Fortunately, Sokov saw Starcha's dilemma and added: "But it is still possible for you to mobilize troops from the second line for reinforcements. After all, the two lines of defense are connected by communication trenches. As long as the enemy does not
By breaking through your frontal defenses, they will not be able to enter the communication trenches, so you don't have to worry about the enemy entering the forward positions from the communication trenches."
After the day's battle, the number of the first battalion has reached one-third. Without the support of reinforcements, it is really difficult to hold the position. Seeing that Sokov agreed to dispatch reinforcements from the rear, Starcha quickly picked up the phone.
, gave an order to his chief of staff, asking him to immediately send the Second Battalion to the front for reinforcements.
After getting a positive reply from the chief of staff, the stone hanging in Starcha's heart finally fell to the ground. But when he put down the phone and saw Sokov sitting at the table, he became uneasy again. He felt
The situation at the forward position became complicated. If the division commander continued to stay here, his life would be in danger, so he asked tentatively: "Comrade division commander, it is too dangerous here. Do you think we should go back to the division headquarters first?"
He was worried that Sokov would not agree to his proposal, so he added specifically: "You can even go to the second-line regiment command post. After all, the battle here has begun, and it is too dangerous for you to stay here."
"I'm not going anywhere, I'm staying here." Sokov held the assault rifle in his arms and said to Starcha and the first battalion commander: "You can go and command the battle, I will
The security platoon I brought will protect my safety." After saying that, he stood up and prepared to walk outside.
"Comrade Commander!" Seeing Sokov getting up and walking outside, Starca rushed over and blocked his way, and asked nervously: "Where are you going? It's too dangerous outside, you should stay here.
.”
Sokov waved his hand and said: "If I continue to stay here, you two will be tied up when commanding the troops in combat." He knew that the two of them were worried about their own safety, so he emphasized: "As for my safety, you
Don't worry, Lieutenant Samoilov and his guard platoon will protect me."
As soon as Sokov came out of the battalion command post, Samoylov came up to him and reported to Sokov in a low voice: "Comrade division commander, according to my observation, the position of the third company was attacked by at least one company of the German army.
"Fortunately, the enemy has no artillery support, so our troops can withstand it."
"That's good." After learning that the commanders and fighters of the third company successfully withstood the German attack, Sokov nodded with satisfaction, then pointed to the place where the battle was fiercest and said to Samoilov: "Comrade Lieutenant
, I’ll go to the front and have a look.”
"No, Commander." When Samoylov heard that Sokov wanted to go to the front to watch the battle, he quickly grabbed his arm and said excitedly: "The front is too dangerous, and I have no right to let you take risks."
Seeing that Samoylov stopped him from going to the front, Sokov straightened his face and said sternly: "Comrade Lieutenant, are you going to disobey my order?"
"Comrade division commander, my duty is to protect your safety." Samoilov replied in a moderate tone: "Even if you remove me from my post now, I will never let you take risks in the front."
"Okay, I won't go to the front." Sokov didn't want to embarrass Samoylov, so he retreated and said, "Then we can find a place with a wide view and watch the battle, right?"
Samoilov secretly thought that with the character of the division commander, he would never leave after the battle started. Instead of letting him stay in a dangerous area, it would be better to find a suitable position and let him see the progress of the battle.
That's okay. Thinking of this, Samoylov nodded and replied: "I understand, Comrade Commander, I will take you to a safe place."
Under the leadership of Samoilov, Sokov came to a reinforced concrete bunker not far away. There was a heavy machine gun team in the bunker. When he saw Sokov coming in, he quickly stood up and saluted. Sokov raised his hand and returned the salute.
, he sent them away, then walked to the shooting hole and looked outside. He found that the location here was really good, and he could just see the battle area. Under the dazzling light of the flares, he saw the direction of the position.
The German officers and soldiers who rushed over were unable to escape, and some were knocked down by the Soviet soldiers in the position before they could find a hiding position.
Samoilov brought Sokov here because he felt that the shooting range of this bunker was ideal, the observation area was large, and it was also very strong. Even if it was hit by a few heavy artillery shells, the fortification would not be destroyed.
