As soon as it was dawn, I woke up from my sleep and looked up at my watch, which was exactly half past four. Thinking about the counter-assault that was going to be carried out today, I hurriedly pushed the door and got out of the car, and ran quickly towards the headquarters.

When I walked to the door, I saw Kolpakchi, Gurov and Moskalenko walking out. As soon as he saw me, Kolpacchi said in a loud voice: "Lieutenant Colonel Oshanina, you have come just in time, and I have sent someone to call you." Come with us! ”

I looked blankly at the three commanders in front of me and asked, "Comrade commander, where are we going?" "I said in my heart that the offensive is about to begin, and you won't take people to the front line to inspect at this time, right?

"Where else can I go?" Kolpacic said with some displeasure: "Of course, go to the observation post on the west side of the hillside, do you still want to stay in this headquarters where you can't see anything?" After saying that, he raised his legs and left.

I didn't dare to say anything, so I honestly followed the three of them to the observation post on the west side of the hill. After walking a while, I looked back and saw a large group of staff officers and guards behind me, among whom was Captain Semykov.

When we entered the observation post, the guards were on guard in the trenches, and the staff officers swarmed in, some hanging maps on the walls, some laying communication lines. The observation center was bustling with people.

After the staff officers set up the command post, except for a few communications staff officers, as well as two operational staff officers and me, Semykov and I, the rest withdrew from the observation post. Judging from the layout of the house, Kolpacchi could learn about the battle situation and issue tasks through telephones, telegrams, walkie-talkies, etc.; Moskalenko, on the other hand, had only one walkie-talkie, and his adjutant temporarily acted as a telegrapher.

The shelling began sharply at five o'clock in the morning. Due to the losses of the cannon regiment in the previous two days of fighting, today it carried out the artillery mission. It was the 47th and 83rd Guards rocket artillery regiments that had been hidden by Korpakchi and Gurov. The 110th battalion of the Guards Separate Rocket Artillery, which was already put into battle yesterday.

Rocket artillery tracks flew over our observation post. After drawing arcs in the air, they landed on the German positions in the distance, and then there was a rumbling sound one after another.

Since the shelling was going on for an hour, I didn't want to disturb their Yaxing when I saw Kol Pakchi and the three of them standing in the observation hole with binoculars in their hands, so I walked to the table and looked at the papers lying on it.

The document clearly records the formation of the 1st tank army of General Moskalenko. Originally, I thought that this unit had only one tank corps and a number of logistics units, but after reading it, I realized that the 1st Tank Army had under the jurisdiction of the 13th and 28th Tank Armies, the 131st Infantry Division, two anti-aircraft artillery regiments, an anti-tank artillery regiment, and the 168th Tank Brigade. Among them, the 13th Tank Army suffered heavy casualties when it cooperated with the 33rd Guards Division in its offensive and counteroffensive a few days ago, and there are currently less than 50 tanks left in the whole army.

After the shelling, Kolpakchi turned to Semykov, who was standing like a nail, and said: "It's almost time, Comrade Captain, give the troops a signal to attack." ”

Captain Semykov agreed. Turned and walked out of the observation post.

As three red flares flew into the air, the tank group concealed in the positions of the 192nd Division. At full speed, along several roads carved out by the sappers, they advanced towards the enemy's positions. They were followed by thousands of commanders and fighters of the 192nd and 131st Divisions.

The Germans, who had always held the initiative on the battlefield, probably did not expect that our army would carry out a counter-assault again at this time, and we were caught off guard. It was only when the tanks of our army approached their line of defense that they began to return fire. Artillery and machine guns fired at the approaching tanks and the running commanders and fighters. However, it was too late at this moment, and the assault forces of our army were already approaching the first line of German trenches.

Seeing that the counterattack of our troops was going well, Kolpakchi patted the commander of the tank army on the shoulder vigorously and excitedly said: "Fantastic, Comrade Moskalenko. Your tank army is fighting really well, you see, they are already close to the enemy's position, and in a minute or two, our tanks will be able to cross the trenches and advance into the enemy's depth, and the enemy in the trenches, leave it to the infantry fighters behind. ”

I thought that Moskalenko would have to echo Kolpacic's tone, but I didn't expect him to say impatiently: "Too slow, too slow!" Comrade Kolpakchi, the pace of the offensive of the troops is too slow! After saying that, he turned his head to himself and ordered his adjutant, "Tell the commanders of the 13th and 28th tank armies to speed up the attack." ”

Kol Pakchi, who was left to dry, glanced at Gurov with some embarrassment, shrugged his shoulders, and seemed to feel helpless at Moskalenko's unkind performance.

