The driver and the furnace driver knew that the frontline situation was critical. After hearing the battalion commander's order, they immediately began to hurry up and add water and coal, but it still took nearly an hour to complete the work. Seeing that the ammunition of the armored train had been replenished and the water and coal had been added, the battalion commander issued another order to set off.
When the armored train passed behind the positions of the 102nd and 100th Regiments, the commanders and soldiers on the positions stood up from the trenches and cheered and waved to the passing armored trains.
The battalion commander in the car passed the lookout hole and saw the reactions of the commanders and soldiers outside, he couldn't help but say proudly: "It seems that we are quite popular with the soldiers."
The captain standing beside him waited for him to finish his words, and quickly laughed and said, "Comrade Battalion Commander, isn't that right? If they hadn't received our support, they would still be fighting hard with the Germans."
The battalion commander listened to the cheers from outside the car and the rumbling cannons in the distance, and said to the captain: "Captain, there is a regiment defense zone ahead, which is being attacked by the German army. When we smash their attack, the train can go back and rest."
Perhaps because he repelled the attacks of two German troops in a row, the captain became particularly confident: "Comrade Battalion Commander, if the enemy had the same combat power as today, I believe that no matter how many they came, we could repel their attacks."
The battalion commander grinned: "No, as long as our armored train is there, the Germans can't cross the railway line." He said this, he paused for a moment, and then continued, "It is said that the Nangang of Mamayevgang occupied by the Germans a few days ago was because our armored trains did not go out, otherwise the Germans would not even be able to get close to the railway line."
Although Cuikov and others did not make a big publicity about the victory that Sokov troops achieved a few days ago, the well-informed people still heard some news. The captain said carefully: "Comrade Battalion Commander, I heard that the reason why the Nangang position was lost was not that our army could not defend it, but that it was a trap they set for the Germans."
After hearing the captain's words, the battalion commander couldn't help but sneer and said, "Comrade Captain, you are so naive. You actually believe this statement? Don't you know that once the Mamayev Hill is lost, it is equivalent to letting the Germans occupy the commanding heights of the city. They can use artillery fire to bombard the city, block the docks, and cut off the connection between the defenders in the city and the other side. If you were the supreme commander, would you agree with this risky plan?"
After he finished speaking, he saw the captain frowning and fell into deep thought, and continued, "Look, I guess he was the commander who was standing by Mamayev's post. In order to shirk responsibility and reduce the punishment he might be subject to, he deliberately made up lies..."
Before the battalion commander could finish his words, a scream of shells slashing through the air suddenly came from the air, and then two violent explosions were heard. The battalion commander judged from the explosion that the other party was using a large-caliber artillery, and was immediately frightened and aroused layers of goose bumps, and his forehead and neck were covered with white hair sweat. The reason why he was so scared was because the two guns were just on the bullet point, which was very close to the train, and the shells knocked the train's armor jingled.
"Comrade Battalion Commander," not only the battalion commander was frightened by the sound of cannons, but even the captain was frightened. Based on his extensive professional knowledge, he heard that the German 150mm K39 howitzer was bombarded. He knew that the power of such large-caliber artillery was. Not to mention anything else, if the two shells just now landed in the place where the troops gathered, there would be almost no living people within a radius of fifty meters. Although he was staying in an armored train, if he was caught with two cannons, he might have life worries. He hurriedly asked the battalion commander for instructions: "The enemy is bombarding us with heavy cannons. What should we do next?"
The battalion commander asked in a panic: "Where have we been?"
The captain quickly glanced out from the lookout hole, and then said, "Comrade Battalion Commander, we should have reached the area where the 102nd Regiment is fighting. I saw the enemy's tanks and infantry rushing towards their positions."
"Find a place to stop and use artillery fire and machine gun fire to eliminate the attacking enemy." The battalion commander grabbed the captain's hand and told him: "Comrade Captain, remember, you must use the fastest speed to repel the German attack. Otherwise, we will become the targets of German artillery attack, do you understand?"
