The tank remained motionless, stopped in place and opened fire with guns and machine guns, and the second company suffered heavy casualties due to the explosion of Molotov cocktails, and several machine guns that had been beating the enemy's wolves were dumbfounded. Seeing that the firepower of our troops had weakened, the enemy's infantry was no longer as disorganized as it had been, and they gradually ran into safety behind the tanks.

Looking at the German tanks flaunting in front of the position, I couldn't help frowning, and thought bitterly: if only there were a few anti-tank guns, none of these light tanks would have escaped. Unfortunately, it was too far away for the soldiers in the trenches to throw Molotov cocktails that far; If you rush to attack, you will be hit by multiple casualties from German tank guns, machine guns, and infantry fire, causing heavy casualties.

Lukin gently touched my arm next to me, and when I turned my head to look at him, he handed me the microphone and reminded me in a low voice, "It's a call from Comrade Division Commander." ”

"Lieutenant Colonel Oshanina," came General Bilyukov's impatient and angry voice over the microphone, "what did you do?" I heard from the observation post that the Germans only had five tanks and dozens of infantry in front of your positions, and what did your regiment of more than 1,000 people do to eat, why haven't they been eliminated until now? ”

I hurriedly explained to him in a low voice: "Comrade division commander, please listen to me. The reason why this enemy has been unable to solve it for a long time is that their five tanks are too threatening to us. We lacked anti-tank weapons to destroy them at long distances, and several times we sent fighters with Molotov cocktails to blow up tanks, all of which failed! ”

"Comrade Lieutenant Colonel. It's your business how you fight, I just want to know when you'll be able to wipe them all out. The division commander said in an unquestionable tone: "It's really strange, the Germans only have dozens of infantry, and you trample them to death even if you have thousands of people in a regiment." ……”

"Comrade division commander," I was afraid that he would hang up the phone in a fit of rage, so I hurriedly interrupted his later words and made a request to him: "Can the division provide our regiment with a batch of anti-tank guns?" ”

"What, you still want a batch of anti-tank guns? Let's tell you the truth, Lieutenant Colonel Oshanina, the whole division is only equipped with twenty anti-tank guns. It has already been distributed to various regiments? ”

"But we don't have a single one in the group. Comrade division commander, you can't favor one over the other! You know, if we had anti-tank guns, these five light tanks would have been killed long ago. Now because of the lack of anti-tank weapons. I can only send fighters to rush up and blow up the enemy's tanks at the risk of their lives. Not to mention the casualties. It doesn't always take out the enemy's tanks. ”

After listening to my complaints, Biryukov was silent for a moment, and then said: "There are also three anti-tank guns in the division. I'll send someone to you right away. ”

"Three is too little, comrade division commander, can you give two more?" When I saw that he had promised to provide our regiment with anti-tank guns, I couldn't help but take the opportunity to put forward some more conditions.

Unexpectedly, Biryukoff said: "No, there are only three, and if you don't want them, I'll give them to the other regiments." ”

"Three is three, comrade division commander, you can send someone over quickly. As soon as the anti-tank guns arrive, I promise you that in less than ten minutes I will be able to wipe out all the enemies in front of the position. ”

"Lieutenant Colonel Oshanina, these three anti-tank guns can't be given to you in vain." Biliukov's tone suddenly softened a lot, "Your regiment captured so many weapons and ammunition from the Germans last night, and they are as rich as rich people, you have to exchange a battalion of ammunition for them." ”

Hearing Biliukov say this, my jaw almost hit the ground directly, what? Three anti-tank guns had to be exchanged for a battalion's weapons and equipment, and I said in my heart that this division commander was really black enough, and he was even more treacherous than a profiteer. I almost rushed out to say that I would not change it, but after thinking about it, I still held back, after all, our regiment could not use up so much ammunition captured, so it was better to hand it over to Biliukov and let him arm all the troops in the division who lacked weapons. I took a deep breath and waited for my feelings to stabilize before replying, "Understood, Comrade Division Commander, I will do my best to arrange for people to send the ammunition to the division headquarters." ”

"Very well, I'll send someone to receive this batch of weapons." Speaking of this, Biryukov's tone suddenly became stern, "I remind you, comrade lieutenant colonel, that the battle must be resolved within half an hour, otherwise by the time the enemy's large forces arrive, our positions will be in danger. ”

After the end of the call with Bilyukov, my mood became irritable. As soon as I put down the microphone, I hurriedly said to Lukin: "Comrade Captain, you call the commander of the third company and ask him, why didn't you send someone to blow up the tank just now?" "I was angry with the division commander and wanted to find a place to vent, and this third company commander unfortunately became a victim.