The counter-assault battles of our troops were fought from morning to noon. Since the area of engagement was getting farther and farther away from the observation post, the progress of the battle could not be observed through telescopes at all, so Kolpacchi and his men could only leave the observation hole, return to the table, and learn about the offensive intelligence of the troops according to the battle reports sent back by the front-line troops by telephone and telegram, and use this to direct the battle of the troops.

With the 131st Infantry Division of the 13th Tank Army, wedged into the enemy's line of defense to a depth of seven kilometers, the attack was in a stalemate due to the desperate counterattack of the German 16th Tank Division and the 113th Infantry Division. The 192nd Infantry Division, which was attacked with the 28th Tank Army, was going well, because the Germans had to divide their forces to defend the 181st Division, which had to return to their flanks, and the frontal defense became weak, so Lieutenant Colonel Tarantsev's troops successively broke through the defensive positions built by the Germans in the area of Golubinsky and Lower Nabatovsky, and advanced to the vicinity of the old positions in the area of Verkhniy Buzinovka, and the fighters of the 427th Regiment also occupied the original division headquarters of the 192nd Division for a time. Succeeded in recapturing the remains of the former division commander, Colonel Zakharchenko.

On the whole, the results of the morning were not bad. The enemy, in front of a powerful offensive at our home, was forced to abandon several offensive starting positions and retreated to the west for distances ranging from seven to ten kilometers.

I stood behind Kol Pakchi as he marked the map on his desk. Semikov ran over in a panic. He came to Kol Parkic. With a serious expression he reported: "Comrade Commander. Something went wrong. ”

Without raising his head, Kolpacchi asked, "Comrade Captain, what happened?" ”

"Just now, the commander of the 33rd Guards Division, Colonel Fanasyev, called and said that he had found the enemy's tank units in the southwest direction of our positions, and they were rushing north, making a detour to the rear of our counterattacking troops, and it seemed that they wanted to separate the counterattack troops from the defensive positions."

Taken aback, Colpacch hurriedly took three steps and two steps to the observation hole, and raised the telescope to look out. Gurov also walked to his side. The telescope was raised.

After looking at it for a while, Kol Pakchi said, "Military Commissar, did you see that?" German tanks were approaching from the southwest, presumably trying to get behind our counter-attacking forces after sweeping in front of the positions of the 33rd Guards Division. ”

"Do you have any good ideas? Comrade Commander. Gurov did not casually express his opinion, but humbly asked for Kolpakchi's opinion.

"After the 192nd Division attacked, they were replaced by the 33rd Guards Division, which had just been replenished. Comrade Military Commissar, as you know, almost all of the new recruits are new recruits, who are not only inadequately trained and lack combat experience. Even ammunition is insufficient. Such troops, used for defense, perhaps, so-so. But to get them to stop the attack of the enemy's tank forces is simply an impossible task. ”

Just when the two were at a loss, Moskalenko walked up to them, raised the binoculars and looked at them for a while, and said lightly: "The enemy only has more than thirty tanks, so there is nothing to worry about." Comrade commanders, you don't have to worry, this invading enemy can be wiped out by my troops. ”

Although the tank commander spoke with confidence, Gurov asked half-convinced: "Really?" Comrade Moskalenko. ”

Moskalenko smiled and did not speak, turned around and walked to the walkie-talkie, took the microphone from his adjutant hand, and shouted loudly: "Colonel Rogin, it's time." You immediately lead your tank brigade to attack from the flank of the enemy's tank unit, and be sure to destroy this enemy tank unit. ”

After putting down the microphone, he walked back to the observation hole, smiled and said to Kolpakchi and Gurov, who looked dazed: "Comrade commander, I have ordered the 168th Tank Brigade to attack. I believe that it will not be long before these dozens of German tanks you have just seen will be reduced to piles of burning scrap metal. ”

Kolpakchi laughed, stepped forward and patted Moskarenko on the shoulder, and said loudly: "I don't see, Comrade General, you still have such a reserve." I believe that their sudden attack will definitely take the German armored forces by surprise. ”

Hearing that there was a bustle to see, I quietly approached the observation hole and raised my binoculars to look at the battlefield. I saw more than 30 German tanks lined up in an offensive formation, driving violently from south to north, turning a big bend a few hundred meters in front of our position, and heading west, in an attempt to outflank our army's rear road.