After setting up the security outside, he came in and reported to Sokov: "Comrade division commander, I have set up the security. Even if the Germans rush into our position, my men and I will have enough time to cover you."
Get out of here safely."
"What, Comrade Lieutenant, don't you have confidence that our army can hold its position?" Sokov heard what Samoylov said, pointed forward with his hand, and said: "You didn't see the attacking enemy, and they were blocked by their position.
Are our soldiers on board used as targets?"
"Comrade Division Commander, aren't I just in case?" Samoilov replied with a chuckle: "Besides, the battle has just begun. Maybe the enemy will use artillery fire after seeing that their infantry attack has been frustrated.
support."
As soon as Samoylov finished speaking, the scream of artillery shells piercing the air came from the air, and then two artillery shells fell on the position and exploded. However, these two artillery shells, which were obviously test-fired, fell on the ground.
There were explosions in front and behind the trench, but did not cause any harm to the Soviet commanders and soldiers in the trench.
"You crow's mouth!" Sokov raised his hand and slapped Samoilov's helmet, and cursed angrily: "You said the enemy would use artillery fire support, but the enemy really started to shell our army.
position."
"Comrade Division Commander," Samoilov, who was criticized by Sokov, replied somewhat at a loss: "I just said that casually, but I didn't expect the Germans to actually fire."
"Okay, okay, let's get down to business." Sokov turned to face Samoylov and asked, "Can the communications troops we brought get in touch with Lieutenant Seryosha?"
Since Sokov likes to run around after the battle starts, in order to avoid losing contact with the division headquarters, the accompanying guard platoon usually has an operator carrying a walkie-talkie. When Sokov asked about this, Samoy
Love quickly replied: "Yes, Comrade Division Commander. Do you need to speak to Lieutenant Seryosha now?"
"Yes, contact him immediately." Sokov nodded slightly and said in a positive tone: "Maybe they will be put to use soon."
The communications soldier entered the bunker and began to call Seryosha directly using the microphone, and the call was quickly answered. Sokov took the microphone and earphone and said loudly: "Is it Lieutenant Seryosha? I am
Sokov.”
"Comrade Commander," Samoilov heard Sokov's careless identification of himself and quickly reminded him: "The enemy may eavesdrop on our communications, so you should use code words."
"It doesn't matter, even if the Germans eavesdrop on our communications, they can't do anything." After Sokov replied to Samoilov, he continued to ask into the microphone: "Seryozha, where are you and your men?
What position?"
"Report to Comrade Division Commander." Even though Seryosha and Sokov were good friends, in this formal occasion, he still respectfully addressed each other's military rank: "I am in the position of the 125th Regiment."
"Did you see the enemy's attack on the 124th Regiment?" Sokov asked briefly.
"I saw it." After Seryosha gave an affirmative answer, he asked Sokov for instructions: "I wonder what instructions Comrade Division Commander has?"
"Send someone to closely observe the forward positions of the 124th Regiment," Sokov said into the microphone: "Once it is discovered that their situation is critical, use rockets to cover the attacking enemy with firepower. Do you understand?"
"Understood, comrade division commander." Seryosha naturally understood what Sokov was talking about, and quickly replied: "I will immediately send people to monitor the friendly positions. Once I find that there is danger there, I will use rockets to attack the enemy."
Fire coverage.”
As soon as the call here ended, the fierce German shelling began. For a moment, the forward position of the 124th Regiment was shrouded in gunpowder smoke. Although the bunker where Sokov was staying was strong, he still felt his heart beating with shock.
Accelerating, it feels uncomfortable as if the internal organs have been displaced.
Ignoring the German shelling, Sokov still held up his binoculars to carefully observe the enemy situation ahead. Although the Soviet troops on the position did not fire illumination bombs into the air due to the enemy's shelling, the huge flames from the explosion of the shells had already destroyed those
The figures of the German troops in front of the position were clearly illuminated.
Through the smoke, Sokov saw the German officers and soldiers who had been suppressed by the Soviet firepower and were unable to raise their heads. They all got up from the ground. They may be worried about being accidentally injured by their own artillery fire, and they all rushed towards the back.
