The content of Kosgaard's phone call was similar, saying that the German 94th Division in front of it launched five company-sized charges against the positions of the three regiments in succession, and all of them were repulsed without exception.

I heard even the 94th German Division, which had always been slow to move, move, and I couldn't help but nervously ask: "Lieutenant Colonel Kosgaard, did the Germans shell your positions before the attack?" Also, did the German infantry charge you under the cover of tanks? ”

Kosgaard waited for my question to finish and was silent for a moment before replying: "The Germans usually shell our positions for five to ten minutes before attacking, and then cover the infantry with five tanks to charge at our regiment's positions. ”

"How did you deal with the German tanks?"

"After each shelling, I would send a few fighters to sneak out of their positions, hide in the craters, and when the German tanks approached, they would be wiped out with Molotov cocktails."

"Well done! Lieutenant Kosgaard, this style of play of yours can be promoted throughout the division. I heartily praised him for his method of fighting tanks, and then asked: "Are the casualties of the troops large?" ”

"It's not big, only about one company was killed or wounded."

"Very good," I heard that the casualties of the Third Regiment were not large, and I had a new idea for the time being, so I instructed him: "Lieutenant Colonel Kosgaard, you quickly transfer three companies to form a special battalion and send it to the defense area of the Second Regiment to stand by." If the defense line of the 2nd Regiment had been unharmed, the battalion would not have moved. If the German offensive is too fierce, the casualties of the second regiment are too great, and the position is almost impossible to hold. You send this battalion up. Resolutely block the breakthrough. Do you understand? ”

"Understood. Comrade division commander. Kosgaard replied unequivocally: "I'll go and send troops." ”

After calling the 2nd and 3rd Regiments, I then contacted Gaidar, the commander of the 4th Regiment: "Lieutenant Colonel Gaidar, how about the casualties of your regiment in the battle just now?" ”

Gaidar sighed and replied: "Report to the division commander, the casualties of our regiment are not small, there are seven hundred casualties in today's battle alone, and there are less than three hundred people left on the position at the moment. ”

"What about your other troops, where are they?"

"On the right side of my regimental defense area. Five companies were deployed to prevent a possible German attack from the west. There are also two companies in the village where the regimental headquarters is located, and if it really doesn't work, I will send these two companies to the position first. ”

"The two companies in the village will not move first," I said at once when he had finished his report, "and draw back all five companies on the right side of the defense area, and prepare to replenish them to the forward troops if necessary." ”

"However, comrade division commander, if all five companies are transferred. If the enemy were to press from the west, our regiment would have no defenses at all? Gaidar asked, somewhat worried.

"Lieutenant Colonel Gaidar. You don't have to worry about your right side, which is guarded by the 2nd and 3rd regiments, who will hold back the Germans who are trying to pounce on your regimental positions from west to east. Your task is to resolutely hold your ground. ”

After Gaidar loudly agreed, he asked tentatively: "Comrade division commander, allow me to ask, how long will our regiment hold out?" ”

I frowned, and was about to get angry at him, but after putting myself in Gaidar's shoes, I understood in my heart the purpose of his question. So I said euphemistically: "Lieutenant Colonel Gaidar, the Germans are constantly attacking our positions, and if we do not hold out and retreat rashly, the German artillery fire that follows can easily crush our troops." Therefore, no matter how difficult it is, your regiment must hold this line of defense in front of you. ”

"But if the Germans come back two more times according to the way they fought just now, our regiment will be completely wiped out."