"I understand!" The captain agreed, and then began to issue orders to the gunner and machine gun shooter: "The artillery and machine gunner will choose their respective targets and be prepared to open fire."
After the gunner and machine gunner were ready, the captain asked the battalion commander again: "Comrade Battalion Commander, the shooting preparations have been completed. Are we stopping now?"
"Stop, why should I stop? Stop and be a target for the Germans?" The battalion commander glared at the captain and said dissatisfiedly: "The train continues to move forward, we are going to shoot at the enemy while we are moving."
"Comrade Battalion Commander, shooting while marching, the accuracy of the shooting cannot be guaranteed." The captain said with some embarrassment at the battalion commander's order: "Maybe we have wasted a large number of shells and bullets, but we have not hit any valuable targets at all."
"Captain," the battalion commander said in a fury as he saw that the captain did not understand his intentions, "Didn't you see the Germans bombard us with heavy artillery? If we stop, it will be the target of the Germans' shooting, so we can only shoot while we are marching to avoid the German artillery fire, do you understand?"
"I understand, Comrade Battalion Commander." Regarding the battalion commander's stubborn opinion, the captain had no choice but to obey: "The shooting preparations have been completed. Can you open the fire now?"
"Let's fire!"
After receiving the permission of the battalion commander, the captain raised his hand high above his head, then waved it down suddenly, and shouted loudly: "Fire!"
The artillery and machine guns on the train fired at the same time. Although the train was moving, it affected the shooting accuracy, German soldiers were still constantly blown away by artillery fire and were shot into sieve by machine gun bullets. However, the enemy still rushed forward regardless of the situation, and he was very stance that he would never stop the troops without taking down the Soviet position.
At this moment, the German firepower was suppressed by armored trains on the position of the 102nd Regiment, the machine gunners who had fired and changed positions stopped one after another. After choosing the position, they took a machine gun and started firing at the fastest speed. The machine gunners pulled the trigger to the end. In less than a minute, all 47 bullets in the circular bullet disk were fired out, and the German soldiers who rushed to the nearby were sieve.
The German army, suppressed by artillery fire from armored trains and machine gun fire, still did not give up their attempt to attack. Two mortar teams established mortar positions in a crater fifty or sixty meters away from the Soviet position. They adjusted the mortar to the maximum elevation angle, no longer calculated the distance of the ruler, and only needed to shoot out at the fastest speed, because it was too close to the Soviet trenches, and at least half of the shells could fall into the opponent's trenches, and each shell could overturn several defenders in the trenches.
The fierce battle was far beyond the imagination of the commander of the 102nd Regiment. He thought that with the arrival of the armored train, the Germans who attacked their defensive positions would definitely flee. Unexpectedly, the opponent was bombarded and fired from the armored train at this moment. Not only did he show signs of retreat, but the offensive was even more fierce.
Colonel Dubiyansky, who was supervising the battle here, said to the commander of the 102nd Regiment with a stern face: "Comrade Colonel, immediately mobilize all forces to carry out counterattacks against the German army. We must drive them away from the position."
"Comrade Deputy Division Commander," the commander said in embarrassment after hearing Dubiyansky's order: "The teaching battalion you brought has been exhausted, and the battalion commander Major Ibaru has also sacrificed. Where can we have any force to fight back?"
"Didn't Major Ibaru bring back two militia companies before his death?" Dubiyanski knew that the militia's combat effectiveness was poor, but under the current circumstances, he could only seek medical treatment in a hurry: "Immediately put them into the battle."
The regiment commander tried to persuade Dubiyansky again, and quickly said, "Comrade Deputy Division Commander, I have carefully observed these two militia companies. They are responsible for patrols in the city. If they are used to counterattack, they may not have any effect..."
"Okay, comrade Colonel, stop talking." Dubiyansky raised his hand and looked at the watch, then said, "Time is tight, put them into the battle immediately, otherwise it will be too late."
