The pilot of the Il-2 attack aircraft in the air discovered a small convoy on the ground. He saw a barrel car sandwiched between the armored vehicle and two trucks. He guessed that there must be an important task in the car, so he pushed the joystick and dived from the altitude.
This is a two-seater Il-2 attack aircraft. The pilot sitting in the front only needs to be responsible for flying. As for the mission of attacking the ground, the attacker sitting in the back will be completed.
After the attacker used a scope to lock the zigzag barrel cart, he launched two rockets without hesitation. Unexpectedly, the bucket car drove too fast and the launching rocket failed to hit the target. One fell more than 20 meters to the left of the barrel cart exploded, and a large amount of black soil and white snow powder were thrown into the air by the air waves; and the other rocket directly hit a truck behind and exploded into a ball of fire.
The fire truck drove forward for more than ten meters with inertia before stopping. Several soldiers all over the fire jumped out of the car. They screamed and jumped, sometimes knocked down, sometimes stood up, running around like headless flies, until they finally fell motionless in the snow.
Although the German truck was blown up, the pilot was obviously not satisfied with the results of this battle. He pulled the plane up again, circled in the air, dived again, and fired rockets at several vehicles that were quickly fleeing to the woods.
The attacker used a 20mm machine cannon to penetrate the weak top armor of the armored vehicle, turning it into a burning torch. The two rockets fired again did not hit the escaped barrel car because of insufficient accuracy, but the explosion of air waves overturned another truck and threw all the German soldiers on the vehicle into the snow.
Luo Sikai, who was sitting in the car, saw that the armored vehicles and two trucks that were protecting him were killed by the Soviet attack aircraft. He was already scared to death and urged the driver repeatedly: "Drive quickly, drive quickly!"
Although it was less than two kilometers from the road to the woods, due to the thick snow and the tree stumps buried in the snow, the driver had to carefully bypass these obstacles, which affected the speed of the vehicle. Seeing the powerful attack aircraft in the air, he chased him and fought with relentlessly. The driver pessimistically thought that he was doomed this time, and quickly shouted without looking back: "Sir, the situation is not good, you can jump off the car!"
Although Luo Sikai was nervous when he saw the Soviet plane chasing him, he was also lucky. He felt that his car could rush into the woods smoothly, so he kept sitting in the car without moving. The Chief of Staff sitting beside him wanted to jump off the car, but when he saw that the commander did not move, he could not escape by himself as the chief of staff. At this moment, he heard the driver's shouting, and quickly shouted at Luo Sikai: "Secretary Commander, jump off the car quickly, it would be too late if he didn't jump."
When the barrel car drove less than fifty meters away from the woods, Roske and the others were about to be saved, but one of the last two rockets fired by the attacker on the attacking plane hit the barrel car directly. After an explosion, the rear wheel of the barrel car was covered in fire flew forward, and it fell heavily on the snow. The four-wheeled wheels began to burn. Seeing that the barrel car was destroyed by the rocket, the pilot of the attacking plane flew around the plane and turned around and flew eastward.
Five or six German soldiers who fell from the second truck were slightly injured. As soon as they struggled to get up from the snow, they saw that the division commander's car was destroyed by the Soviet attack aircraft. They were frightened and did not care about rescuing the injured companions, so they ran towards the burning barrel cart one deep and one shallow.
They ran to the bucket cart, picked up the snow on the ground, and threw it desperately towards the bucket cart, trying to put out the fire quickly. However, this snow was like a drop in the bucket cart for the burning bucket cart. Not only did the fire not weaken, but it became bigger and bigger. The burning waves made them feel breathless.
"Help!" Just as the soldiers were feeling desperate, a faint shout came from the snow pile not far away: "Who will save me!"
A soldier with sharp ears followed the sound and saw an officer wearing a military coat lying in a snow pile. He looked closely and saw that the officer was no one else, but Major General Roske. He quickly shouted to his companion not far away: "The division commander is here."
