After a brief period of panic and heavy casualties, the remaining commanders and fighters who had been in disarray in front of the enemy positions finally came to their senses, some of them lying on the ground and firing, and some of them joined the other infantry who were following the tanks to continue the unfinished offensive operation.

Although there are still many problems in the coordination between tanks and infantry, it is not impossible to overcome the German positions that lack sufficient anti-tank forces.

When he saw our infantry rushing into the trenches and engaging the Germans in close combat, Kolpacic's face, which had been softened, and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly, and it was evident that he was pleased with the result.

After another 10 minutes, after stubborn fighting and heavy sacrifices, the commanders and fighters of our army finally recovered this position that originally belonged to us.

Semykov came over and reported to Korpakchi: "Comrade commander, the commander of the 33rd Guards Division, Colonel Fanaseyev, has called to say that the positions of the German troops have been occupied by the 84th and 85th regiments, and to ask you for instructions on the next move. ”

Kol Pakchi put down his binoculars and turned to answer the phone, but just after taking two steps, he suddenly stopped, turned to me and said: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, I don't think you are suitable to work in the headquarters of the army group. When this battle is over, the 33rd Guards Division will temporarily withdraw to Stalingrad to rest and replenish. The 83rd Regiment was almost completely formed in this battle, and a large number of grassroots commanders are needed when it is rebuilt, and you will be in the regiment to serve as ...... at that time." I didn't dare to interject. One can only wait quietly for his decision. He thought for a moment. As if he had made up his mind, he said, "Let's be a deputy head for the time being!" "Finished. Raise your leg and walk to the telephone.

I don't dare to express any objection to his decision. I regret a little that I shouldn't have given him any idea of stepping up and working with him just now, after all, I am only his adjutant, not the chief of staff, and I am not qualified to give him advice except for faithfully carrying out the orders he has given, which is a bottom line that cannot be crossed. And I myself don't know the height of the sky, and I point fingers arbitrarily. As a result, he had to be assigned to the grassroots troops.

Korpakchi, who had regained lost ground with Colonel Fanasyev's troops, was in a high mood when talking to him, and from time to time he could be heard laughing heartily. Seeing that he was in such a good mood, I was still a little depressed, as if I had seen a glimmer of light, and I secretly guessed in my heart that maybe he would revoke the order to send me to the 83rd Regiment after he finished the call.

Maybe it's because he's in a good mood, so Kol Parkucci's phone calls go on endlessly. The fighting outside is basically over, and I don't have to continue to stand at the window to observe the situation and look left and right. Seeing that there were a lot of newly delivered war reports on the wooden table in the middle of the room, he walked over to pick them up and read them.

After Kolpacic ended the call with Fanasyev. Walking to the wooden table, he didn't pay attention to me, but bent down to look at the map for a while, and suddenly raised his head and asked Semykov in a stern tone: "Comrade Captain, where is Colonel Khaltchenko's 192nd Division?" What about their attacks on the flanks of the Germans, did they repel the enemy? Why have you been here for so long, and you haven't reported it yet? ”

Hearing his question, Semykov hurriedly stepped up and respectfully reported: "Report Comrade Commander, half an hour ago, I called Colonel Kharchenko, and he said that the troops were on the offensive and the fighters were showing tenacity. ”

"Where? Be specific. Kolpacic asked with some displeasure, "Where are the troops attacking?" ”

"In the Kacharinskaya region." Semykov replied in a hesitant manner, and it seemed that he did not understand the specific situation.

I hurriedly stepped forward and said loudly: "Comrade commander, allow me to report to you. ”

Kolpacic looked at me and said lightly, "Say it, Lieutenant Colonel Oshanina." ”

I recalled in my mind what I had just seen in the battle report, and replied confidently: "Comrade commander, Colonel Kharchenko, immediately after receiving the order, sent the 427th and 676th Infantry Regiments to attack the German positions in front under the cover of the 298th Regiment of the artillery ground.

When the attack was thwarted, the two infantry regiments retreated to the starting positions of the attack. Colonel Kharchenko sent the 753rd Infantry Regiment and cadets of the Narchik Infantry School and the Ulyupinsk Infantry to continue the offensive.

Half an hour earlier, the 427th Regiment had returned to the battle after replenishing the cadets of the 3rd Infantry School in Ordzhonikidze, the 3rd Infantry School in Grozny and the Zhytomyr Infantry School.

Comrade Commander, there is only so much for the 192nd Division that we have received for the time being. I'm done with the report. ”

After listening to my report, Korpakchi asked Semykov with half convincing: "Comrade Captain, is this so?" ”

Semykov said in a bit of a panic: "Report to Comrade Commander, we have received a lot of battle reports, but I haven't had time to read them yet. However, I believe that the situation reported by Major Oshanina is true and credible. ”

Korpakchi glanced at Semykov with displeasure, looked down at the map again, and then raised his head and gave a new order: "Comrade Captain, you immediately go and call the commander of the 184th Division, Colonel Koida, and ask him to immediately put the troops into battle. We need to deal with the enemy in this area as soon as possible and rebuild new fortifications. ”

Without waiting for Semykov to call, the situation took an unexpected turn. A staff officer standing at the window for observation suddenly shouted: "Enemy planes! Air raid alert! Almost as soon as the staff officer shouted, a violent explosion was heard outside.

Kolpacchi rushed to the window, snatched the telescope from the staff officer's hand, and raised it to look nervously at the battlefield outside. I followed him, came to the window, held up the binoculars around my neck, and looked at the position that had only been taken by our troops.

At this moment, the position was already shrouded in gunsmoke, and the German bombers circled over the position, constantly diving, dropping bombs and strafing. As the bombs landed on the positions and exploded, the firing points that our troops were building were destroyed one after another, and the stumps of human bodies and parts of weapons were lifted into the air by the air waves, and then fell in pieces. The tanks of the 13th Tank Army also became the focus of the bombing of German aircraft, some tanks were overturned by the air wave of the explosion, some were directly hit by bombs, and the body of the turret was burning.

When Kolpakchi saw this scene, he was furious, and he shouted to Semykov vigorously: "Captain, hurry up and call the commander of the front and ask him to send the air force to cover our troops, if it is too late, the 33rd Guards Division on the position should be completely annihilated." ”

Hearing this order from Korpakchi, I couldn't help frowning slightly, and at this time I thought about whether it would be too late to ask our air force to dispatch. Even if Commander Goldov had agreed to send air support, by the time our fighters arrived on the battlefield, it would have been at least ten or twenty minutes later, and by that time our troops on the positions would have been crippled. If our position is set up on a hill, even if the Germans launch a counteroffensive, we will at least be able to resist for a while, even if we have fewer troops. But on open land where there is no danger to defend, it is impossible to hold it at all with the remnants of the troops on the position.

Unexpectedly, the more worried about something, the more we arrived, and before our air force arrived, the German long-range artillery began to bombard our positions again, and at the same time, their infantry also launched an attack under the cover of tanks.

Seeing that our troops suffered heavy casualties under the double blow of German aircraft and artillery, and the surviving commanders and fighters were also suppressed in the broken trenches by the enemy's powerful firepower, unable to carry out an effective defense, my heart couldn't help but raise my throat, the position that I had so hard won would not be lost to the Germans so quickly, right?

I was in a hurry, and Kolpacchi on the side was even more anxious, and he gave orders to the staff officers in the room: "Hurry up and call the commanders of the 147th and 181st Divisions, and ask them to immediately send troops to reinforce them, and this position that has just been recaptured must not be lost to the Germans." (To be continued......)