Seeing that Dubiyansky was stubborn and would not have any effect even if he persuaded him, he could only nod, called his deputy commander, and told him to inform the militia company to join the counterattack.
The deputy regiment commander left the regiment command post and came to the trench where the militia company was resting. He shouted loudly, "Corporate platoon leader comes to me." With his shouting, more than 20 militiamen in casual clothes came to him. These people were company-level cadres of the two militia companies.
Seeing that everyone had arrived, the deputy commander said to them loudly: "Comrades, you must have seen the frontier situation. The Germans are rushing towards our positions regardless of everything. If we do not launch a counterattack as soon as possible, the positions will not be able to be defended."
As soon as the deputy regiment commander finished speaking, a militia company commander saw his military rank clearly and immediately expressed his opinion: "Comrade Major, tell me, what should we do next?"
"Call your soldiers," said the deputy commander to the militia company commander: "We must fight back against the Germans immediately and drive them away from our positions."
"Comrade Major, we have already prepared all combat preparations." The militia company commander said with a firm expression: "Please issue a counterattack order."
The deputy commander glanced at the fierce battle position, which was only five hundred meters away from here, then climbed out of the trench and turned to face the soldiers in the trench and shouted: "Brothers, follow me! Drive the *** elements away from our positions." After shouting, he held up his pistol and trotted towards the area where he was fighting.
Seeing that the deputy regiment commander had already taken the lead in charge, the platoon leaders of each company climbed out of the trench and half turned around and shouted at the militia who were still in the trench: "Comrades, what are you doing in the trench? Come out immediately and move forward with us!"
Seeing that the commanders were taking the lead in charge, the militia staying in the trenches felt their blood boiling. They climbed out of the trenches, followed their respective commanders, and rushed towards the place where the battle was most intense.
The German army discovered the charge unit, and immediately fired at them with mortars and machine guns. The militia charge team was cut by dense rain of bullets and flying shrapnel, but it was soon filled by those following behind. In just a few hundred meters, countless figures fell down, but the remaining people still rushed forward without hesitation.
The commanders and soldiers who were originally staying in the trench saw the militia passing over their heads and bravely rushed towards the enemy. They were not willing to be outdone and jumped out of the trench and rushed forward. When they approached the enemy, they threw out pieces of grenades and rushed forward quickly with the smoke rising from the explosion.
Faced with the fierce counterattack of the Soviet army, the German army, which was frustrated in the attack, became hesitant. Not only the soldiers were retreating secretly, but also the officers in the team were retreating. Someone shouted, turned his head and ran back. His running suddenly became the last straw that crushed the German army's psychology.
If we retreat slowly, the troops could still maintain a relatively complete system, but a few soldiers turned around and immediately caused a series of chain reactions. From an orderly retreat to a great defeat, the German officers and soldiers fled in scattered like frightened rabbits, only to regret that they had fewer legs. For a moment, the battlefield was full of defeated soldiers, pursuing soldiers everywhere, and German soldiers holding their hands high everywhere.
For the surrendered prisoners, who fell down in panic, the commanders and soldiers of the 102nd Regiment immediately distributed personnel to contain the prisoners, while the rest continued to chase the fleeing Germans...
Dubiyansky and the 102nd Regiment commander saw the counterattacks carried out by the commanders and fighters through the telescope in the command post. The regiment commander couldn't help but sigh: "If our armored trains were not firing during the march, perhaps there would be no need for militia charges to defeat this enemy's attack."
After hearing the commander's complaint, the Chief of Staff of the Division smiled bitterly: "Comrade Colonel, do you think the comrades in the armored train battalion don't want to stop and shoot? But no, the enemy's heavy artillery is constantly bombarding them. Once stopped, our armored train is in danger of being destroyed by German artillery fire, so they can only open fire while they are moving."
"What a pity, what a pity." The regiment commander looked at the battle that was gradually coming to an end outside and said with regret: "If our armored trains had to open fire during the march not to avoid enemy artillery fire, the enemies who could escape from our positions would definitely be no more than one-fifth."
Chapter completed!