Morozov's artillery battalion swaggered several captured Type 41 150mm rocket launchers on an open field, with the muzzles pointed directly in the direction of the railway station. At the same time, the fighters of the battalion are pulling the remaining few heavy howitzers into the newly established artillery positions one after another.

Vitkov looked at the artillery in the distance and asked me curiously: "Comrade commander, what kind of cannon is that kind of multi-barrel artillery, I have never seen it before?" ”

"It was a Type 41 150mm rocket launcher captured from the Germans," I knew what he was asking, so I introduced to him without looking back: "This is a standard rocket launcher equipped with German artillery, six launch tubes arranged in a hexagonal shape, assembled together, mounted on a towable trolley, and easy to transfer." The ignition method is wired ignition, and the ignition cable is generally 10 meters to ensure that the rear flame does not harm the operating soldiers. The interval between firing is 2 seconds, and it takes 90 seconds to load 6 rockets. ”

"How powerful is it compared to our rocket launchers?" Vitkov asked questions like a curious baby.

I shrugged my shoulders and said in an uncertain tone, "It shouldn't be as good as our rocket launchers, but it's more than enough to suppress the Germans in the train station." ”

As he spoke, all the artillery pieces were in position. I saw a few fighters light the ignition behind the rocket launcher and then ran to a safe place and hid. After a while, the rockets flew out of the shells in turn □ in the direction of the railway station.

The shells pierced the fortified station building with unerring accuracy, causing an earth-shattering explosion. Through my binoculars, I could see that the building was in flames, and many soldiers were shattered by shells. The soldiers who survived the fire ran wildly. Some of the soldiers covered in fire jumped through the gaps in the walls that had been shattered by artillery fire. Rolling on the ground, trying to extinguish the flames that ignited the clothes.

As soon as the firing of the rocket artillery ended, the howitzers began to fire. After the powerful cannonballs landed and exploded, the German improvised defensive positions in front of the railway station buildings were blown to pieces, and the rubble piles that could hide people were stirred up by the impact of the blast of the shells, and the bricks and stones were scattered in all directions, and then scattered from the sky. smashed the German soldiers hiding behind to the point of crying wolf. And the anti-tank guns, which had just been exposed, were also beaten beyond recognition by shelling.

While the shelling of the artillery battalions continued, the offensive of the second echelon was in full swing. At the front, five tanks of the Persjian tank battalion, followed by a dozen or so armored vehicles, drove quickly in the direction of the gate of the railway station. After the armored vehicle drove more than 100 meters, the group of infantry formed a straggler formation and marched forward in great strides.

Seeing such an offensive combination, Vitkov couldn't help but ask in surprise: "Comrade commander, the 150th Division's fighting style is really special." I've never seen any other unit attack like this. ”

I put down my binoculars and said to him with a smile: "Comrade Chief of Staff." This is a set of tactics that I have figured out, covering with artillery fire and armoured assault, so that a powerful assault force can be formed and can break through the German fortifications in the shortest possible time. ”

"Artillery cover plus armored assault?!" After repeating what I had said, Vitkov nodded thoughtfully: "This tactic is quite novel, and if possible, it should be promoted throughout the army." ”

As far as we could speak, the tanks of the tank battalion had bypassed the fountains in the square and approached the improvised defensive positions of the Germans. In order to prevent accidental injury, Morozov's artillery battalion stopped firing. The armored vehicles that had been following behind accelerated past the tanks, apparently trying to stop in front of the station building so that the commanders and fighters on the vehicles could get out of the car and assault.

"Boom", without waiting for the armored car to stop, an anti-tank shell that flew out of something hit one of the armored vehicles. In the violent explosion, several soldiers covered in fire struggled to escape from the car, stumbled a few steps, and then fell to the ground.

Before the armored car behind could stop, the commanders and fighters jumped out of the open door and rushed towards the train station with their weapons in hand. Several German soldiers had just rushed out of the building with their guns in hand, and before they could open fire, they were splashed with blood by the weapons in the hands of the soldiers. As soon as the Germans at the door were killed, our soldiers rushed in without looking back.

