After destroying the armored train that posed a great threat to them, after two hours of rest, the German army launched a new round of offensive on the positions of the 35th Division of the Guards.
The 101st Regiment deployed on the right wing, although the casualties were similar to those of the two regiments on the left wing, because they were not supplemented by the militia, there are only more than 300 people left on the position now.
Seeing the German tanks appearing in the distance, the commander of the 101st Regiment immediately ordered a battalion commander beside him with a bandage on his head: "The Third Battalion Commander, the Germans have dispatched seven tanks. You immediately arrange a few soldiers to hide in the craters in front of the position. When the tank approaches, blow it up with anti-tank grenades or cluster grenades."
When the young battalion commander heard the commander's order, the corners of his mouth twitched violently. He knew very well that no matter it was an anti-tank grenade or a cluster grenade, it could not be thrown too far due to its weight. In other words, the soldiers who sent the tank bombing were waiting for them to be killed by German bullets or died with the German tanks, and there was no hope of survival. But after hesitating for a while, he still resolutely replied: "I understand, comrade Commander, I'll make arrangements now."
The third battalion commander walked out of the command center that was half blown by artillery fire and came to the area where his battalion was held. The soldiers were originally sitting in the trenches to rest, but when they saw the battalion commander coming, they stood up one after another and saluted him with their backs against the wall of the trench.
After the series of battles, the Third Battalion only had more than 80 people left, less than one company of troops. To blow up the seven German tanks that rushed over, at least double the number of people was dispatched, that is, fourteen more people would be reduced from the existing troops.
The third battalion commander stopped and said in a voice that everyone could hear: "Comrades, the enemy's tank is rushing towards us. I need fourteen people to hide in the crater outside. When the tank approaches, it will blow it up with anti-tank grenades or cluster grenades. Who among you is willing to perform this mission?"
After a brief silence, more than twenty soldiers immediately took a step forward and expressed their willingness to carry out this life-threatening mission. Seeing these soldiers, the third battalion commander's eyes were wet. He sucked his nose, walked over and picked out the fourteen soldiers, and then said to the rest of the soldiers with red eyes: "You stay first, and wait until they have not completed the mission, you will get on."
Fourteen soldiers crawled out of the trench with anti-tank grenades or cluster grenades, crawled into the crater in front of the position and became hidden. According to their ideas, as long as the German tanks passed by, they could stand up and throw grenades, they could blow up the tanks.
However, after suffering several losses from the Soviet army, the German army became smarter. They knew that the Soviet army on this defensive position did not have long-range anti-tank weapons, so the tanks marched very slowly to ensure that the infantry that provided them with protection could keep up. When the first German tank approached the crater where the Soviet soldiers were hiding, the soldiers hiding inside stood up suddenly and raised the anti-tank grenade in their hands. Just as he was about to throw it out, the German infantry following behind the car opened fire and shot the soldiers who were trying to drop the bomb.
When the Soviet anti-tank hand was found hiding in the bullet crater, the infantry speeded up, crossed the slow-moving tank, and carefully searched for the bullet crater ahead. Once the Soviet soldiers hiding inside were found, they immediately shot and killed them. In just a few minutes, eight soldiers were killed by German infantry in the bullet crater.
Seeing his comrades dying one after another under the enemy's gun, the commanders and soldiers on the position were anxious. The third battalion commander came to a light machine gun and said to the machine gun shooter: "Machine gun, kill those damn German devils."
The machine gunner nodded, pulled the trigger immediately, and fired at the German soldiers who were searching for advancement. After being hit by bullets, several unlucky German soldiers rushed into the crater beside them. After discovering the machine gun firepower on the Soviet positions, the German tanks immediately stopped and turned the gun to fire there. Although the gun was deviated, the soil caused by the explosion air waves still sprinkled the third battalion commander and the machine gunner.
Seeing that the situation was not good, the third battalion commander quickly said to the machine gunner: "No, the enemy has found your position and immediately move to the new shooting position."
