Chapter 145 The Battle of the Unnamed Highlands (Part 1)
Sokov knew very well that by seizing the German material transfer station, capturing the prisoner of war camp in Duminich, and rescuing Yakov who was imprisoned there by the Germans, he had become a thorn in the side of the Germans and must be eliminated.
Therefore, he ordered his troops to repair positions and strengthen fortifications in preparation for possible German attacks.
But in the next two days, except for the scouts who drove armored vehicles and walked around two to three hundred meters away from the position, the enemies in front of the unknown highland had no choice but to shoot machine guns at the figures shaking on the position.
There was no sign of attack at all.
In the area north of Susinich, the battle was in full swing. The 61st Group Army, which had changed its commander, seemed somewhat powerless in the face of the German offensive. In just two and a half days, they moved from the original occupied position to
The rear retreated thirty kilometers.
Their retreat completely exposed the right wing of the 16th Army to the Germans. Rokossovsky had no choice but to transfer troops from Sushinich to strengthen his right wing. Chernyshov's
The 11th Guards Division was demobilized, and there was only one guard platoon left in the city responsible for the protection of the division headquarters. Under this circumstance, Chernyshev brought up the old matter again, hoping to transfer two soldiers from the Istrian battalion.
company, so early in the morning, an emergency telegram was sent to the Istria Battalion.
When Belkin received the telegram, he said to Sokov with a grimace: "Comrade Battalion Commander, the division commander has sent another telegram, ordering us to dispatch two companies to Susinich as soon as possible to accept the command of the division headquarters."
"No." Sokov said angrily: "The division headquarters stayed in the city and did not go to the front line. One guard platoon is enough to protect their safety. Two companies of 400 people. If they are transferred, I will
The defense force will become weak. If the German army launches a fierce attack on the unknown high ground, we will not be able to defend it at all."
"But, comrade battalion commander." Seeing that Sokov wanted to disobey, Belkin quickly persuaded him: "Judging from the situation in the past two days, the German army has not shown any signs of attack. I think it is better to obey the order of the division headquarters and dispatch two troops."
The whole company should go to Susinich. Otherwise, the division commander will blame you, and neither you nor I can bear this responsibility."
Sokov sat at the table, frowning and staring at the map in front of him, wondering what the Germans were doing. Apart from daily reconnaissance, there was no sign of an attack. Could it be that the Germans looked down upon what they were holding on to?
Didn't you bother to send troops to attack this unknown highland? But if you think about it carefully, it doesn't seem like it, because the enemies deployed in the south have not withdrawn, and the muzzles of more than a dozen heavy artillery are always aimed at the unknown highland.
He raised his head and looked at Belkin and said: "Comrade Deputy Battalion Commander, don't be anxious. We will put the division headquarters' orders aside for now. We will wait patiently to see what the Germans are up to."
Seeing Sokov being so stubborn, Belkin had no choice but to sigh, put Chernyshev's telegram on the table, and said helplessly: "Okay, comrade battalion commander, let's just wait.
But after noon, no matter what, troops must be mobilized immediately to Susinich."
Sokov said to him calmly: "Deputy battalion commander, you have to trust my judgment. We have made such a big noise recently, and even caused the division commander von Giles to be dismissed. The Germans have long been against us."
He hates us so much that he wants to tear us into pieces. The reason why there has been no movement must be that the preparations have not been completed."
Time passed by, and it was almost noon. Unexpectedly, before the German army launched an attack, Chernyshev personally called. Chernyshev asked angrily on the phone: "So what?"
Major Cove, I sent you a report at six o'clock in the morning, asking you to dispatch two companies to Sushinich. But now it's almost noon, and I haven't even seen a single person. Please explain to me.
what is going on?"
"Comrade Division Commander." Sokov heard that Chernyshev was angry and quickly explained to him: "I think the unknown heights may be attacked by the German army at any time. If we mobilize troops and leave, our defense will change."
Gotta be weak..."
"Stop talking nonsense," Chernyshev raised his voice and said dissatisfied: "Don't you know that you must obey the orders of your superiors? I will give you another three hours. If at three o'clock in the afternoon, I haven't
Seeing your troops appear in Susinich, you will be relieved of your duties as battalion commander."
Belkin, who was standing aside, was frightened by Chernyshev's tone. As soon as he saw Sokov put down the phone, he couldn't wait to ask: "Comrade Battalion Commander, what should we do now? If we don't mobilize troops again,
Rush to Susinich, and you will be dismissed directly."
Although Sokov insisted on his opinion and felt that the unknown highlands would be subject to a fierce offensive by the German army, Chernyshev had already issued such a strict order. If he continued to resist, there would be no good end. Thinking of this,
He picked up the phone on the table and connected the third company on the high ground. After hearing Saviev's voice, he asked straight to the point: "Captain Saviev, how is the situation there? There is movement from the Germans."
?”
"There is no movement, comrade battalion commander." Saviev gave Sokov a positive reply: "My observation post has been closely monitoring the German positions in the distance, but there is no movement at all. I guess they still won't do it today.
Attack us."
"I understand." After Sokov finished speaking, he hung up the phone and said to Berkin who was standing aside: "According to Saviev's report, there was no movement at all on the German positions."
Hearing that there was no movement from the German army, Belkin quickly asked: "Then shall we dispatch troops to Sushinich?"
Sokov sighed and said helplessly: "Deputy battalion commander, give the order to the second company and the machine gun company to pack their bags and rush with me to Sushinich in an hour."
Seeing that Sokov finally agreed to transfer troops to Sushinich, Belkin breathed a sigh of relief. He readily agreed and picked up the phone to call Andrei from the second company and Vasily from the machine gun company.
, informed them to assemble their troops and prepare to move towards Susinich immediately.
An hour later, Sokov led the assembled second company and machine gun company on foot toward Sushinich. Vasily left the team behind, ran to the front and walked side by side with Sokov, and asked curiously: "
Comrade Battalion Commander, are the superiors seeing that there is no fighting in the nameless highlands, so they transferred us to Susinich?"
Sokov did not immediately answer his question, but asked: "Do you think the Germans will attack the unknown heights?"
"It stands to reason that we have caused such a big loss to the Germans, and they should retaliate. I have asked the soldiers in the company to prepare for reinforcements on the high ground." Vasily frowned and said with some confusion: "But
It's really strange that so many days have passed and there has been no movement from the Germans."
Sokov stopped and turned to ask Vasily: "Why, do you also think there is a problem with the Germans?"
"Yes, that's what I thought." Vasily also stopped and said to Sokov: "I suspect this is a conspiracy by the Germans. They want to wait until our army is paralyzed before launching a sudden attack."
Sokov heard that Vasily's thoughts coincided with his own, and he was even more convinced that the German army's delay in attacking was just an illusion, just to confuse him so that he could be caught off guard at a certain period of time. Thinking of this, he
He raised his right hand high and shouted loudly: "The troops stop advancing!"
"The troops stop advancing!"...
His order was immediately and faithfully conveyed, and the advancing troops stopped.
Andrei, who was walking at the end of the queue, saw that the troops had stopped. He quickly jogged to the front of the queue and asked Sokov breathlessly: "Comrade Battalion Commander, why did the troops stop?"