"Comrade Colonel," Sokov said to Merkulov: "Immediately ask the artillery to move the artillery forward. Once the enemy's fire points are discovered, destroy them immediately."
Sokov directly assigned the artillery regiment that coordinated the operation to the 67th Guards Division. Therefore, he only needed to give orders to Merkulov.
"Yes, Comrade Commander." Merkulov agreed, then walked to the dedicated telephone line and called the artillery regiment, ordering them to move the artillery forward immediately to cover the infantry attack at close range.
Just as the commanders and fighters who broke into the train station hall were retreating in disgrace, a phone in the observation post rang. Division political commissar Sheyko picked up the phone and listened for a moment, then handed the phone to Sokov and spoke.
Said: "Comrade Commander, is this your number?"
"My phone number?" Sokov thought it was Sidorin's call from Mamayev Kurgan, so he asked casually: "Is it the call from the cluster headquarters at Mamayev Kurgan?"
"No." Sheiko shook his head and said, "It was a call from General Batov, the commander of the 65th Group Army."
"General Batov's phone number?" Sokov couldn't help but be startled when he heard Batov's name. He thought to himself: How could the other party suddenly call him at such a time? After he answered the phone, he immediately spoke respectfully.
He said in a low tone: "Hello, General Batov, I am Sokov. What instructions do you have?"
"Instructions, what instructions can I have?" Batov said angrily on the phone: "I am the commander of the group army, and you are now the commander of the combat group. We are at the same level. How dare I give you any instructions?"
ah."
"General Batov," Sokov heard a hint of anger in Batov's tone, and he didn't know where he had offended him, so he asked cautiously: "You seem a little unhappy, is that right?
Did I accidentally offend you somewhere? If so, please tell me and I will definitely apologize to you."
"There's no need to apologize." Bartov said angrily: "I just want to find out what kind of enchanting soup you poured into General Rokossovsky to allow him to withdraw so many people from my army group.
Troops, go and give them your command?"
"General Batov, I haven't had many interactions with General Rokossovsky, so how could I possibly feed him ecstasy?" Sokov knew in his heart at this moment that the other party must have felt that he had given him too many troops.
I felt a pain in my body, so I would complain to myself. If in normal times, I might chat with him for a while, but now I am commanding the battle, how can I waste precious military communication lines? It is for this reason
After thinking about it, he quickly said into the microphone: "I'm sorry, I'm directing the battle. If you have anything else, let's talk about it after the battle is over, okay?"
"What, are you attacking the enemy?" Batov heard what Sokov said and immediately asked in surprise: "Colonel Sokov, can you tell me what area you are attacking?"
"Central Railway Station." Sokov quickly replied: "Colonel Merkulov's 67th Guards Division is currently attacking the Central Railway Station, which is occupied by the enemy."
"Thank God, you finally started to attack." Bartov's tone suddenly softened a lot: "How is the situation? Have they entered?"
"We just rushed into the ticketing hall, but were attacked by mines and bombs prepared by the enemy. The troops suffered certain casualties. However, I have ordered them to withdraw temporarily and wait until they regroup before attacking the enemy."
From the change in Batov's tone, Sokov vaguely guessed that the reason for the inexplicable call must be related to the combat group he commanded. After all, one-third of the troops from the 65th Group Army were transferred, but they remained stationary.
It's strange that Bartov isn't angry.
"Don't worry, General Batov." After understanding the opponent's thoughts, Sokov comforted the opponent and said: "Your divisions will return to their original positions intact after Paulus is eliminated."
Hearing that Sokov guessed what he was thinking, Batov laughed embarrassedly, and then said: "Colonel Sokov, you misunderstood. I am calling you just to ask you about the situation there.
How about it? Do you need our cooperation?"
"Comrade General," Sokov has basically transferred all the troops to the direction of the central area. Now the defense force in the Mamayev Heights area has become extremely weak. If the enemies in the factory area know this situation,
As long as even one regiment is sent out to carry out an assault, Mamayev Heights may be captured. Sokov often worries about this matter. When he heard Batov say this, he felt like he wanted to sleep and someone handed him a pillow, so he quickly followed the trend.
