I did not immediately comment on the idea proposed by Akhromeyev, but stared at the map. After looking at it for a while, I drew a large circle with my finger on the north side of the artillery position, enclosing several villages, and then asked the two: "Which village do you think the enemy's division headquarters will be located in?" ”

Hearing my question, Akhromeyev looked up from the map and, perhaps knowing what I might think when I asked this, did not answer my question, but asked tentatively: "Comrade division commander, are you going to use the enemy's artillery positions for what problems, so it is necessary to determine where the enemy's division headquarters is?" ”

"Chief of Staff, don't you ask this more than that!" Kirillov also looked away from the map and said to Akhromeyev: "If I am not wrong, the reason why the division commander wants to confirm the location of the German 113th Division is to wait for our night attack troops tonight to seize the artillery position, and then use the captured artillery to shell the enemy's division headquarters." ”

"Shelling the division headquarters of the German army?" Akhromeyev asked in surprise: "The enemy has only one artillery battalion, and with just those few guns, it is necessary to shell the enemy's division headquarters, is this possible?" ”

"Nothing can't be done." I answered: "Although the enemy's artillery has only one battalion, their artillery can hit the shells from seven or eight kilometers away to the high ground in the north, which proves that it must be equipped with heavy artillery." My idea was this, let Major Morozov draw eight men out of the artillery battalion and join the night raid team tomorrow night. The number of night raiders should be more than tonight, at least a company. In command, it was the political commissar of Oberstein. After dark. He led his troops down the river by boat. Quietly bypass the well-fortified villages and go to the enemy's artillery positions. ”

"With just eight artillerymen, will the number be too small?" Akhromeyev asked worriedly.

I shook my head and continued: "After seizing the artillery position, these artillerymen are only responsible for adjusting the direction of fire and aiming at the target, and ordinary infantry can assist in things like loading and pulling the gun rope. ”

After hearing this, Akhromeyev nodded vigorously. He replied succinctly: "I understand, I'll call Major Morozov and ask him to pull out the best gunners in the battalion." ”

While Akhromeyev was on the phone, Kirillov suddenly said to me: "Division commander, do you know the current situation of Colonel Lyudnikov's 70th Guards Division?" ”

I had never seen Lyudnikov's troops from the 64th Army to the 62nd Army, and when I suddenly heard the commissar ask such a question, I knew that he would definitely say something to me, so I honestly shook my head and said I didn't know.

Kirillov sighed and said: "Comrade Oshanina. The situation is bad. According to the information I received, the 70th Guards Division was under the command of the division commander, Colonel Lyudnikov. They fought stubbornly against the enemy who had invaded the city. After heavy sacrifices, he blocked the enemy's attack and drove them back to the starting point of the attack. ”

"Comrade Political Commissar, do you know how many casualties the 70th Guards Division had?" After asking this question, I secretly muttered to myself, could it be that this battle caused a third of the casualties of Lyudnikov's men, or even more?

Although I had long been mentally prepared for the heavy casualties of friendly troops, I still broke out in a cold sweat after hearing Kirillov's answer. Only to hear Kirillov said with a solemn expression: "After the battle, Colonel Lyudnikov's subordinates dug two large pits in the defense area to bury their sacrificed comrades, and it is said that no less than a thousand corpses were buried in each pit. Excluding the wounded who were sent to the field hospital, the 70th Guards Division now has less than 1,500 men, including many non-combatants such as staff and logistics. ”

Holding on to the edge of the table with both hands, I leaned down to stare at the map in front of me, and when I saw the defensive area demarcated by the headquarters of the army group for the 70th Guards Division, I couldn't help but say to myself with concern: "There are only fifteen hundred men left, can Colonel Lyudnikov hold the existing position?" If the enemy had made two more such frantic attacks, they would have been driven into the Volga by the enemy or their entire army would have been annihilated. ”

"Commander, do you think we can help them?" Kirillov asked cautiously.

