Chapter 1288 The fate of the 19th Armored Division
After saying this, Sokov held his breath, just like a student waiting for the teacher to announce the test results, anxiously waiting for Konev's answer to him.
After waiting for a long time, Konev's voice never came from the receiver. Sokov even thought that the other party had hung up the phone. He listened carefully and vaguely heard the sound of someone talking inside and the ticking sound of the radio.
Only then did I realize that Konev had not hung up the phone, but was seriously considering his proposal.
"Comrade Sokov," Konev finally made the final decision after repeated thoughts: "I can send the air force to provide you with air cover. However, I have a condition."
"Comrade Commander of the Front Army," Sokov couldn't help but feel ecstatic when he heard Konev said that he could provide him with air cover. As for what conditions the other party would propose, he could no longer think about it: "Please tell me, as long as it's me
If I can do it, I will definitely agree to your conditions."
"Although your group army is now temporarily placed under the command of the Voronezh Front," Konev said on the phone, "but once the Battle of Kursk is over, the headquarters will directly seek your opinions on whether you will return to the Steppe Front. I
I hope you can lead your troops back to the grassland front army by then, how about it, can you do it?"
"No problem," Sokov immediately replied unambiguously after learning such a simple condition: "Comrade Commander of the Front Army, I was originally from the Steppe Front Army. Now I am under the command of General Vatutin, and it is only temporary.
Once the battle is over, even if the base camp does not ask for my opinion, I will take the initiative to return to the grassland front army."
Seeing that Sokov readily agreed to his conditions, Konev felt very satisfied. After asking about the area where the German air force was located, he said: "Comrade Sokov, the air force supporting you will be in half a
Arrive at the battlefield within hours.”
Although Konev said that it would take half an hour for the Air Force to arrive on the battlefield. However, after receiving his order, the Air Force fighters, which had been in preparation for war, arrived in less than five minutes with 36 bombers and 24 fighter jets.
Taking off, they completed their formation in the air and flew towards the airspace where the Luftwaffe was raging.
Ten minutes later, the fighter jets, which were covering the bombers and bombarding the Soviet troops on the ground, discovered the shadow of a Soviet fighter plane in the distance and rushed to intercept it. The two sides launched a fierce confrontation in the air.
Dozens or hundreds of fighter planes soon started fighting in the sky. From time to time, one after another, the planes, emitting black smoke, fell from the high altitude and fell to the ground, making earth-shattering explosions and raising a huge cloud.
fireball. Most pilots successfully parachuted before the plane crashed.
Through the phone call with Major General Gritsenko, Sokov learned that the air force dispatched by Konev had now arrived on the battlefield and was engaged in a fierce battle with the enemy's air force. He ordered Gritsenko: "Comrade General, I am now
Two orders are given to you: first, order the troops to switch to the offensive again, and be sure to annihilate the 19th Armored Division before the enemy's reinforcements arrive; second, send out several search teams to rescue our parachuting pilots and capture
Enemy pilot."
"Understood, Comrade Commander." As soon as Sokov finished speaking, Major General Gritsenko replied loudly: "We immediately launched a comprehensive offensive and strive to annihilate the German 19th Armored Division in the shortest possible time.
"
After putting down the phone, Sokov said to Samyko: "Chief of Staff, the air force sent by General Konev is engaged in a fierce battle with the German air force. Order several units in other directions to speed up the attack and make sure to do so in the shortest possible time.
Within the time, Schmidt’s 19th Armored Division will be eliminated.”
"Comrade Commander," although the air force sent by Konev has arrived on the battlefield and started a confrontation with the enemy's air force, Samyko still said with lingering fear: "Do you think our air force can win?"
"Chief of Staff, what's wrong with you? Don't you have confidence in our army's final victory?" After Sokov said this, before waiting for Samyko's response, he said to himself: "I believe we
The pilots have accumulated rich combat experience in so many years of fighting and are fully capable of defeating the enemy. You must know that the number of fighter planes we have in the Kursk salient is twice as many as that of the enemy. If
If we can't win this way, we might as well disband the Air Force."
Without the German air threat, the Soviet troops that surrounded the 19th Armored Division launched attacks from several directions simultaneously. Although the German officers and soldiers put up a desperate resistance, their resistance was overwhelmed by the influx of Soviet tanks.
