As night falls, the moon rises in the east.

I sat in the command post with Bandeleev and Serebryane, gathered around the map on the table, studying the possible retaliatory measures of the enemy after being ambushed by us.

Bandeleyev is the most experienced of the three of us. He said solemnly: "Comrade division commander, once we have successfully ambushed the enemy, we will immediately move our tanks and armored vehicles to the back of the high ground and hide them, so as not to be blown up by German aircraft. ”

I think it makes perfect sense for Bandeleyev's suggestion, that on the unobstructed meadow in front of the high ground, if the armored units that have completed the task remain there, it is easy to become a live target for German aircraft, so I agreed almost without thinking, "I agree with the deputy division commander that as soon as the battle is over, let our armored troops go around behind the high ground under the cover of night." Comrade Captain, do you have a bunker here that can accommodate the tank? In the last sentence, I asked Sherebryane, who was sitting next to me.

He listened to my question, shook his head with a wry smile and replied: "I'm sorry, comrade division commander, since the commanders and fighters have been busy reinforcing the fortifications on the high ground since they entered the position, they simply can't spare manpower to dig bunkers that can hide tanks or armored vehicles. ”

When I learned that there was no bunker on the high ground that could conceal heavy technical equipment, I also sighed and said in disappointment: "Since there is no bunker, I can only disperse these technical equipment to the grass behind the high ground and try to camouflage it as well as possible." In the ensuing battle, if we don't have heavy weapons, we face the enemy's frantic attack. We will pay a terrible price. When the time comes. How many of us here can return to Mamayev Heights. Also an unknown. ”

While we were talking, Corporal Zhukhovetsky ran in from outside, panting, handed me a telegram and said: "Comrade division commander, this is a telegram sent by Lieutenant Colonel Koska. Seeing that I received the telegram, I stared at him suspiciously, and hurriedly added, "According to the soldier who delivered the letter, Lieutenant Colonel Kosgaard is currently in the temporary division headquarters. So our operator was with him. ”

Corporal Zhukhovetsky's explanation made me understand why important telegrams were sent by Kosgaard. I looked down at the text on the telegram and frowned.

Seeing the change in the expression on my face, Bantai Laiev hurriedly asked with concern: "Comrade division commander, who sent the telegram and what happened?" ”

I handed him the telegram in my hand, and at the same time said in a heavy tone: "It is a telegram from Comrade Kirillov, the political commissar, who said that the German army sent planes to bomb the Mamayev post indiscriminately in the afternoon, especially on the southern high ground where the division headquarters is located. It was the focus of the bombing of enemy aircraft, hiding a cave with several howitzers. Hit by a falling bomb, in the explosion, the artillery was completely destroyed, and the artillery also suffered heavy casualties. ”

Bantai Leev obviously looked at the problem from a different angle than I did, and after reading it, he put the telegram on the table and said excitedly: "Comrade division commander, this is really good, the command of the army group has praised and praised us for taking the enemy by surprise and successfully recapturing the empty pyongyi. Seeing that I still had a sad expression, he comforted me and said: "If a few cannons are lost, they will be lost, anyway, the cannons without shells are a pile of scrap metal on the position." It was blown up by the enemy today, then we will capture it tomorrow. And when we liberated the city, didn't we capture a couple of cannons? Finding a way to pull these guns back can also strengthen the defensive firepower of Mamayev Height. ”

Before I could speak, there was a shouting of a report at the door, and we collectively turned our heads to see a soldier of the 2nd Battalion standing at the door, and I and Bandeleyev stood still and did not move, while Serebryanny hurried to meet him.

After a few words with the fighter, Serebryanny sent him away, and then answered our side, reporting to us: "Comrade division commander, the fighter who went to contact the commander of the regiment Shederykov has returned. He reported that our troops were stealthily ready and ready for battle, and as soon as the enemy appeared, they could make a decisive sortie to destroy the enemy. ”

"It's late at night, it must be cold outside." Bandeleyev asked worriedly: "It's almost November, maybe it will snow in the next two days." The soldiers lay on the steppe all night, and they won't get frostbite, right? ”

"Comrade Deputy Division Commander, please rest assured, it will be fine." Sherebryan said: "I saw that the regiment commander had prepared for the cold before setting off, and asked each soldier to bring an extra German military coat, saying that when concealing, it could be used as a cushion under the body, or it could be covered as a quilt. ”

Sherebryanne's words made Bandeleyev feel a little reassured, and he nodded and said: "Lieutenant Colonel Sederyan is also a commander with a lot of experience, I believe he will not make such a low-level mistake and let hundreds of commanders and fighters freeze all night in the cold suburbs. ”