I carefully looked at the map several times and studied the possibility of sending troops to reinforce the 70th Guards Division. After watching it for a long time, I finally sighed and said regretfully: "Comrade Political Commissar, no." It's not that I don't want to send troops to reinforce the 70th Guards Division, after all, I have also fought side by side with Colonel Lyudnikov, and I can't do anything that I can't do if I don't save myself. But you see, Mamayev Gang and the 70th Guards Division are almost half a city apart, and we must at least pass through the defense zone of the 13th Guards Division, the 35th Guards Division, and many other friendly units in order to enter the defense zone of the Lyudnikov Division. These sections, even if I don't say it, you should know that fierce battles are going on, and the reinforcements we sent may have been annihilated by the enemy on the road before they reached their destination. ”

"Commander, is there really no way at all?" Akhromeyev, who had just put down the phone, heard the conversation between me and Kirillov, and couldn't help but ask anxiously,

I stared at the map and pondered for a moment, then said slowly, "If you want to talk about support, it's not like there's no way at all. We can't send large troops, we can send small troops to support. For example, send two small detachments that are good at urban guerrilla warfare, or a dozen or so snipers to the defense area of the 70th Guards Division, to relieve them of some frontal defensive pressure. ”

After listening to my words, Kirillov turned his head and asked Akhromeyev: "Chief of Staff, how is the strength of the 5th Regiment?" ”

Sitting in a qualified chief of staff, Akhromeyev was already familiar with these numbers, and when he heard Kirillov's question, he opened his mouth and uttered a series of numbers: "At present, there are eleven companies in the fifth regiment, two of which are the original second and third companies of the guards; three companies with slightly weaker combat effectiveness under the jurisdiction of the militia battalions; The remaining six companies were all elites originally drawn from the remaining four regiments, and their combat effectiveness was the strongest. ”

"Call Lieutenant Colonel Oleg and Commissar Vellor and ask them to draw a company with the strongest combat effectiveness. Take advantage of the darkness to move towards the defense area of the 70th Guards Division. The commander who led the team. Their mission is not to engage the enemy in a hard-to-head positional war. Instead, they used their familiarity with the terrain to wage guerrilla warfare with the enemy in the city, slowing down the enemy's offensive and reducing the frontal defensive pressure of the 70th Guards Division as much as possible. ”

After giving Akhromeyev, I walked quickly to the walkie-talkie and said to Razumeyeva: "Comrade lieutenant, can we get in touch with the radio of the 70th Guards Division?" ”

After hearing this, Razumeyeva nodded and replied to me: "Report to the division commander." I have the communication code of the 70th Guards Division here, and you can talk directly to the commander of the other side through the guò intercom. ”

Hearing Razumeyeva say this, I was overjoyed and hurriedly instructed her: "This is really good. Comrade Lieutenant, immediately contact the 70th Guards Division, I want to speak to their division commander. ”

When Lyudnikov's familiar voice came from the headphones, I excitedly said to him: "Hello, Colonel Lyudnikov. ”

Unexpectedly, he replied weakly: "It's Comrade Oshanina, I'm not good, very bad." At the moment the enemy's troops are only three hundred meters from the headquarters of our division. It only takes them to launch a strong assault and they will be able to break into my headquarters. ”

Lyudnikov's words startled me. I panicked and reminded him, "Since the enemy is so close to your headquarters, you should move your headquarters back, otherwise it will be too late to wait for the enemy to rush over." ”

After listening to my words, he said with a wry smile: "I have promised the commander that as long as there is still one person in the 70th Guards Division, I will never take a step back, and I cannot break my promise." ”

Seeing that he had no intention of retreating, I did not persuade him again, but only informed him that I was about to send a company to support him. Hearing that I was going to send troops to reinforce him, Qing Xù suddenly became excited, and expressed his gratitude to me on the phone, "Comrade Oshanina, I am currently worried about the lack of troops, and this company you sent has really helped me a lot and solved my urgent need." ”

I was deeply afraid that he would send that company of the Fifth Regiment to the position as cannon fodder, so I specially emphasized: "Colonel Lyudnikov, don't get too excited, although I sent a company to your defense area, they didn't go to help you fight positional warfare in the past. ”

Lyudnikov heard me say this and gave an "ah" very unexpectedly.