"Don't worry, the troops are gone, and when they retreat to the preset position, I will give priority to your regiment to reorganize the battlefield." I was afraid that he would worry that I would give him a blank check, so I made a point of emphasizing: "I will immediately have a regiment transfer four companies to form a special battalion to strengthen your regiment." ”

Hearing me say this, Gaidar calmed down a little, and he assured me: "Please rest assured, commander, as long as there is one soldier in our regiment, we will hold our position firmly." People are in the position, and they swear to live and die with the position. ”

I then dialed Sederikov's phone, in which I ordered him in a stern tone: "Lieutenant Colonel Sederikov, I order you to immediately transfer four companies to form a special battalion, and immediately move to the vicinity of my observation post to stand by. ”

When Shederikov heard my order, he was stunned for a moment, and then asked puzzledly: "Comrade division commander, may I ask what the tasks of this improvised special battalion are?" ”

"Gaidar's four regiments fought hard, and so far the regiment has been reduced by almost half. In order to cope with the new German offensive that will follow, I think it is necessary to draw infantry from your regiment into reserve, ready to replenish the fourth regiment if necessary, and continue to hold the position. ”

I explained the truth clearly to Shederikov, and he understood it in his heart, so he agreed very readily: "It is actually an order given by the division commander himself, then I will carry it out." Is four companies enough? If that's not enough, I'll draw two more companies, and all of them are elite soldiers with rich combat experience. ”

"No, you can't weaken the strength of one regiment in order to replenish the four regiments. I have kept your regiment as a division reserve in preparation for a great use at a critical moment. Tell the soldiers, hurry up and rest, when your regiment is really put into battle, there will be no time to rest again. ”

The enemy's shelling began again, and it seemed that this time they wanted to take our positions at once, so the shelling lasted ten minutes longer than the previous two, and the dense shells fell on the front and back of the first trench and exploded, as if to turn this small area over.

After the shelling was over, before the smoke cleared, the German infantry pounced. They ran very fast, and before the commanders in the first trench could crawl out of the floating earth that covered their bodies, they had already rushed into the trench and fired at our fighters with their weapons.

Although many commanders and fighters fell under their guns, the surviving commanders and fighters in the trenches still waved their weapons in their hands regardless of the situation. Rushed towards them. German soldiers storming the trenches. After nearly ten minutes of fierce hand-to-hand combat with our soldiers. before taking the position.

Seeing that the first line of defense was lost, about a company of soldiers jumped out of the fortifications and charged the Germans with weapons, trying to take advantage of the enemy's unstable foothold to recapture the first line of defense.

Unexpectedly, this time the German soldiers learned wisely, and after seizing the first line of defense, they did not rush to charge the second line of defense, but consolidated their positions on the spot. Strafing the counterattack units of the 4th Regiment with machine guns and submachine guns.

Under the heavy fire of the enemy, the soldiers who rushed in front fell down one by one, and the rest quickly lay down, hiding in the trenches and raising their guns to return fire.

After a period of fire, the difference between the well-trained German troops and the poorly trained ours became apparent. Although our fighters kept shooting, the German soldiers in the opposite trench were knocked down. And look at the soldiers hiding in the trenches, some of them were hit by bullets fired by the Germans as soon as they came up. In a short time, the soldiers hiding in the trenches suffered twenty or thirty casualties, while the Germans suffered only five or six casualties.

Seeing that the counterattack could not be effective, the fighters who attacked had no choice but to fight and retreat. Back in the second trench. When they went into the trenches, I roughly counted them. A company sorted, and under enemy fire, withdrew less than twenty people.

When the Germans saw that they had repelled our counterattack, some of the soldiers immediately jumped out of the trenches and rushed forward while firing their guns, taking cover from the wreckage of the damaged tanks, armored vehicles, and cars.

Looking at the German soldiers who were approaching the second line of defense, I couldn't help but hate itchy, and secretly cursed in my heart for those firing points hiding under the tanks, and what did Morozov's mortar company do, didn't you see that the Germans were about to rush over, why didn't you open fire?

Seeing that they had already run half the way, several fire points and mortar batteries under the tank finally opened fire. The whistling shells disrupted the formation of the German soldiers, and then the dense machine-gun fire swept the German soldiers running in all directions. Seeing the fire of our artillery fire, the soldiers in the trenches once again jumped out of their fortifications and pounced on the Germans.

