regiment commander.
It’s not impossible.”
Belkin and Sokov used to be partners, and they knew each other's character very well. He knew that as long as he was a commander he liked, no matter what his past identity was, he could be reused. He did not continue to discuss this issue, but was cautious.
He asked Sokov: "Misha, when will the reinforcements you mentioned arrive at our place?"
When Sokov saw Yakubov walking towards him, he said into the phone: "We just sent a call to the troops on the other side. I'm afraid they will start crossing the river within an hour. I think before dark,
You will be able to get additional troops. By the way, I will also arrange a deputy commander for you, you might as well get to know him first."
"Deputy leader?!" Belgin asked in surprise: "Misha, where are you going to transfer a deputy leader to me?"
"It's Lieutenant Colonel Yakubov, the commander of the reserve regiment," Sokov said into the microphone: "The troops under his command were all dispersed to various regiments, and he himself became a polished regiment commander. Therefore, I arranged for him to come
Your regiment will be your deputy, and I hope the two of you can work well together."
After speaking, Sokov waved to Yakubov and said to him: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, I am on the phone with Commander Belgin of the downsized regiment. Come over and have a few words with him and get to know him by the way."
Yakubov took the microphone from Sokov's hand, put it to his ear, and said respectfully: "Hello, comrade leader, I am your deputy, Lieutenant Colonel Yakubov. Nice to meet you."
you."
"Hello, Comrade Lieutenant Colonel." Belkin heard an unfamiliar voice talking to him. After hearing the other party identify himself, he said politely: "On behalf of all the commanders and fighters of the drawdown regiment, I welcome you and your subordinates.
Become one of us…”
While Yakubov was on the phone with Belkin, Sokov chatted quietly with Sidorin, who had just finished the phone call. He asked the other party to call several other regiment commanders to pass on the good news about the upcoming recruitment of troops.
Let everyone be happy. Although he was talking to Sidorin, his eyes kept glancing at Yakubov to see his reaction when he was talking to Belkin on the phone.
It turned out that he was worried that if a regiment leader like Yakubov was to be the deputy commander under Belkin, he would have some emotions. However, judging from his conversation with Belkin, he was not satisfied with his position.
The arrangement seems quite satisfactory.
After a while, Yakubov put down the phone, looked at Sokov and asked: "Comrade Commander, when will you send someone to take me to the barricade factory?"
"There's no hurry, Lieutenant Colonel Yakubov, don't be anxious yet." Seeing Yakubov in such a hurry to get to the barricade factory, Sokov waved his hand to him and said, "Your troops haven't crossed the river yet.
After they all cross the river, it won't be too late for you to take the fourth battalion to the barricade factory."
Yakubov heard Sokov's voiceover and knew that there was not much point in going to the barricade factory alone at this moment. It would be better to wait for the troops to cross the river and then rush to the barricade factory with the four battalions. Factory
When the defenders here saw such reinforcements arriving, it would be somewhat of a morale booster.
As soon as the commanders and fighters of the reserve regiment began to cross the river, the German attack on the barricade factory began again.
Staying at the battalion command post, Captain Vasily saw one or two hundred German infantrymen rushing toward his defensive position under the cover of five assault guns. He quickly dialed Belkin's phone and reported to him:
: "Comrade commander, the enemy's assault guns are coming up. I request artillery support."
"Comrade Captain, I'm afraid I can't agree to your request." Unexpectedly, Belkin said unexpectedly: "It is snowing outside and the visibility is limited. The artillery positions deployed in the rear cannot see the enemy clearly."
"Then what should we do?" Vasily asked anxiously: "We can't just watch the enemy's assault guns approach the position and use artillery fire to destroy our firepower points one by one, right?"
"Comrade Captain, how come you were so smart before and so confused now?" Belgin heard Vasily complaining and said with some annoyance, "Have you forgotten the secret weapon in your hands?"
"Secret weapon?!" Vasily repeated Belgin's words, and suddenly remembered the new weapon that he had almost forgotten, and asked quickly: "Comrade leader, do you mean the rocket launcher?"