"Three company commanders? I'm Captain Lukin. The regiment commander asked you, why didn't you send someone to attack just now? ”

The commander of the third company, who answered the phone, said in a hesitant manner: "Report to Comrade Captain, I saw that the enemy's firepower was too fierce, and even if the soldiers went out, they would only be sent to death in vain, so I canceled the sortie plan. ”

Hearing the third company commander say this, I immediately became angry, and raised my voice to Lukin and said: "Comrade Captain, tell the third company commander to immediately send someone to attack and kill the two German tanks in front of his position, if you dare not attack again, I will immediately send someone to enforce battlefield discipline." "Maybe I was so excited that I listened to my voice a little hoarse.

Hearing my rage, the commander of the third company, who was passively avoiding the battle, did not dare to slack off, and hurriedly sent two groups of fighters to climb out of the trench with Molotov cocktails and rush towards the enemy's tanks, and then they were all knocked down by enemy bullets and shrapnel in the open field.

Having learned from the failures of the first two groups, the two fighters of the third group, having climbed out of the trenches, did not bend down again and rushed at the enemy tanks, but lay down on the spot and crawled towards the enemy tanks. The machine guns on the enemy tanks were chatting non-stop, and because the two fighters were very elf, they crawled forward for more than twenty meters without incident. Watching them climb forward for another ten meters or so before they could throw the Molotov cocktail in their hands onto the enemy's tank, my heart beat faster.

At this moment, a puff of dirt rushed up next to the tank, and a muffled explosion sounded.

"What's going on? Where is the gunnery? Could it be that the division headquarters used artillery fire to support us? The thought crossed my mind.

"Comrade regiment commander, look at the enemy's tanks." Lukin also saw the shell explode next to the tank and excitedly said to me: "See? This must have been a seven-in-a-row cannon. ”

"Seven?" I frowned, and without looking back, I asked Lukin: "Comrade Captain, you said seven consecutive cannons." Where did Captain Slavin get his artillery, and where did he find it? ”

As he spoke, several more shells landed around the enemy tank and exploded, and the shock wave of the explosion of one shell lifted out a soldier hiding behind the tank, who did a beautiful front flip in the air, fell heavily on the dirt, and then did not move.

"Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, have you forgotten that in our original independent battalion, there was an artillery company." Seeing my dazed look, Lukin quickly explained to me: "During the battle at the station, quite a few artillerymen were wounded and sent to a military hospital, where they were incorporated into the reserve corps on the outskirts of Moscow. This time, when we were reorganized into the 64th Army, these artillery pieces were incorporated into the 214th Division of General Bilyukov. Coincidentally, they were all grouped into Captain Slavin's company. ”

I was a little impressed by what Lukin said, and he told me last night that there were quite a few soldiers from the former independent battalion in Slavin's company, and they were all artillerymen. I put down my binoculars, turned my head and asked, "But where did they get the cannons?" ”

Lukin looked at me with wide eyes and said in surprise: "Comrade regiment commander, have you forgotten that we captured ten mortars from the enemy's baggage camp last night. While you were resting, I took it upon myself to assign all these mortars to the Slavin company, and at the same time singled out the original artillery and formed a new mortar platoon. ”

I smiled, didn't speak, raised my binoculars and continued to observe the battlefield.

Slavin's mortar platoon shelled the tanks in front of the third company, and the shells fell one after another around the tanks and exploded, blowing up the soldiers hiding behind the tanks. Although the mortars were not effective against the tanks, the dense shrapnel made the enemy's tanks clange, and the smoke from the explosion seriously affected the tanker's vision. Seizing this favorable opportunity, the two fighters jumped up from the ground, took a few steps forward, and threw the Molotov cocktails in their hands at the tank.

The Molotov cocktail fell on the tank's armor and shattered, and the liquid inside quickly flowed through the body, and the tank burst into flames, and then began to burn violently. The two fighters, having completed their tasks, immediately turned around and rushed towards the positions of our troops. A few meters away from the trench, a soldier was hit by a bullet fired from a machine gun from a tank on the other side, and after a few more steps of inertia, he fell in front of the trench. And the other soldier hurriedly jumped and plunged directly into the trench. Soon the soldier leaned out again and, with the help of his other comrades, dragged the soldier who had fallen in front of the trench into the trench.

Seeing that the tank on one side had been taken out, I breathed a sigh of relief and quickly asked Lukin to dial Slavin for me. While waiting for the call, I saw two more fighters from the 1st Company, and they also followed the example of the 3rd Company's soldiers, who immediately lay down on the ground as soon as they left the trench, and then crawled towards the enemy's tanks.

As soon as the phone from the seventh company rang, I said loudly into the microphone: "Well done, Captain Slavin, let the artillery platoon fight like this." Now I order you to turn their guns and open fire on the three German tanks on the left, covering the attacking company of fighters to complete the mission. (To be continued......)