I continued: "When they arrive at your defense area, they will conduct guerrilla warfare or sniper warfare on the enemy's flank or rear, trying to disrupt the enemy's combat deployment and relieve the pressure on your frontal defense. Do you understand? ”

After hearing this, Lyudnikov was silent for a while, and then said decisively: "Well, how to use this company, just do what you say, I have no objection!" ”

After the end of the call with Lyudnikov, Akhromeyev came to report again: "Division commander, I have already called the first regiment and the artillery battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Sederikov and Major Morozov have made their respective tasks clear, and they should now be sending elite soldiers to form a night attack team for tomorrow night." ”

Seeing that Akhromeyev had arranged everything, I nodded with satisfaction, and then waved at him and Kirillov and said: "Political commissar, chief of staff, it's not early, let's rest early!" ”

Nothing was said all night.

As soon as it was dawn, I was awakened by the rumbling of cannons from outside the cave.

As soon as I sat up straight, I asked aloud, "What's the artillery outside, and which area is being shelled by the enemy?" ”

"Report to the division commander," Razumeyeva, who was sitting next to the intermediate, stood up and reported to me: "Lieutenant Colonel Gaidar of the 4th Regiment reported that their positions were being shelled by the enemy. ”

"Is the entire Mamayev Gang being shelled, or is it only the northern heights where the four regiments are stationed are being shelled?"

Hearing my question, Razumeyeva added: "Report to the division commander, at the moment it is only a surface position on the northern heights, which is under enemy shelling. Lieutenant Colonel Gaidar also made a point of emphasizing that the area where the tank wreckage at the foot of the mountain was located was not within the range of enemy shelling. ”

"Great, that's great!" When I heard this, I couldn't help but be overjoyed, it seemed that the newly established defensive line at the foot of the mountain had not yet been discovered by the Germans, so they would have to wait for the next ground attack. I hurriedly instructed Akhromeyev: "Chief of staff, it's still the old rule, you stay at the command." The commissar and I went outside to check on the battle. ”

Akhromeyev hurriedly got up and loudly promised: "Yes!" ”

After handing over the work of the command to Akhromeyev. I shook my head at Kirillov again. Said proudly: "Let's go, Comrade Political Commissar, go and see how the Fourth Regiment teaches the Germans." With that, lift your feet and go.

Seeing that I was going to drag him to the observation post on the hillside again, Kirillov looked at him with a smile and a crying expression, pointed his finger a few times, wanted to say something but did not say anything, and finally followed me out of the command.

When I came to the observation post halfway up the mountain, I followed the traffic trench. I was surprised to find that it had been repaired, so I stopped and said to Kirillov: "Commissar, you can see the situation on the battlefield here anyway, let's be here today." ”

Kirillov didn't speak, just nodded, then raised his binoculars and looked over the smoke of the heights.

Instead of looking at the high ground that was being shelled, I turned my attention to the open field in the distance. At this time, the enemy's troops were still three or four kilometers away, with seven or eight tanks in front and dense infantry behind. In terms of numbers, there is at least one battalion of troops.

When the shelling ended. The enemy's front was less than five hundred meters from the foot of the mountain. At this time, the enemy's tanks slowed down and stopped advancing, just spinning in place, apparently looking for a suitable firing position. And the soldiers behind the tank rushed forward in a dense formation at an accelerated speed.

"Comrade Oshanina, isn't the enemy's infantry charging in such a dense formation to death?" Kirillov, who had been silent beside me, suddenly said in my ear.