In front of the infantry and infantry, they seemed so insignificant. Every defensive position was like a pile of sand on the beach, which was quickly washed away by the big waves without a trace.
When Schmidt reported to Manstein, he said that his troops could still sustain for two hours, but just after an hour, he was horrified to find that Soviet tanks and infantry had appeared in his field of vision, a distance away
His command post is no more than two hundred meters away.
Seeing this situation, Schmidt panicked and shouted to the Chief of Staff: "Chief of Staff, the Russians are coming. You immediately organize your troops to counterattack and drive them away from the headquarters."
.”
"Your Excellency, Division Commander," the Chief of Staff is also a clever man who can't make a living without rice. The only force he can use is a guard company. It is basically impossible to block the Soviet attack arrows composed of tanks and infantry.
. He could only say to Schmidt tactfully: "It seems that we can't hold on until the reinforcements sent by the marshal arrive. Otherwise, we should order the troops to surrender, which can save more lives."
"Colonel, do you know what you are talking about?" When Schmidt heard the Chief of Staff say this, his eyes widened suddenly and he shouted at the other party: "You haven't fought to the last person, you think you want to surrender?
This is simply a disgrace to the military. If someone from the SS hears about it, you may not even have a chance to go to a military court, and you will be punished on the spot. I now order you to immediately remove the remaining guards.
All go into battle and stop the Russian attack at all costs."
The chief of staff had no choice but to throw all the remaining guard troops of the division into the battle. According to his idea, no matter how fierce the Soviet offensive was, at least one would be needed to break through the defenses near the division headquarters.
Hour.
Unexpectedly, not long after the guard company entered the position, many flying objects with white smoke ribbons flew out of the Soviet position. These objects landed on the position of the guard company and exploded. After the dazzling fire flashed, thick
Thick smoke enveloped the position. The Chief of Staff, who was staying at the headquarters, felt the ground beneath his feet shaking violently from the explosion. Although he could not see clearly what was happening on the position, he knew in his heart that the person who had just been sent to the position was
Most of the security company has been reimbursed.
He turned around and came to Schmidt, and reported to him in despair: "Your Excellency, division commander, the Russians have used new weapons, and all our guard companies have been wiped out."
"What, our guard company was completely wiped out in such a short period of time?" Schmidt was startled by the chief of staff's words, and quickly asked: "What weapon is so powerful? Did the Russians use poison gas bombs?"
?”
"Your Excellency, Division Commander, the Russians will not use poison gas bombs." The Chief of Staff replied with a wry smile: "It should be the legendary new rocket. This rocket is small in size, easy to carry, and can be launched in different terrains.
, other friendly forces suffered a lot from this weapon."
"Then what should we do?" Schmidt confirmed that the guard company he relied on had been decommissioned, and he couldn't help but panic: "The guard company has been decommissioned, and the Russians will be able to rush in front of us soon."
"Your Excellency, Commander," the Chief of Staff has made up his mind. Under the current circumstances, if he continues to fight, he will die in vain. It is better to persuade Schmidt to surrender. If he does not agree, he will find a way to make him agree.
: "The way, as I just said, is to lay down your arms and surrender to the Russians. This will save more people's lives."
When things came to this, Schmidt knew that if he continued to resist, he would end up dead. After a brief thought, he finally lowered his arrogant head: "Okay, Chief of Staff, then order the remaining troops to stop resisting and march towards the Russians."
People surrender.”
As the order was issued, the sound of guns and artillery on the battlefield became sparse. One after another, the German positions that were still resisting raised white flags and surrendered to the nearby Soviet commanders and soldiers.
"Comrade Chief of Staff," Sokov learned that the German army began to wave the white flag to surrender, but there was no news that the division commander Schmidt was captured, so he asked Samek: "Why is there no news that the German division commander General Schmidt was captured?
Woolen cloth?"
"Comrade Commander, there are several troops surrounding the German division headquarters now," Samyko reported to Sokov: "They are all waiting for your order to see where you are going to leave the honor of capturing the German division commander.
Detachment of troops.”