But the Germans did not immediately withdraw, but desperately returned fire from hiding behind craters or wreckage. The Germans even set up a machine gun in the crater and fired wildly, so dense that our fighters had to take refuge in the trenches.

As the machine gun roared wildly, one of our soldiers stood up from behind the German soldiers, and judging by his staggering body and staggering steps, I could guess that he must have been wounded a lot, perhaps he had just fainted from his wounds, and only now came to his senses. He stumbled towards the enemy's machine gun, but was soon spotted by the other German soldiers, who immediately turned their guns and fired at him. The warrior's body shook a few times and plunged headlong into the crater.

I was lamenting that the soldier had died in vain before he could finish off the enemy's machine gun, when a cloud of fire and smoke rose from the crater, and the German machine gunner was blown up so that even the man with the machine gun flew out of the crater. It seems that the warrior had long been determined to die, and perhaps when he got up, he had already pulled the grenade string, intending to die with the enemy.

The bravery of the unknown soldier aroused the courage of the commanders and fighters, who leapt from the crater and rushed towards the enemy regardless of casualties. As the mortar fire suppressed the Germans in the trenches, they were unable to provide fire support to these soldiers who were engaged in hand-to-hand combat with our fighters, and watched as their companions were killed one after another.

After a difficult battle, the first line of defense was recaptured by our troops, and only about 20 German soldiers escaped by chance.

Seeing that the enemy attack had been repelled again, I made another phone call to Gaidar and said to him straight to the point: "Lieutenant Colonel Gaidar, you can't fight like this." ”

Gaidar was stunned for a moment, and asked rhetorically: "Comrade division commander, is there anything wrong?" ”

I didn't go around in circles with him, and said bluntly: "The forward commander of your regiment used his troops improperly, put so many troops in the first line of defense, and under the heavy artillery fire of the German army, he quickly suffered huge casualties, so that even the German troops who rushed up could not stop it. Also, the first counterattack launched by the second line of defense was too hasty, and the commanders and fighters bravely charged the enemy without artillery cover. As a result, they were killed and wounded by superior German fire on the way and were forced to retreat. In this way, the counterattack on the second-line position not only did not work. On the contrary, more than half of the troops were lost. I'll look at the rest of the troops. It's going to be difficult to defend the second line of defense.

Once the first two lines of defense are lost, the Germans will take advantage of the victory and chase after you, breaking through your third line of defense in one fell swoop, at which point the Germans will be able to easily rush to the door of your headquarters. ”

"Comrade division commander, please instruct us how to fight the next battle?" Gaidar humbly asked me for advice.

"The enemy's artillery fire is extremely fierce, and if we throw more troops at once on the position, then we will suffer more and faster casualties. So I built yì you put only one platoon on the first line of defense. The rest were hidden in anti-artillery holes in traffic trenches. After the casualties exceed one squad, another squad will be added to the guò traffic trench. ”

After hearing this, Gaidar thought for a moment, and then replied: "Comrade division commander, this is a good idea, and I will arrange it this way. ”

After the call with Gaidar, I thought to myself that it was not a way to be beaten passively like this, and I had to find a way to take the initiative on the battlefield into my own hands. With that in mind, my mind began to calculate the number of troops that could still be used: the tank detachment had five tanks, although they had an advantage over the infantry. But under the blow of German heavy artillery, it was vulnerable. Therefore, until the German heavy artillery is destroyed, they cannot be used for the time being. Another combat-ready unit was the artillery battalion of Jegonovich, and if they could destroy the German artillery positions in the shortest possible time, then the defensive pressure of the four regiments would be relieved.

With this in mind, I took the microphone and called Sederikov, intending to ask him to convey my thoughts to Captain Jegonovich and let the artillery battalion do its best.