Tanks and armored vehicles of our army lined up in front of the station building, suppressing the points of fire that had been revived by the cessation of shelling with tank guns and vehicle-mounted machine guns. The infantry who followed after arrived one after another, and when they saw that the infantry in front had successfully stormed the station building, their morale was greatly boosted, and they shouted and rushed into the building in groups over the tanks and armored vehicles parked in the square and firing.

The battle at the station lasted for about half an hour, and Vitkov, who was beside me, suddenly pointed to the southeast of the station and shouted: "Look, comrade commander, the German garrison at the station has been routed by us. ”

Defeated, hearing the word, I couldn't help frowning slightly, turning the lens of the telescope in the direction that Vitkov was pointing. I saw hundreds of enemies who had escaped from the station, retreating in an orderly southeasterly direction. Although they were in the process of retreating, the troops did not appear to be chaotic at all, and hundreds of soldiers retreated in several groups. The front team first occupied a favorable position and established a defense to cover the retreat of the troops behind; After the rear team crossed the position of the front team, they also found a place to establish a defense to cover the front team's withdrawal.

Seeing the retreat of the German troops in an orderly alternate cover, I couldn't help but say to Vitkov with emotion: "Comrade Chief of Staff, this German commander who is responsible for defending the station, it seems that it is not simple. ”

Hearing me say this, Vitkov did not speak, but looked at me blankly, he clearly did not understand why I said this inexplicably.

Seeing this expression on his face, I had to explain to him: "The absolute majority of commanders think that retreat is a simpler thing than attacking, but this is not the case. You must know that the retreat will always be in an extremely disadvantageous situation, because retreat will make the soldier emotionally depressed, and if it is not mastered well, an orderly retreat will turn into a rout. "When I said this. I can't help but think of when I went to the Western Front with Zhukov. For the first time, I saw the scene where Marshal Voroshilov was being reprimanded by Konev. At that time, Konev defended himself by saying: "Retreat is the most complex form of combat, and it requires a high fighting element. "At the moment I kind of agree with him. After a brief pause, I continued, "From a military point of view, retreat is the most complex maneuver. The commander must be good at grasping the situation and withdrawing troops from under the nose of the enemy with minimal losses, in order to preserve and subsequently accumulate forces for the delivery of new assaults. And this qiē is in the hands of the enemy, and it is difficult to determine in which direction the enemy is ready to carry out the next assault. It is intended to be carried out under the conditions where the trap is set for you. ”

Vitkov did not say anything about my remarks, but kept nodding his head. Perhaps getting along with me today has made him understand that the fighting style of the Independent Division is very different from that of other units, and that there is still a long run-in period for him to get acquainted with this unit.

Seeing a red flag flying over the station building, I knew that the station had been taken by us. At the same time, I thought of the military flag of the independent division, which had never been used, and said in my heart that now that the number has changed, should the military flag also be replaced?

I'm thinking cranky. The operator called me from the side: "Report to Comrade Commander, the commander of the 150th Division, Colonel Pandereev, wants to speak to you!" ”

I took the headphones and put them on. Shouted at the microphone: "Hey, Colonel Bandereev?" I'm Oshanina, and I've seen the whole process of your seizure of the train station. However, the soldiers of the 1st and 4th regiments fought bravely and tenaciously, and Perstian's tank battalion and Morozov's artillery battalion were both good, and if it were not for the successful use of infantry and artillery tactics, it is estimated that it would not have been possible to capture the railway station occupied by the Germans in such a short time. ”

"Comrade Commander," asked Bandereev respectfully, "do you have any instructions for the next?" ”

Hearing this question from Bandereev, I organized the vocabulary in my head, and then instructed him: "Comrade Colonel, hurry up and repair the fortifications of the railway station, and turn this place into an impregnable fortress in the shortest possible time, and the Germans must not take the railway station from our hands again." ”

"Understood."