Said: "I really have something to trouble you with."
"What's the matter?" Bartov said generously: "As long as it is within my ability, I will definitely agree to it."
"Comrade General, to tell you the truth, I have basically transferred all my troops to the central area. As a result, the defense of Mamayev Heights has become extremely weak. As long as the enemy launches a regiment-scale attack, there will be
There is a possibility of losing it.”
"Colonel Sokov," Batov heard this and chided him: "You are so reckless. As a group commander commanding tens of thousands of troops, you would make such a low-level mistake. If you really lose your
Once you reach Mamayev Kurgan, just wait until you go to court-martial."
"Yes, yes, Comrade General, you criticize a lot." When Sokov and Batov were talking, he deliberately lowered his body to gain the other's favor. "This is not the first time that I have held such an important position.
, I have no experience. I still need a commander with rich experience like you to give me more guidance."
Sokov's flattery was very useful to Batov. He chuckled and asked: "You guys, when you say this to me, do you want me to send troops to strengthen the direction of Mamayev Hill?"
Defense?"
"General Batov, what did I just say?" Sokov heard that the other party was willing to send troops, so he struck while the iron was hot and said: "An experienced commander like you can see clearly and know that I want to ask you for help. I
I would like to ask, how many troops can you send to take over the defense of Mamayev Heights?"
"I plan to send the 24th Infantry Division over there." Batov said on the phone: "I have transferred so many troops to you, and the troops I have now are tight. If too many troops are sent to you, I am afraid it will
It affects our next actions.”
Sokov originally thought that the other party would send him at most one regiment, but he did not expect that it would be a division, and it was also a division with extremely strong combat effectiveness. He quickly turned to the microphone and expressed his gratitude to Batov: "Thank you, Comrade General, I
On behalf of all the commanders and fighters of the entire cluster, thank you."
"Okay, okay, go and command the battle." Batov said angrily: "I will immediately arrange for the troops to rush to Mamayev Heights to strengthen your defenses."
After Sokov put down the phone, he leaned close to Ivanov's ear and whispered: "Comrade Deputy Division Commander, I have some good news for you. General Batov agreed to send another division to strengthen Mamayev."
This way, we don’t have to worry about our rear being attacked by the enemy.”
"This is really good news." When Ivanov heard the news, his face also showed joy: "I called the chief of staff and asked him to send someone to prepare for the response."
While Ivanov went to call Sidorin, Sokov asked Merkulov who was standing next to him: "Comrade Colonel, how is the situation? Has the artillery gone up, and has the infantry withdrawn?"
"The infantry has all withdrawn from the ticket hall." Merkulov pointed to the distance and reported to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, you see, our artillery has retreated the cannon to a distance of only three hundred meters from the ticket hall.
position and established new shooting positions in the ruins. As soon as the enemy's firepower point is exposed, they can immediately destroy the opponent with artillery."
"Comrade Colonel," Sokov looked at the artillery position and then at the location of the ticket hall of the station. He found that if the enemy was really hiding in the ruins, it would still be difficult for the cannon to destroy them. Thinking of this, he
He quickly asked: "Do you have any new rockets in your division?"
"Yes." Merkulov nodded and replied: "Twenty bombs were distributed to our division yesterday, and three launchers were also sent."
Seeing Merkulov's unwillingness, Sokov smiled and asked: "What, Comrade Colonel, aren't you interested in this new type of rocket?"
"Comrade Commander, I don't think it's of any use."
"It's of no use." After listening to Merkulov's comments, Sokov smiled faintly, and then ordered: "Immediately order the rocket launcher to launch a group of rockets towards the ticket hall."
Although Merkulov was not optimistic about this kind of rocket, since Sokov had given the order, even if he had any objections in his heart, he could only carry it out unconditionally. He picked up the phone and called the regiment command post at the front
, said to the regiment leader: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, let me tell you that the three rocket launchers in the regiment were ordered by the division commander to fire a group of rockets into the ruins."