After shouting, the soldier quickly ran to Luo Sikai's side and squatted down, carefully supported the other party and sat up, and asked with concern: "Sir, you are fine."
"I may have broken ribs," Roske said with a painful expression and asked back, "What's wrong with Chief of Staff?"
"The barrel cart was blown up." The soldier replied, "The people in the car were burned to death. Master Division, how did you escape from danger?"
"I was pushed down by the Chief of Staff." Roske sighed and said with a painful expression: "He may have seen the Russians launching rockets flying towards our barrel cart and pushed me out of the car in a critical moment."
…………
The results of the attack aircraft were not known to Sokov of Mamayevgang, and even the pilots who carried out the attack did not know that they almost killed a big man from the German army. They just reported to their superiors in accordance with the regulations on the way back to the voyage and destroyed an armored vehicle, a barrel car and two trucks of the German army. The results have been confirmed.
Sokov was contacting the frontline in time via telephone or phone to understand the progress of the attacking troops. Just as the three regiments occupied the German positions one after another and were clearing the remaining enemies, Cui Kev called.
Sokov thought that Cuikov called to inquire about the progress of the troops, so he took the initiative to report: "Comrade Commander, I was about to call you and report to you the progress of my division."
Cui Kefu asked unexpectedly: "So, you have already taken down the third line of defense of the German army? How are the casualties of the attacking troops? Can you continue to move forward?"
"Report to Comrade Commander, although our division's troops were attacked by enemy long-range artillery fire during the attack on the enemy's positions, the number of artillery they used was limited, and the casualties caused to us were limited." Sokov reported as usual: "After clearing the remaining enemies on the positions, they will continue to advance, choose a suitable location, and build new fortifications."
"Col. Sokov, you are doing a good job." After hearing Sokov's report, Cuikov first praised him, and then continued: "I call you, there is good news to tell you."
Good news?! Sokov couldn't help but lit up when he heard Cui Kov say this, and he quickly asked: "Comrade Commander, has the Left Bank sent us a new reinforcement force?"
"Uh, is that there." Sokov's words silenced for a moment, and then replied embarrassedly: "The good news I said has nothing to do with the reinforcements."
When Sokov learned that there were no reinforcements, he immediately lost interest in the so-called good news. However, out of politeness, he still asked politely: "Comrade Commander, I wonder what the good news you said is?"
"Our communications unit intercepted the German telegram, and Paulus had ordered the 76th Infantry Division to evacuate its existing positions and move to the Don defense line..."
Sokov knew that his front was the 71st and 76th infantry divisions of the German army. When he heard that the 76th Division had been allowed to retreat, he asked first, "Where is the 71st Division, have they also received the order to retreat?"
"No, Paulus' order to them was to organize the blockade on the spot, so that our army could not pursue them in retreat." Cui Kefu added: "The good news I want to say is related to the 71st Infantry Division."
When I heard that the good news about Cuikov was related to the 71st Infantry Division, Sokov immediately became interested: "Comrade Commander, what good news is, please tell me quickly."
"Actually, what I can say long ago is that you are constantly interrupting, which makes me unable to reach the point." Regarding Sokov's urging, Cuikov said helplessly: "Based on the information we intercepted, our attack aircraft that penetrated deep into the enemy's rear attacked the shifting convoy of Major General Roske, the commander of the 71st Infantry Division, destroyed an armored vehicle, a barrel car and two trucks. More than 50 bandits in the Faxi Temple were eliminated. Major General Roske was seriously injured, and the chief of staff of the division was blown to death on the spot."
"Our pilot is amazing." Sokov immediately suggested to the other party as soon as Cui Kov finished speaking: "Comrade Commander, I think the Creation pilots should be awarded the great achievements they have achieved."