"Division Commander, is Comrade Commander here?" Sokov was observing the enemy's situation. Suddenly he heard shouts muffled by the explosion of artillery shells from outside. He turned to look at the door and said loudly: "I am here, who is it?"
Find me?",
An officer walked in from outside the bunker. After he raised his hand to salute Sokov, he respectfully replied: "Comrade division commander, I am the staff officer of the regiment. The enemy has begun to shell our regiment's position. The regiment commander and battalion commander are worried.
For your safety, we have been specially sent out to look for you and, if possible, move you to a safe place."
"It's safe where I am now." Sokov said to the other party: "Go back and tell Lieutenant Colonel Starcha that the Germans are shelling your position and don't let people walk around in the trenches."
The German artillery fire lasted for a quarter of an hour and then stopped. When Sokov felt his ears were still ringing, a new round of German attacks began. This time they not only continued to attack the area defended by the third company, but also attacked other areas.
A large number of German troops also appeared in front of the two companies.
"Oh my God." When Samoilov saw dense black shadows appearing on the snow in the distance, he couldn't help shouting in surprise: "The German army dispatched at least one battalion this time. I don't know how many of our troops there are."
Can you withstand it?"
"I think there should be no problem." Seeing that the soldiers were seizing the time to repair the fortifications and make various preparations for war, Sokov said confidently: "Our soldiers should be able to block the enemy's attack."
When the German troops on the snow began to trot, more than a dozen flares were raised from the first battalion's position, clearly illuminating the German troops wearing white camouflage uniforms. After the commanders and fighters on the position clearly saw the location of the German troops, they immediately opened fire
Guns fired. For a moment, there was a loud sound of shooting from various guns on the position. Many German soldiers who were charging forward seemed to have hit a transparent wall and fell to the snow.
"Comrade Division Commander," Samoylov couldn't help but sigh with emotion when he saw the commanders and fighters of the first battalion continuously shooting flares into the air so that the attacking enemy could not hide.
If we don't want to help, the Germans will have to change from a sneak attack to a forceful attack. Since they didn't wait to take the position from our hands during the day, then at night, their conspiracy will still not succeed."
"That's right, Comrade Lieutenant." In response to Samoilov's statement, Sokov smiled and nodded, "If every commander and fighter had your awareness, then defeating the enemy would be nothing.
Difficult matter."
The attacking German officers and soldiers were very frustrated. They lurked in the snow for several hours, and when they were almost frozen, they finally launched an attack on the Soviet position. According to the original plan, it was originally a sneak attack, but due to the Soviet
The Soviet troops desperately fired flares into the air as if they had no money, turning their sneak attack into a forced attack. Under the light of the flares, the Soviet troops in the trenches could see them clearly, but they could not see clearly the people in the trenches.
No matter where the Soviet army was, the battle became more and more frustrating.
The battle lasted until dawn. The German troops left more than 300 corpses and more than 100 wounded in front of the 1st Battalion's position, and then withdrew in despair.
Seeing that the enemy was retreating, Samoylov said excitedly to Sokov: "Comrade division commander, did you see it? The Germans escaped and we won!"
"Yes, the German soldiers have retreated." Sokov used his binoculars to glance at the German troops who were retreating in a hurry, and said with some laughter and tears: "I think Seryosha must be holding back a lot of anger in his heart at the moment.
In the middle of the night, none of their rockets had any use."
Samoilov originally wanted to say a few more words, but he suddenly noticed the black smoke rising in the distance, pointed there, and said to Sokov in surprise: "Comrade Commander, look, the black smoke there is
What? Could it be that the friendly forces heading south have already rushed over to join us?"
Sokov knew very well that although the peripheral troops were progressing smoothly, it would still take at least half a month before they could rush over to join the defenders in the city. Since the friendly forces would not rush over, the black sky rising in the distance would
The smoke should have nothing to do with friendly forces. Thinking of this, Sokov couldn't help but trembled and shouted: "No, the Germans are going to run away!"