"Also, I am very disappointed by the performance of the Third Regiment today, so I must do my best to transfer commanders with rich combat experience from the First Regiment and the Fourth Regiment to the Third Regiment to enrich their command force." Speaking of this, I couldn't help but raise my voice: "If I find that the combat effectiveness of the three regiments is so unsatisfactory in the next battle, then I will revoke the formation of the regiment." ”

"Yes!" Bandereev was obviously frightened by my words, and hurriedly replied: "Please rest assured, Comrade Commander, I will do my best to recruit commanders with rich combat experience from the 1st and 4th regiments to enrich the 3rd regiment." ”

After the end of the call with Pantai Leev, I took the initiative to call Chuikov again and reported to him the good news that our troops had managed to recapture the station. Immediately after hearing Chuikov's voice, I said loudly: "Report to Comrade Commander, after fierce battles, the 150th Division managed to take the railway station from the hands of the enemy. ”

"Great, that's great." When Chuikov learned the news of the recapture of the railway station, he was extremely excited, and he said in a loud voice: "Comrade Oshanina, you have done a really good job. Now that the railway station has been recaptured, it must be well defended and must not be allowed to be taken by the Germans again. ”

"Please rest assured, Comrade Commander, I assure you that as long as there is one soldier left alive in the 150th Division, the Germans will never be allowed to take away the railway station." Speaking of this, I suddenly remembered an important matter, and hurriedly reported to him: "Comrade commander, I have also discovered a strange phenomenon. ”

"What strange phenomenon?" Chuikov asked curiously.

"The enemy's ammunition seems to be running low." I said cautiously: "According to the interrogation of the prisoners, they have all received an order to shoot only if they are attacked. ”

"Well, the situation you mentioned has also been reported by other troops." Chuikov said in a mocking tone: "Paulus's troops are surrounded by us, and if they want to get supplies, they can only rely on airdrops. Now that many of their drop points are in our hands, they do not have enough supplies, and it is normal for them to run out of ammunition, medicine, and even food. ”

"Comrade Commander, what are we going to do next?" Seeing that Chuikov also knew the current situation of the German army very well, I was afraid that he would have any new ideas, so I deliberately asked: "Do you continue to attack the streets where the German army is entrenched, or do you consolidate the existing positions and trap the German army in the city?" ”

Chuikov was silent for a moment, and then replied: "Although the Germans are short of ammunition and supplies, compared with us, they still have a huge advantage in terms of troops and equipment, so my opinion is to consolidate the existing positions, and at the same time supplement them with small-scale attacks, little by little, to encroach on the areas occupied by the Germans." Speaking of this, he suddenly remembered another important thing, and quickly reminded me, "By the way, I almost forgot about it." Half an hour ago, your military commissar, Comrade Vasilyev, called me and said that Colonel Vachuk's 284th Division, which was attacking the enemy's defensive positions, could go to the front if you had time. ”

Hearing that Colonel Vachuk had led his troops to launch an attack without my permission, I immediately panicked and hurriedly promised Chuikov: "Okay, Comrade Commander, I'll go to the front to see how the offensive progresses." ”

After the call, I instructed Vitkov: "Comrade Chief of Staff, you stay here and wait for the 150th Regiment to clean up today's results, and I will immediately rush to the 284th Division." Speaking of this, I couldn't help but add angrily, "This Colonel Wachuk, without even saying hello to me, actually led his troops to attack the German positions in front of him without authorization." ”

When I arrived at Vachuk's command post, his troops launched a second offensive. More than 100 commanders and fighters shouted "Ula" and rushed towards a lonely building more than 200 meters away. Behind them, several mortars providing artillery support stopped after a few rounds.

Seeing the snow in front of the building, littered with the lodging corpses of our soldiers, I couldn't help but anxiously ask Vachuk: "Comrade Colonel, why don't the mortars fire?" Without artillery support, these attacking fighters would have been defeated by the Germans as targets in the snow. ”

Vachuk shrugged his shoulders, spread his hands out, and said helplessly: "Comrade commander, do you think that I don't care for the lives of my soldiers? But there is no way, the artillery of our division was almost lost some time ago, there are only a few mortars left, and the shells are also gone, and this is all I can do for the infantry. (To be continued......)

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