A few minutes later, Sokov saw a few clouds of white smoke rising from the ruins where the Soviet troops were, and then several rockets with long flame tails flew towards the ticket office. The rockets fell.
There was an explosion in the ruins. First, there were a few dazzling fires, and then the explosion in the ruins was loud. The rubble on the ground was lifted into the air by the explosion air wave, and then slammed down like hail. Even if it was far away
In the observation post, Sokov seemed to be able to hear the sound of gravel falling to the ground in the distance.
Merkulov was stunned. He didn't expect that a few rockets could actually make such a big noise. He knew very well that after the explosion, there was basically nothing to be found in the vast ticket hall.
A living person.
Merkulov's reaction was already within Sokov's expectation. He patted the opponent on the shoulder and said: "Comrade Colonel, the reason why the new rocket can make such a big noise is of course related to its own characteristics.
Power is related. But more importantly, the enemy planted a large number of mines and explosives in the ticket hall. They were all detonated in the explosion of rockets, which is why there was such a big movement. Call the troops in front immediately and let them know.
They're ready to strike."
"Okay, okay." Merkulov said as if he had woken up from his dream: "I will go and give the order right away."
The explosion in the ruins lasted for five or six minutes before gradually stopping. Although the ruins were still shrouded in gunpowder smoke, the commanders and fighters hidden several hundred meters away all left their hiding places at the whistle of their respective commanders.
They did not charge forward with their guns straightened up, but used the piles of bricks, rubble and bomb craters in the square and roads as cover to approach the ticket hall in short leaps.
The enemies hidden in the ticket hall may have been killed or shocked to death by the detonating mines and bombs, as Sokov had guessed. So much so that when the Soviet commanders and soldiers rushed into the smoke, nothing was heard in the hall.
Gunshots. But as more and more Soviet commanders and fighters poured into the ruins like a tide, sporadic gunshots finally came from inside. This was the commanders and fighters firing after the enemies who were not dead yet.
"Comrade Commander," seeing his troops rush into the ticket hall without any danger this time, Merkulov breathed a sigh of relief and said to Sokov excitedly: "You have seen it, right?
This time the soldiers rushed into the ticket hall, but there was no movement inside. It seems that the defenders are almost dead."
"Comrade Colonel, even if we successfully capture the ticket hall, we cannot take it lightly." Sokov was worried that the other party would underestimate the enemy, so he reminded him specifically: "The enemy may use the platform, warehouses and abandoned carriages for fortifications to continue to resist our attack.
Attack. Now, you order the artillery to push all the artillery into the station."
After Merkulov witnessed the power of the new rockets with his own eyes, something suddenly popped into his mind. He felt that the young commander of the cluster must have more tricks to help him seize this target that both sides had repeatedly fought against.
He quickly replied: "Okay, I'll do it right away."
The commanders and soldiers who occupied the ticket hall rushed to the platform and started a new battle with the enemies who stood there. The Germans probably did not expect that the Soviet army could attack the platform so quickly, so that the soldiers could rely on
They were all simple sandbag fortifications. They hid behind the sandbags and used machine guns, submachine guns, rifles and even pistols to shoot at the rushing Soviet soldiers. Although they also caused some casualties to the Soviet troops, these simple fortifications,
Soon it will be blown up with grenades by brave warriors.
The officers and soldiers with high morale bravely launched attacks again and again against the German army. The enemy had to abandon one platform after another and retreat towards the center of the station farther away.
When the offensive force approached a group of firepower points consisting of carriages, intensive crossfire blocked the way of the commanders and fighters. There were many brave soldiers who wanted to copy the tactics just now. After approaching the enemy's firepower point, they used grenades to destroy the opponent. However,
When they finally get within bombing distance at great cost, they are often shot down by machine guns in the carriage or snipers under the car as soon as they get up.
For a time, the Guards Division's attack came to a standstill.
This chapter has been completed!