The machine gunner put away the machine gun, bent down and ran a few steps along the trench. The shooting position just now was hit by a shell fired by another tank. A stream of soil mixed with countless shell shells soared into the sky, and when it fell, the nearby soldiers' helmets jingled.
Taking advantage of the attention of German tanks and infantry and being attracted by the machine guns on the position, a soldier not far from the tank suddenly jumped out of the crater and rushed into the bottom of a tank next to him. After a loud bang, the tank body jumped on the spot, and then lie on the spot, streams of black smoke emerged. Two tank hands, who were caught fire, helped each other to climb out of the open turret and stumbled toward the back.
The remaining four soldiers saw that their comrades successfully blow up a German tank, and jumped out of the crater where they were hiding, and rushed to the German tanks not far away, dying with them. But in the end, only one soldier succeeded, and the other three soldiers fell under the muzzle of the German infantry hiding behind the tank.
Two of the seven tanks were blown up, and in order to prevent them from being blown up again, the remaining five accelerated their speed, left the infantry covering them, and rushed towards the Soviet positions.
Looking at the tanks rushing over, the soldiers who had just been washed down, without waiting for the command of the third battalion commander to tie grenades on their bodies and climbed out of the trenches one after another, so the German tanks that rushed over crawled away.
When the third battalion commander saw his soldiers crawling towards the German tanks again, he hurriedly shouted at the machine gunners beside him: "Machine gun shooting, destroy the infantry behind the tanks." With the order issued, the machine gun player set up the machine gun and shot at the infantry behind the tanks so that his comrades could successfully approach the German tanks.
The German tank was driving and found that the machine gun on the position had been resurrected again, causing considerable danger to the infantry following him. He quickly suppressed the Soviet firepower points with a vehicle-mounted machine gun. Under the intensive firepower of the German army, the Soviet machine gunners had not finished firing a bullet with a bullet plate and were shot and lay next to the machine gun.
When the commander of the third battalion saw the machine gunner's death, he quickly pulled the machine gun out of his body, put a pile of soil next to him, and continued to shoot at the German infantry behind the tank. Seeing that the machine guns on the position were only silent for a moment, the German tank began to shoot again, and quickly stopped and fired a shot towards the position of the third battalion commander.
The shells fell behind the trench and exploded, and the flying shrapnel was embedded in the back of the third battalion commander. He endured the pain and after firing the last bullet in the bullet plate, his body tilted and fell into the trench. With the support of machine gun fire, the soldiers who climbed out of the trench this time approached the German tanks and died with them.
The German tanks were blown up, and the German infantry, who had lost their support, suddenly lost the courage to continue moving forward and retreated to evacuate the Soviet positions.
Seeing the German retreat, the commanders and soldiers of the Third Battalion who were standing in this area did not cheer. Although the battle that had just ended was not very strong, they paid a huge price. Not only did the battalion commander sacrifice, but more than twenty soldiers were also sacrificed to blow up the German tanks, and only fifty people were left in the battalion.
After the regiment commander learned that the third battalion suffered heavy losses, he felt that with his existing strength, as long as the German army attacked again, his position would be broken. Therefore, he called Grazkov and asked him for instructions: "Comrade Commander, our regiment has only more than 200 people left, and there is a lack of anti-tank weapons. Once the German army launches another attack, we will not be able to defend it at all."
Hearing the report of the 101st Regiment, Grazkov looked at Zalitzman beside him. He wanted to ask the other party to take the remaining militia company to reinforce the 101st Regiment. But then he thought that this militia unit with more than 100 people had no combat power, and even if it was sent to the defense zone of the 101st Regiment, it would be difficult to defend the position. Anyway, Commander Cui Kov had notified himself that if he could not hold his position, he could take the troops to retreat to Mamayevgang. Thinking of this, he said to the microphone: "Comrade Colonel, since the German attack has been temporarily repelled by you, then you will immediately move the troops to the direction of Mamayevgang."