At about ten o'clock in the evening, fighters from outside ran in and reported to Serebryanne: "Comrade battalion commander, lights have appeared on the road in the distance, it should be the arrival of the German troops." ”

"The Germans have finally arrived." When he heard the news, a smile appeared on Bandeleyev's face, he shook his head at me, and asked in an inquiring tone: "Comrade division commander, shall we go to the observation post?" ”

I nodded in agreement, and then instructed Sherebryane: "Comrade Captain, order the commanders and fighters in the positions to be ready for battle, and if any defeated Germans rush to our heights, use the weapons in your hands to teach them a hard lesson." ”

"Understood." Serebryanny replied with a normal face: "I will immediately convey your order. ”

Bandeleyev and I went to the observation post, stood in front of the lookout, raised our binoculars, and looked into the distance.

Due to the good moonlight tonight, our field of vision was very open, and even if we did not deliberately look at the tank lights that appeared in the distance, we could see the general march of the German army. Hundreds of infantry marched in two columns on either side of the road, and in the middle of the road were German tanks and armored vehicles.

After observing for a while, Bandeleyev whispered to me: "Comrade division commander, the enemy has about one battalion of infantry, plus seven tanks and an equal number of armored vehicles. Their armor is roughly equal to ours, and if we were to fight, we would have a high chance of winning. ”

I only snorted lightly at his analysis, in agreement, and if I could not succeed in striking the Germans in the vicinity of the Germans, given the same number of men and equipment, then I would have arranged this ambush mission in vain.

The German troops did not seem to expect to be attacked by us near the high ground, so they still put up the usual marching columns and slowly approached our ambush circle.

Seeing that the German tanks and troops were only two or three hundred meters away from that small dirt slope, Bandeleyev couldn't help but say impatiently: "What did this Sedelikov do, the enemy is almost out of our ambush circle, why hasn't he fired yet?" ”

Although I was as anxious as Bandeleyev, at this moment I could only pretend to be calm and say: "Comrade Deputy Division Commander, don't worry, Lieutenant Colonel Sederikov is a very experienced commander, and he knows when to attack, so let's wait patiently, maybe it will start in a while!" As soon as I finished speaking, a flash of fire erupted from the body of a tank in my field of vision, and then an explosion was heard into the observation post.

"Comrade Division Commander, you are really too godly!" Seeing that the battle was starting outside, Bandeleyev immediately shouted at me excitedly: "You said that Lieutenant Colonel Shedelikov and they were going to open fire, and they really opened fire." ”

"Comrade Deputy Division Commander," I saw that Shederikov had begun to attack, and my mood became more and more better, and I said proudly to Pandeleyev: "Let's take a good look at Lieutenant Colonel Shederikov's cousin here, and see how he wiped out all the Germans." ”

Shells flew out of the grass and landed either on the enemy's tanks and armored vehicles, or on the enemy's marching columns. The flames from the explosion lit up the nearby sky and illuminated the panicked faces of the Germans, who were blinded by the sudden blow and scurried around like headless flies.

Sederikov was quite accurate in his timing, and when he saw that the enemy was in disarray, he immediately commanded his troops to charge. The fighters jumped from the ground and rushed towards the road with the armored vehicles, while the tanks stopped and continued to fire, providing the attacking troops with the necessary artillery cover.

The Germans, who were in confusion on the road, saw our commanders and fighters rushing towards them under the cover of armored vehicles, and they all ran in a chaotic manner along the road in the direction of the high ground. Seeing this scene, my heart couldn't help but rise again, if these hundreds of enemies all rushed towards the small dirt slope, would the three regiments of soldiers who were sticking to it be able to stop it?

When the German rout was still one or two hundred meters away from the small dirt slope, the hidden fighters on the hillside began to fire. Dense bullets rained down into the German columns, punching gaps in the crowded crowd. The soldiers in front were knocked down, and the soldiers who fled for their lives continued to pour in, and after a moment's pause, these gaps made by bullets were filled.

Bandeleyev was also nervous at this moment, and he said anxiously: "Comrade division commander, we only had one company on the dirt slope at that time, and it was the weakest recruit of the third regiment, isn't it a little too light, if the Germans continue to rush forward regardless of life or death, maybe they will rush up the hill and wipe out our inferior troops?" ”

I was thinking about what to answer Bandeleyev when I was in the lens of the telescope when I suddenly saw a black knick-knack flying up the dirt slope, and I could faintly see Mars floating on it.

"It's a grenade!" The thought immediately crossed my mind. (To be continued......)