"That's right." Belkin replied affirmatively: "I heard from the division commander that this is specially used to attack enemy tanks. Now that the situation is special, I approve your battalion's use of rocket launchers to deal with German assault guns."
Although rocket launchers have been equipped with troops for some time, since they have never participated in actual combat, commanders and soldiers were skeptical about whether rocket launchers could deal with enemy tanks and assault guns, and Vasily was no exception. He asked Belkin with a wry smile:
"Comrade Commander, the enemy's assault gun has 50mm frontal armor and a certain slope. If a rocket hits it, it may ricochet."
"Comrade Captain, why are you so long-winded?" Seeing that Vasily kept chattering in his ears, Belgin became a little impatient: "When did something invented by Comrade Commander not be used? Don't forget,
The new rockets equipped by your battalion were also invented by the division commander. Since the new rockets can make the Germans cry and howl, then the rocket launchers will definitely not let us down when used against the enemy's assault guns."
Seeing the enemy's assault guns getting closer and closer, Vasily did not dare to neglect. He quickly put down the phone, called a communications soldier, and ordered him: "You immediately notify the anti-tank platoon and ask them to carry rockets to the position."
In the crater ahead, choose the right moment to attack the enemy's assault gun."
Vasily's first battalion had an anti-tank platoon with five subordinate anti-tank groups, each equipped with a rocket launcher. After receiving Vasily's order, the anti-tank groups climbed out of the trenches one after another.
They were hidden in the crater. Fortunately, the snowflakes dancing in the sky blocked the enemy's sight, preventing them from discovering these anti-tank fighters in time.
Each anti-tank team has five people, a shooter responsible for launching rockets, a deputy shooter, and an ammunition hand. The rest are the team leader and an experienced combatant. They are equipped with submachine guns and are responsible for protecting
Shooter.
Seeing that the enemy's assault gun entered the 100-meter shooting range, the leader of Team No. 1 stuck his head out to observe the situation, and then gave the shooter an order to fire. The shooter placed the rocket launcher firmly on his shoulder and looked through it with his eyes.
The scope quickly locked on the assault gun that entered the range, and decisively pulled the firing trigger.
A rocket with a tail flame rushed towards the assault gun a hundred meters away. After a few seconds, it accurately hit the target and made a loud noise. Then the assault gun was wrapped in flames and thick smoke.
, and after continuing to drive forward for more than ten meters, it stopped where it was and started to burn.
The success of Group 1 greatly inspired the soldiers of the other four groups. The shooters also stood up one after another, imitating their comrades, carrying the rocket launcher on their shoulders, aiming at the enemy's assault gun and pulling the trigger. Four rounds.
The rockets were fired one after another, and without exception they hit the moving assault guns, turning them into piles of burning wreckage.
The German soldiers following the assault gun were dumbfounded. They did not hear the scream of the shell in the air, but saw several balls of fire emerging from the crater in front of the Soviet position, and then the assault gun opened the way in front of them.
They burst into flames and exploded one after another. The ammunition in one assault gun exploded, and the flying shrapnel mopped up the soldiers following behind.
The remaining German soldiers hurriedly took cover to prevent themselves from being injured by flying shrapnel. After a while, they carefully raised their heads and looked in the direction of the Soviet position, trying to figure out what weapons the Soviets used to destroy it.
Did they miss their assault guns? After watching for a while, they saw that the Soviet position was quiet. If it weren't for the fact that five assault guns were still burning in front of them, the German officers and soldiers would have thought they were hallucinating.
The German officers commanding from behind discovered that the assault gun had been destroyed by the Soviet army. They knew that without the cover of the assault gun, it was obviously unrealistic to attack again, so they issued an order to retreat. Those panicked German officers and soldiers heard
As if they were given the order to retreat, they all crawled off the ground, risking their backs and fled towards the back.
Seeing the enemy retreating, the anti-tank teams hiding in the craters climbed out of the craters and returned to their positions one after another. As soon as they entered the position, they were welcomed by battalion commander Vasily. The captain stepped forward and gave them each
The man gave me a hug and said excitedly: "You guys, you are so awesome. You are so awesome. You killed the German assault guns so easily and scared them into running away in panic."