Next, the two generals complained to Kolpacchi one after another, saying that the strength of the division was limited, and the defensive front of the defense line was too wide, which was not conducive to defense, and hoped that the commander would understand his difficulties, compress his defense area, and send effective troops to defend the joint of the two divisions.

Kolpacic pushed the phone on the table to the side, took the map from the hand of a staff officer, spread it out on the table, looked at it, frowned, and said: "General Volhin, your 147th Division is on the south side of the defensive line, and the defensive front is twelve kilometers. And you, General Novikov, your 181st Infantry Division, were responsible for the northern side of the line of defense, which had a width of seventeen kilometers. I would like to ask, how are you going to compress the defenses? ”

General Volkhin was obviously familiar with Kolpacic, so he spoke in a very casual tone: "Comrade commander, I would like to move my line of defense five kilometers to the south, so that I can put more reserves in the depth of the defense. ”

"Yes, Comrade Commander." General Novikov continued Volkhin's topic: "I think my division should also move three to five kilometers north, so that the defense can be strengthened. ”

"General Volkhin retreats five kilometers, you retreat three to five kilometers. So that between your two divisions, there will be a gap of eight to ten kilometers wide. At this point, Kolpacic slammed the table and shouted angrily, "Let me ask you, who should defend this gap?" ”

Kolpakchi's anger frightened the two generals into saying no more. After a long time, Lieutenant Colonel Tarantsev finally replied: "Comrade commander, before you came, the two generals were discussing with me. Let me place the 192nd Division at the junction of the two divisions. ”

"Comrade Lieutenant Colonel. What do you think? Kol Parkic asked.

"Actually, it started in the afternoon. My 102nd Naval Infantry Brigade and the remnants of the 192nd Division were contained in this area. At the moment the width of the defensive front is eight kilometers," Tarantsev replied mechanically to Korpakic's question, without thinking, "my troops, here in the afternoon, exchanged fire with the vanguard of the German army. ”

"Ahh Lieutenant Colonel Tarantsev, it turns out that your troops have long been deployed at the junction of two divisions. Korpakchi's eyes swept over the political commissars of the division commanders of the two divisions, and he said in a loud voice: "I said comrade commanders, are you holding a meeting here just to justifiably convert the area actually controlled by the 192nd Division into their official defense area?" ”

When the two division commanders heard Kol Pakchi say this, they glanced at each other, but neither dared to speak. It was still the commissar of the 147th division, Kotov, who was a little more daring, who stood up and explained to Kolpakchi: "Comrade commander, before Lieutenant Colonel Tarantsev's troops entered the junction of our two divisions. We only have about two battalions in this area. If the Germans attacked fiercely, they would not be able to hold it at all. ”

I found out after listening to Kotov's explanation. Kol Parkage trembled with rage, but tried to restrain himself from saying anything too much out of excitement. He pulled out a cigarette case from his pocket, pulled out a cigarette and put it in his mouth. Before he could take out the match, Major General Volhin, who was next to him, had already stretched out the struck match in front of him.

Korpakichi glanced at him, lit the cigarette in his mouth with a match, and after taking a puff, he said slowly: "At present, in the 192nd Division, only the 102nd Naval Infantry Brigade of Lieutenant Colonel Tarantsev has combat effectiveness, and the rest of the troops are still being reorganized. So I decided that the 147th Division would move three kilometers to the south and the 181st Division two kilometers to the north. The five kilometers between the junction of your two divisions will be defended by Tarantsev's troops. ”

As soon as his words fell, General Novikov stood up and said in a pleading tone: "Comrade commander, can you think again, even if our division moves two kilometers north, the defensive front will still reach fifteen kilometers. ……”

Without waiting for him to finish, Kolpacchi interrupted the rest of his words and said in a stern tone: "This is my order, it is not allowed to be discussed, you go and carry it out." At this point, he raised his hand and looked at his watch, and then continued: "It's getting late, all the commanders, go back to your respective units, maybe tomorrow there will be a fierce battle waiting for us." ”

Since the commanders had given the order to expel the passengers, the division commanders and political commissars were embarrassed to stay, and after they stood up and saluted Kolpakchi, they left the headquarters in twos and threes.

At four o'clock in the morning the next day, as soon as it was dawn, Kolpacic woke me up from a nap by the wall and took me to the observation post. Before leaving the headquarters, he told the communications staff officers to take the telephone lines to the observation post as soon as possible, where he would command the troops to fight today.

After leaving the headquarters, I looked around and found that the headquarters was halfway up a hill, and the observation post we were going to was located at the top of the mountain. Without saying a word, Kolpacic walked along the trail to the top of the mountain, and I hurriedly followed.

Reaching the top of the mountain, Kolpacchi stooped down and walked to the half-buried observation post, and after entering the door, he repeatedly ordered the staff officers who followed him to pull the telephone line as soon as possible, and then came to the observation port, raised the binoculars, and observed the situation outside.

Since the commander did not assign me any specific work, I was an idler in the command at present, and I was idle anyway, so I followed the example of Kolpakchi, and also went to the window, raised my binoculars, and observed the defense system of our army on the Koska River.

In mind, this defense system on the banks of the Koska River is still very well-developed. With anti-tank trenches dug outside the first line of defense, wooden stakes with barbed wire, and large minefields, it would have been quite difficult for the attacking German infantry, even under the cover of tanks, to rush at once. The second line of defense was equipped with anti-tank gun positions and mortar positions, which could intercept German tanks and infantry outside the first line of defense, and inflict heavy damage on the invading enemy with firepower.