Sokov glanced at the unit number provided by Samyko and saw a familiar commander's name in it. He pointed to that name and said to Samyko: "Chief of Staff, immediately send a telegram to the front and say to let the navy
Lieutenant Colonel Shamrih, commander of the 1st Battalion of the 84th Marine Brigade, went to accept Schmidt's surrender."
Hearing Sokov directly mention Shamrich's name, Samyko immediately understood that Sokov wanted to leave such an honor to his old subordinates, so he understood and said: "I understand, Commander
Comrade Communist, I immediately called the brigade commander, Colonel Chuvashov, and asked him to send the Shamrich Battalion to the German division headquarters to receive the prisoners."
The Shamrich Battalion is located about two hundred meters away from the German division headquarters. On their right wing is a battalion of the infantry brigade. While waiting for the surrender, several company-level commanders in the battalion gathered
Let's discuss together which unit the Army Group Headquarters will order to capture the German division commander Schmidt.
After listening to several company commanders chatting for a while, the deputy battalion commander, Captain Yakuda, interjected: "Comrades, the unit closest to the German division headquarters now is the third battalion of the infantry brigade. They are less than 100 meters away from the enemy's headquarters.
meters, and we are two hundred meters away. If you were the superior commander, which unit would you send to accept the German surrender?"
Hearing what Yakuda said, the several company commanders suddenly lost their energy like deflated balloons. Yes, the deputy battalion commander made sense. One was less than a hundred meters away from the German command post, and the other was two hundred meters away.
Isn't it a definite matter which army will surrender?
Just when everyone was discouraged, a communications soldier hurried over. After he came to Shamrich, he said loudly: "Report to comrade the battalion commander, the telegram from the division commander. Ordering you to lead the troops to the German division headquarters immediately.
, accept the surrender of the German army."
"What, let us surrender?" Shamrich, who had given up any hope of capturing the German division commander, snatched the telegram from the signal soldier's hand and read it carefully. He read four or five times in a row.
After making sure that what the communications soldier had just said was true, he thrust the telegram into Yakuda's hand, and then said to several company commanders who had not yet understood: "Comrades, company commanders, get back to you immediately.
Go with the troops, let the soldiers prepare themselves, and follow me to accept the enemy's surrender."
After a brief moment of astonishment, several company commanders immediately cheered. They neatly raised their hands and saluted Shamrih, turned around and ran back to their respective units along the trenches to gather soldiers to prepare for the surrender.
A few minutes later, each company had completed its assembly. Shamrih tidied up his military appearance, turned to Yakuda, who was grinning from ear to ear, and said: "Let's go, Comrade Deputy Battalion Commander, let's go and accept the German army now."
Human surrender.”
Shamrih led his troops in a dispersed formation and surrounded the German division headquarters. When the German officers and soldiers he met along the way saw them approaching, they immediately dropped their weapons and stood expressionlessly on the roadside, letting them follow their lead.
As he passed by, there were also some German officers and soldiers whose eyes were full of anger, and they stared viciously at the Soviet commanders and soldiers who passed by.
When he arrived at the German division headquarters, Shamrih found a lot of people standing outside the door. Judging from their uniforms, most of them were officers. Seeing Shamrih approaching, one of the colonels came from
He walked out of the crowd, accompanied by a second lieutenant officer.
He came to a stop in front of Shamrich and babbled a lot. The German second lieutenant quickly translated his words into Russian: "Mr. Major, I am the chief of staff of the 19th Armored Division.
Surrendered to your army."
When Shamrich brought the people over, he was still worried about the language barrier. Now he found that the second lieutenant following the German chief of staff spoke fluent Russian, and he felt much more at ease. He pulled the hem of his uniform and gently
He coughed lightly, cleared his throat, and said loudly: "I am Major Shamrih, commander of the 1st Battalion of the 84th Marine Brigade of the 27th Group Army. On the orders of the commander, Major General Sokov, I came to capture you.
"
Schmidt, who was standing in the crowd, listened to the second lieutenant's epidemic prevention and knew that the troops coming were Sokov's subordinates. He felt a little more at ease. He took a few steps forward and stood in front of Shamrih.
He decided, raised his hands to salute him, and said respectfully: "Commander Schmidt of the 19th Armored Division, led by the officers and soldiers of the entire division, surrenders to you."