At this moment, the 168th Tank Brigade, which was lurking in my position, attacked, and more than 50 tanks also formed a battle formation and pounced on the German tanks to the north. When the tanks were about to cross the first line of trenches of our army, a dozen or so tanks in front opened fire on the march. The whistling shells landed in the German tank queue, and several tanks that fell behind were shot outside, and the burning tanks drove forward for some distance before stopping, and the tank crews got out of the tanks one after another and fled.

It was only after at least half of the German tanks were shot and caught fire that the enemy noticed the sudden emergence of our tanks from behind and tried to turn around and compete, but it was too late, and the tankmen of the 168th Brigade, like a target, turned the remaining tanks into burning scrap metal.

Seeing the one-sided battle situation, Kolpakchi, Gurov and Moskalenko were so happy that they couldn't close their mouths, especially Moskalenko, who was even more excited, he picked up the microphone again and shouted excitedly: "Colonel Rogin, what a beautiful job." You have completely annihilated the German tank troops, and you have not suffered any casualties, and I want to give you credit. When the battle is over, I will personally award the medals to the heroic tank crews of the 168th Brigade. ”

If today's fighting were to end at this time, this hastily carried out counter-assault operation would undoubtedly be a success. But it backfired, just as the 168th Tank Brigade finished cleaning the battlefield and turned around and was about to return to its position, a sudden change occurred, and another German tank unit appeared in our field of vision and swooped down on the flank of the 168th Brigade.

Seeing the newly emerged German armored units, the commanders and fighters of the 168th Tank Brigade did not panic, turned around on the spot, rearranged into a battle formation, and bravely met them.

Just as the two tanks approached at high speed, the roar of planes was heard in the air. We collectively looked up at the sky and found that it was several German planes, which flew over our tank platooning and began to dive and drop bombs, and the bombs that fell from the sky fell in the tank platoon, and the first few tanks that rushed to the front were either hit by the bombs and exploded and caught fire, or were overturned by the air waves of the bomb explosions, and the remaining tanks did evasive actions to avoid the bombs dropped by the enemy planes, and the offensive formation was immediately chaotic.

When Moskalenko saw this scene, his eyes immediately turned red, he rushed to the adjutant, grabbed the microphone, and shouted loudly: "Colonel Rogin, obey my command!" Obey my command! Advance, only forward, close to the onslaught of German tanks, only in this way can you avoid the attack of German aircraft. Advance! Brethren, there is no turning back, forward! Onslaught at enemy tanks! Storm! ”

I saw the flower girl in the open field densely covered with craters, and our tanks rushed towards the German tanks at high speed, while constantly firing at the enemy. At the same time that the enemy's tanks were hit and caught fire, there were also tanks of our army that were destroyed by the bomb fire of enemy aircraft and the enemy's tank shells.

As the saying goes, disasters do not go alone, and just when our tanks and German tanks were fighting inextricably, Semykov came to report another unfortunate news: "Comrade commander, it's not good. General Volkhin had just called, and he said that a large force of German troops had swooped down on Karachi. The troops of the 229th and 112th Divisions, after a brief period of resistance, had abandoned their defensive positions and began to retreat on all fronts, and at the moment the troops of the 64th Army were crossing the river at the Karachi crossing, preparing to withdraw to the other side of the river. ”

Korpakich grabbed Semykov by the collar and said viciously: "Captain Semykov, if you lie about the military situation, I will shoot you." ”

Semykov defended: "Comrade commander, this is all true. After receiving a call from General Volkhin, I called again to check with our observation posts stationed there, who reported that the troops of the 64th Army had begun to retreat along all lines and were currently crossing the Chir River. (To be continued......)

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