I looked at the infantry lining approaching our position, couldn't help but laugh contemptuously, and then said to Kirillov: "Commissar, the enemy intends to attack the area with many tank ruins, and then disperse the forces and attack our positions with the help of the wreckage. ”

As he spoke, the front of the enemy infantry had already begun to enter the area of dense tank wreckage. At this moment, the firing points, hidden in the turret of the tank and under the tank, opened decisive fire. The dense crossfire smashed the dense enemy troops into a bloody mist, and the German soldiers who were striding forward were beaten to the ground, and the ups and downs of the waves of people seemed to hit an invisible wall, and disappeared without a trace in an instant. The German soldiers who fell behind either lay down on the spot or turned around and ran.

Without waiting for the enemy tanks to come to their senses, the mortar crew, which had just entered the position, opened fire again on the retreating German infantry. Several mortar shells landed accurately in the middle of the fleeing enemy, blasting the unprepared enemy to the ground. The German soldiers who were crowded together were so frightened that they hurriedly fled to both sides, and before they could run far, several mortar shells landed accurately on the enemy's dense position again, blasting the fleeing soldiers into the air and falling heavily into the distance.

The tank, which had come to its senses at this moment, opened brutal fire on the tank in front of it. Due to the proximity of the distance, the rate of hit of the discharged shells was very high, and after the end of a round of shelling, several of our firing points became silent, apparently destroyed by the enemy.

When the German tanks finished the second round of fire and again destroyed several of our firing points, two of them suddenly burst into flames. Seeing this scene, I knew in my heart that this must be the work of the anti-tank rifle company.

I took the binoculars and looked towards the high ground, and because the smoke had not yet cleared, I could not see the shadow of the anti-tank rifle company that had just made great achievements, and I could not even see the position of the mortar group.

The blow worked, and the anti-tank rifle company continued firing, destroying three more tanks. Seeing that the situation was not good, the remaining three tanks hurriedly increased their horsepower and quickly retreated. And their infantry, under the blows of our mortar and machine-gun fire, except for a few with fast legs, lay in the open at the foot of the hillside.

Watching the German tanks go away, the fighters of the 4th Regiment decisively attacked from their positions and went to the battlefield to collect weapons and ammunition from the corpses of the enemy. Seeing that about two of our companies of troops had left their positions and entered the open field to clean up the battlefield, I was deeply afraid that they would be retaliated by German artillery fire, so I hurriedly called Akhromeyev and told him on the phone: "Chief of Staff, call Lieutenant Colonel Gaidar of the 4th Regiment at once, and tell him to hurry up and clean up the battlefield and withdraw the defenders at the foot of the hill as much as possible. ”

Thanks to my reminder, it took less than five minutes for the fighters of the 4th Regiment to clean up the battlefield and return to their positions on the mountainside with a large pile of loot. Almost as soon as they entered the mountainside position, the enemy's retaliatory artillery fire roared, blowing up the ruins of the tanks at the foot of the hill like toys.

When Kirillov saw the dense artillery fire on the open ground, he wiped the sweat on his forehead and exclaimed: "Comrade Oshanina, your vision is still accurate." If the troops at the foot of the mountain had not withdrawn, under such intensive artillery fire from the enemy, even if not all of them would have been destroyed, it would have been the result of not having one out of ten. ”

The shelling of the enemy has not stopped, and their planes are coming again. Around the high ground to the north, there was a burst of indiscriminate bombardment. Angry, Kirillov scolded at the plane in the sky: "Damn the Germans, you just bullied us for not having planes." He has the ability to come to the earth and fight us face to face. ”

Hearing Kirillov say this, several fighters of the guard battalion around him were covering their mouths and secretly laughing, I glared at them fiercely, and then said to Kirillov: "Let's go, Comrade Commissar, let's go back to the headquarters." Lieutenant Colonel Gaidar will report to us at any time. ”

The Germans, who had suffered our great losses, did not dare to launch a ground offensive for a whole day, except for indiscriminate bombardment and frenzied shelling of our positions.

After dark, a regimental commander called and reported to us that the night raiding party under the command of the commissar of Oberstein had boarded five wooden boats by the river and was on the river to carry out a sneak attack on the enemy's camp. (To be continued......)