As soon as the phone called, Shedelikov couldn't wait to say: "Report to Comrade Division Commander, the special battalion has been assembled and can leave at any time." ”

When I heard him mention the Special Battalion, I remembered that I had asked him to send troops to reinforce the Fourth Regiment, so I casually said: "Well, since the Special Battalion has been assembled, then you can immediately command a commander and take the troops to the garrison of the Fourth Regiment and report to Lieutenant Colonel Gaidar." The German offensive was fierce, and his troops suffered too many casualties and urgently needed to be replenished. ”

"Understood, Comrade Division Commander." "I will immediately appoint a battalion commander and ask him to lead the troops to report to Lieutenant Colonel Gaidar." ”

"Lieutenant Colonel, I have one more important matter. Is Captain Jegonovich on your side? ”

"Yes, comrade division commander, do you have any instructions?"

"Give him the microphone, I have something to explain to him."

Soon, Captain Yegonovich's voice came from the earpiece, and I hurriedly said: "Comrade Captain, I am going to give you a chance to repay me now, I wonder if you are willing to seize it?" ”

"Comrade Colonel, if you have any orders, just say that I will do it for you."

Jegonovich's attitude pleased me very much, so I said unceremoniously: "Since you are so cheerful, Comrade Captain, I will not go around in circles, I will tell you the truth." ”

"Say it!" Jegonovich politely replied: "I'll listen." ”

"That's right, Comrade Captain." I organized the vocabulary in my head and said: "The Germans launched four frantic attacks on the positions of the Fourth Regiment today. Each attack was preceded by twenty minutes or even half an hour of artillery bombardment, and the fighters of the four regiments suffered heavy casualties under heavy artillery fire. In order to hold the position, it was necessary to destroy the artillery positions of the Germans. Now I want to give you this difficult task, I wonder if you have the confidence to complete it? ”

After listening to my words, Jegonovich actually laughed. He smiled like this, which stunned me, and I asked in confusion: "Comrade Captain, what are you laughing at?" ”

After laughing a few more loudly, Jegonovich replied to me: "Comrade Colonel, in fact, before the first round of shelling by the Germans began, I thought about the elimination of German artillery positions. So I sent out the artillery observers early to confirm the position of the German artillery positions, ready to take them by surprise when the time was right. ”

"Great, that's great!" It seems that there are a lot of smart people in the Soviet army, but the reason why they were not discovered by Bole and promoted and reused may be related to the fact that some dull superiors don't like their subordinates to be too smart. But in my place, you can make the best use of your talents. I asked curiously, "Comrade Captain, what do you think?" ”

Jegonovich replied respectfully: "I carefully observed when I came, our artillery positions can be built at the edge of the forest." Since the Germans had more artillery, just more than five times more than us. If you shoot back. It's still us who suffer. Even if we were all killed, we would not have seen the artillery positions of the Germans destroyed. So I thought about it this way, after the first artillery position was established, only five shells per gun were fired, and then quickly moved elsewhere to establish a new artillery position, and continued the shelling of the German artillery positions. ”

"Very well, Comrade Captain." I am very much in favor of his style of playing with one shot and changing places. So without hesitation, he agreed: "Just do as you say." After saying that, I was still a little uneasy, and specially advised, "Remember, Comrade Captain, you must completely destroy the artillery positions of the Germans, otherwise they will continue to shell the positions of the Fourth Regiment." ”

"Please rest assured, Comrade Colonel, I promise to complete the task." Jegonovich answered me with an oath.

"How are you there, Lieutenant Colonel Gaidar?" From the observation port, I saw the commanders and fighters of the four regiments in the trenches, treating the wounded. and rush to repair the fortifications, I specially called Gaidar to ask about it.