"What?!" Hearing Grazkov's order, the commander of the 101st Regiment was stunned for a moment, and then replied: "Comrade Commander, we are six or seven kilometers away from Mamayev's hill. If we were pursued by the German army during the retreat, we might be destroyed."
Zalitzman heard the conversation between Grazkov and the regiment commander and suggested: "Comrade General, if you do not object, you can withdraw the troops of the 101st Regiment to our Derzhinsky factory area. After they take a break there, they will retreat along the Volga River to Mamayev hill."
Glazkov frowned and thought about this proposal, thinking that it was a good idea. At this moment, the 101st Regiment would be pursued by the German army. Maybe the troops would have collapsed or been wiped out before they arrived at Mamayev. Therefore, he nodded to Zalizkman, agreed with the other party's opinion, and then said to the microphone, "Comrade Colonel, you immediately take your troops out of the position and move towards the Derrensky factory. I will send someone to pick you up."
After putting down the phone, Grazkov looked at Zalitzman and said, "Comrade Deputy Director, the 101st Regiment may be withdrawn soon. At that time, please take the militia to pick them up and take them to the Derzhinsky factory."
"Comrade General," Zalitzman and Grazkov finished speaking, and asked hesitantly: "What if I take the troops away, what should you do here?" He asked this for a reason. After that hand-to-hand combat, there were no more than ten living people in the entire division headquarters. If the German army rushed over again, they would have no power to fight back.
"Comrade Zalitzman, don't worry." Grazkov guessed Zalitzman's concern and said to him with a smile: "You will take my 101st Regiment to Derzhinsky, and I will take the other two regiments to Mamayevgang, and I will not be in any danger."
After Zalitzman left with the militia, Grazkov immediately called the 102nd Regiment and ordered Dubiyansky, who was supervising the battle there, to immediately lead his troops to move towards the Mamayev hill.
When Dubiyansky heard the order from Grazkov, he asked in confusion: "Comrade Commander, if we retreat at this time, the enemy will rush to the factory area. There are no regular troops in the factory area, they are all newly formed militias. Do you think they can block the enemy?"
"Comrade Deputy Division Commander," said Grazkov with some dissatisfaction with Dubiyansky's doubts: "The retreat is allowed by the Army Command. Even if we do not retreat, do you think that with our existing troops and technical equipment, can we block the enemy's attack?"
Grazkov's rhetoric left Dubiyansky speechless. After he was silent for a long time, he replied: "I understand, comrade in the division commander, I will immediately organize the 102nd Regiment to prepare for retreat."
When he called the 100th Regiment headquarters, the Chief of Staff, who was supervising the battle here, heard the retreat order and raised no questions, saying that he would implement it immediately. However, he asked another question: "Comrade Commander, I heard that there are no people left in the division headquarters. Do you think I need to send a small army to protect you?"
"No," Grazkov replied very simply, "I have a few combat officers around me, and we can safely arrive at Mamayev's hill. You can hurry up and prepare for the transfer."
Although Grazkov kept saying that he did not need protection, the Chief of Staff was not at ease. After finishing the call with Grazkov, he immediately called the deputy division commander Dubiyansky: "Comrade Deputy Division Commander, have you also received the order from the division commander to retreat?"
"Yes, we have received the order to retreat and are preparing." Dubiyansky knew that the Chief of Staff would not call him casually, and there must be something important, so he quickly asked, "Do you have anything to do?"
"That's right, comrade, deputy division commander." The Chief of Staff quickly replied: "After the division headquarters was attacked by the German army, there were not many people left. I was worried that the division commander would encounter any danger when he was transferred, so I planned to send someone to protect him."
"Comrade Chief of Staff." Dubiyansky interrupted his subsequent words without waiting for the Chief of Staff to finish his speech: "Based on my understanding of the division commander, he certainly did not agree with your suggestions."
"Yes. Comrade of Deputy Division Commander." Chief of Staff nodded and said, "The Division Commander rejected my proposal to send someone to protect him."
Chapter completed!