"Do you still need to say this? After learning this news, not only will the Air Force Army award the pilots of the attack aircraft, but even the Front Command will award them the medals." Cui Kefu said this and finally got back to the topic: "Since Roske was seriously injured, I believe that in a short period of time, the command system of the 71st Infantry Division will fall into chaos. Colonel Sokov, how about it, and he didn't consider expanding some results?"
"Comrade Commander." Although what Cuikov said was indeed very reasonable, Sokov would never take his troops and Mamayev's hill for security reasons. Therefore, after the other party finished speaking, he said cautiously: "If the seriously injured person is not Major General Roske but Paulus, I can let my troops rush forward desperately, and even rush to the bank of the Don River, choose a suitable location to build fortifications, and wait for friendly troops to come and meet.
However, now only one division commander is seriously injured. Even if his troops are in chaos due to failure of command, there is only one division after all." Sokov calmly analyzed to Cuikov: "And once the German troops on the left and right wings notice the empty flanks of our division, they are likely to take the opportunity to launch an attack from both wings, cut off and encircle our offensive forces. At that time, not only the offensive forces will suffer serious losses, but even the Mamayev hill may not be able to be saved."
The basin of cold water that Sokov poured onto Cuikov made him wake up again. He thought for a moment, squeezed a smile on his face, and said to Sokov awkwardly: "Col. Sokov, you make sense. Even if we have the ability to wipe out the 71st Infantry Division of the German army, their overall strength is still strong and not something you can handle. Well, as for where to stop the attack, it is up to you to decide. I wish you good luck!"
After Sokov put down the phone, he said to Sidolin and Ivanov: "Chief of Staff, Deputy Commander, let me tell you good news. Our air force attacked the convoy of Roske, the commander of the 71st German Division in the retreating German army, blew up all the vehicles, killed the Chief of Staff, and even Roske was seriously injured." Hearing this good news, Sidolin and Ivanov couldn't help but show a look of joy on their faces.
Sokov pointed at Cidolin with his hand and told him: "Chief of Staff, you immediately inform the three regiment commanders that, except for leaving a few troops to clear the remaining enemies, the rest of the troops followed the tanks and continued to rush into the depths of the German army. Be sure to choose a suitable position to stop the attack before dark and build fortifications to prevent possible counterattacks from the German army."
After giving instructions to Sidolin, Sokov said to Ivanov again: "Comrade Deputy Division Commander, you are responsible for liaison with the Air Force. Please tell the Air Force commanders who are commanding the battle and let them cooperate with the attack of the ground forces. In addition to helping us destroy the enemy's strong fortifications, if the enemy's artillery positions and tank assembly points are discovered, the attack should be carried out first. Only by eliminating these technical equipment that pose the most threat to our army can the casualties of our attacking troops be minimized."
"Don't worry, comrade of the division commander." Ivanov and Sokov had been together for so long, so he naturally knew that he valued the lives of the soldiers very seriously and would not let everyone make unnecessary sacrifices, so he replied confidently: "I will never let you down."
The news that the attack aircraft that penetrated deep behind enemy lines caused the German division to be seriously injured had already spread among the air force pilots participating in the battle. They could not wait to establish their merits in this battle to cooperate with the Guards Division. After receiving Ivanov's order, the pilots used four-plane formations to rush towards the retreating enemy and guide the ground troops to launch an attack.
When the pilots saw the enemy crowded, they dropped bombs they carried and blew the enemy up to the point of flesh and blood; when they found the enemy's artillery positions or assembled tanks, they attacked them with rockets, making it impossible for the German army to continue to resist effectively with the technical equipment they were familiar with.
The Soviet commanders and fighters who were attacking the ground soon saw the intention of the air force, and were guiding them to launch an attack. The tanks immediately accelerated and rushed forward. Often, where the planes blew, the smoke of the gunpowder had not yet dissipated, the tanks rushed up to destroy the remaining tanks and cannons. The commanders and fighters who followed immediately used various weapons to destroy the infantry fleeing everywhere.
Chapter completed!