Guarding this section was the 102nd Naval Infantry Brigade of Lieutenant Colonel Tarantsev. I have the impression that the combat effectiveness of the Marine Corps is far stronger than that of the Army. In old Soviet movies, there is a critical moment when the army is almost unbearable. The naval commanders and fighters who were sent in for reinforcements were always able to turn the tide. Turn the tide of battle. So at the moment. I saw the commanders and fighters of the navy walking back and forth in the trenches, and I was not at all worried that they would not be able to hold this position.

The German offensive officially began at nine o'clock in the morning. However, it is very strange that they did not bombard with artillery fire beforehand, but directly attacked our positions with fifteen tanks as the front drive, and a battalion of infantry followed in an attacking formation.

Seeing this kind of dismissal of the German army, not only I was stunned for a moment, but even Kolpacic, who was standing next to me, said in a strange tone: "What's going on? In the absence of aircraft and artillery cover. The Germans wanted to use these tanks and hundreds of infantry to capture our fortified defensive positions? ”

"Yes, Comrade Commander." When I heard him say this, I no longer had any scruples and boldly expressed my speculation: "Will this attack by the Germans be just a feint?" Do they want to break through the positions of our troops from other directions. ”

Without waiting for Korpakchi to answer, a staff officer came over and reported: "Comrade commander, the phone of Captain Semykov, he said that there is a military situation to report to you. ”

Kolpacic shook his head at me and said, "Lieutenant Colonel Oshanina." You also come over and listen to what Captain Semykov has to say. "Finished. He walked over to the table, picked up the microphone that was placed on the table, and said loudly: "Captain Semykov?" I'm Kol Parkic, what's your situation there? ”

"Report to Comrade Commander," Semykov's voice came out of the microphone, and at the same time the rumbling of artillery could be heard, "the Germans are storming the line of the 85th regiment. The commanders and fighters showed tenacity, repulsing five enemy charges in an hour. ”

"Well done, Comrade Captain!" Kolpacchi complimented him, and then asked: "Do you know the number of the German army?" ”

"Judging by the documents on the bodies of German soldiers and tank crews left on the battlefield, they belonged to the 113th Infantry Division and the 16th Tank Division of the German Army."

"What about your casualties?" Kol Pakchi asked again with concern.

"The first battalion is almost gone, and the regimental commander has just put the second battalion into position. The third battalion, as a reserve, was assembling on the hill. ”

"I get it. Comrade Lieutenant, I beg you to convey to the commander of the 85th Regiment the rational use of forces to hold the German troops back as long as possible, so that they cannot concentrate their forces on a surprise attack in one direction. ”

"Yes, Comrade Commander, I will definitely convey your words to the regimental commander." Speaking of this, Semikov paused for a moment and said with some hesitation: "I wonder when the reserve sent to us by Lu Dao will arrive?" ”

"Reserves," Kolpacic hesitated, and then said resolutely, "I will transfer two regiments from Colonel Avelin's 196th Division at once, and it is estimated that they will arrive after dark." You must hold out until dark, and you must not allow the Germans to occupy your positions. ”

"Yes, Comrade Commander." Semykov loudly expressed his determination: "We will definitely be like nails, firmly nailed to the position, and will never take a step back." ”

While talking to Semykov, the rumbling of artillery came from outside the observation post, and I hurriedly walked to the window and raised my binoculars to see what was going on.

The German tanks, which had opened the way for the infantry, opened fire on the march, and the shells exploded in front and behind our trenches, because the number of tanks was too small to cause little damage to the defenders in the trenches.

The Germans opened fire, and the artillery of our second line of defense was not to be outdone, mortars and anti-tank guns opened fire together, the shells fell in the ranks of the Germans and exploded, the flying mortar shrapnel cut down the soldiers near the explosion point, and the tanks hit by the armor-piercing shells stopped advancing and burned in place.

The Germans suffered only a few minutes of blows and immediately turned around and began to flee.

Seeing this scene, I couldn't help frowning, and said in my heart What is going on, when did the German army, known as the first army in the world, become so vulnerable, and only after a few shells, it retreated in a panic?

Just when Kolpacic and I were puzzled, another staff officer came to report: "Comrade Commander, the commander of the 229th Division, Colonel Sazhen, who is a friendly neighbor, has called and said that the Germans are attacking the 783rd Regiment stationed at the 79th State Farm in the center of the division. Due to the lack of troops, it was difficult for them to hold back the frenzied German attack, so they asked us for the necessary assistance. ”

"79th State Farm," Kolpakci found on the map, told me: "Once the Germans have captured this farm, then they will attack the nearby 155th heights, and once the heights are lost, the Germans can drive straight into the headquarters of the 64th Army in Nizhny Chilskaya." But where should we send troops to support them? It takes time for the troops to assemble, and by the time reinforcements arrive, the Germans have already taken it. ”

Seeing Kolpacic's anxious expression, a flash of inspiration suddenly flashed in my mind: when the Germans attacked the Koska River defense line yesterday, didn't he once order artillery fire to support the defenders? We can do the same today. Thinking of this, I no longer hesitated and simply said my thoughts.

When Kolpacchi heard this, he nodded again and again, and immediately ordered the staff officer: "Call the military commissar and ask him to order the cannon regiment to fire on the friendly 155 heights to stop the attacking troops of the German army." (To be continued......)