"Report to the division commander. Except for the two companies of the Guards Regiment Headquarters, the rest of the troops, I have all been sent to the position. Speaking of which, he also emphasized, "In accordance with your orders, I asked the soldiers to dig several anti-artillery holes in the communication trench connecting the two trenches. When the Germans began shelling, the first line of defense was lined with only one platoon, and the rest were hidden in new anti-artillery holes, ready to replenish the losses at the front at any time. ”

"Don't be crying, Comrade Gaidar," I knew that Gaidar must be in a bad mood when he saw such heavy casualties among his troops, so he comforted him and said, "I asked Sedelikov to transfer four companies from his regiment to form a special battalion, which will be strengthened to you immediately." Until your regiment is replenished by your superiors, this special battalion will be yours to come back. ”

"Really? Comrade division commander. After hearing the news, Gaidar really became excited, and said to himself: "Great, the strength of the whole four companies, in this way, I don't think there is much problem in holding the position." ”

"Pick me up Lieutenant Colonel Oleg." When I put down the phone, I quickly ordered Razumeyeva.

After the intercom was connected to Oleg, I asked in as calm a tone as possible: "How is your situation there, Lieutenant Colonel Oleg?" ”

"The German infantry, under the cover of their tanks, twice stormed the positions of our regiment. Our warriors, after a hand-to-hand battle with them, drove them out of our fortifications. At present, our positions are littered with corpses, both the corpses of Germans and the remains of our soldiers, and the land is stained red with blood. When he said this, Oleg was a little out of breath with excitement.

"Lieutenant Colonel Oleg, don't worry, I asked Kostya to draw three companies of troops to form a special battalion, which is placed behind your regimental defense area, and if you encounter insufficient troops to support it, I authorize you to use this special battalion. Fight well, Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, don't worry, you are not fighting alone, we will support you. ”

After the call, I nervously thought about the current situation, and it seemed that it was unrealistic to want to stay here for a few more days. For the sake of today's plan, we can only find a way to pass through the day, and then let the regiments retreat back separately after dark.

I was thinking about it, and a new round of shelling by the Germans began. It seemed that they were not willing to accept the defeat they had suffered, and they had to take down the positions of the four regiments, so the German shells rained down on the first line of positions and exploded on the left and right as if they didn't want money.

The shelling lasted about ten minutes, and Razumeyeva called me: "Comrade division commander, Captain Jegonovich wants to speak to you. ”

I put on my headphones and shouted into the microphone: "Hey, Captain Jegonovich, I'm Colonel Oshanina, how are you preparing over there?" ”

"Report to the colonel, a qiē is ready to shoot at any time. ……”

"Got it," I interrupted, "now that you're ready, let's fire at once." If we hesitate any longer, the German shells will almost blow up our positions. ”

"Allow me not to ask you for advice at any time in the rest of my life, is that okay?"

"I agree. Comrade Captain, I would like to remind you that you must do your best to kill the artillery of the Germans, and move quickly! ”

I threw the headphones and microphone to Razumeyeva, grabbed the microphone and called Gaidar: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, I have good news for you, I have ordered the artillery battalion of Captain Jegonovich to fire at the German artillery positions, so that you will no longer be harassed by German shells. ”

As he spoke, the German shelling suddenly stopped. I looked at the position, where no shells had fallen, despite the smoke of gunfire, and excitedly shouted into the microphone: "Gaidar, did you hear that?" The shelling of the Germans stopped, and it must have been their artillery positions that were hit by our artillery battalions. ”

Two or three minutes later, the German artillery bombardment began again, but their target was no longer the forward position of the 4th Regiment, but turned to the direction of the forest on the eastern side. Through the binoculars, I saw German shells exploding in the forest, and as the flames and smoke rose, patches of trees fell. However, I didn't see the human stumps and cannon parts that were lifted into the air by the air of the shells, and my heart was much more reassured, and it seemed that Jegonovich and the others had been safely transferred.

The Germans fought for less than five minutes, the artillery fire was mute again, and it seemed that Yegonovich's artillery battalion had completed the establishment of new positions and resumed shelling them. (To be continued......)

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