After learning that the lost No. 1 position had been recaptured, Sokov felt much more at ease. While Solomatin was arranging his troops, he secretly thought about how he could retake the position so quickly this time.
, the special company of the 254th Division played an important role. However, the troops originally used for special operations were treated as ordinary troops to participate in the attack, which was a bit wasteful.
After Solomatin finished deploying his troops, Sokov stood up and said to him: "Comrade General, it's almost dawn, and I want to return to Kremenchug as soon as possible. If you have anything urgent, you can call the nearest
The headquarters of the 98th Guards Division came to see me, and my temporary headquarters was located there."
But after hearing this, Solomatin said with concern: "Comrade Commander, if the temporary headquarters is located in the same division headquarters, will it have an adverse impact on each other?"
"No way, Comrade General." Sokov replied with a wry smile: "My chief of staff and members of the headquarters are still hundreds of kilometers away in Merefa Fortress. I'm afraid it will take several days to arrive.
to here."
"Comrade Commander, since there are already a large number of troops assembled in the Kremenchug area," Solomatin suggested to Sokov: "Why don't you ask the headquarters to come over first? This will also be beneficial to you.
Command the next battle?"
"Comrade General, what you say makes sense." Regarding Solomatin's proposal, Sokov nodded thoughtfully and said: "When I return to the temporary headquarters, I will send a telegram to the Chief of Staff and ask him to do it as soon as possible.
Come over with the members of the headquarters and establish a new forward headquarters in Kremenchug."
Under the protection of Samoilov, Sokov returned to the temporary headquarters in the church in the center of Kremenchug.
Seeing Sokov's return, Chuvasov, commander of the 98th Guards Division, breathed a sigh of relief and said to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, you are finally back. You didn't come back all night, and I was worried.
"
Before Sokov went to the Mechanized Army, he had greeted Chuvashov, and if Samyko had any urgent telegrams, he would immediately call him to inform him. He stayed at the headquarters of the Mechanized Army all night, but did not receive any
The phone call proved that Sameko had not sent him a telegram, but he still asked habitually: "Is there a telegram from the Army Headquarters?"
"No, Comrade Commander." Chuvashov quickly replied: "From the time you left until now, there has not been a single telegram."
"Comrade Colonel," Sokov felt that Solomatin's words made sense. Since there were already a large number of troops stationed in Kremenchug at this moment, it was entirely possible to move the headquarters here in advance, so he ordered Chuvasov: "
Immediately, in my name, send a telegram to Chief of Staff Sameko and order him to move the headquarters here as soon as possible."
After Chuvashov ordered the radio operator to send the report, he asked Sokov tentatively: "Comrade Commander, you asked the group army headquarters to come over as soon as possible. Are you going to fight a big battle?"
"Yes," Sokov nodded and replied: "Based on various signs, the enemy will definitely launch a large-scale attack on the landing site. The headquarters will be moved here in advance to facilitate my command of the troops."
Chuvashov had no doubts about Sokov's statement. Although it was calm here in Kremenchug, it was not the same as the landing site on the right bank. There was also no movement. He asked tentatively: "Comrade Commander,
Is there any movement in the direction of the landing site?"
"A few hours ago, a small German army disguised itself as our army and captured the No. 1 outpost that originally belonged to the 254th Division." Sokov told Chuvashov and others what happened not long ago.
, and finally said: "Since the German army has as many as two hundred troops for reconnaissance, it means that the enemy will launch a major offensive next."
As soon as Sokov finished speaking, a communications staff officer hurried over and reported to Chuvashov: "Comrade division commander, this is from the 1st Mechanized Corps. Please forward it to comrade commander."
"Give me the telegram," Sokov said to the communications staff officer.
The communications staff did not dare to neglect and quickly handed the telegram in his hand to Sokov.
After quickly reading the above content, Sokov laughed and said to Chuvashov: "Comrade Colonel, it seems that my prediction has been fulfilled. The enemy dispatched an infantry battalion to attack the mechanized machine under the cover of artillery fire.
The 21st Brigade held the No. 1 outpost position and launched a fierce attack."
After hearing this, Chuvashov couldn't help but gasped, and then asked Sokov nervously: "Comrade Commander, can they hold their position?"
When Sokov left the mechanized army headquarters, he heard Solomatin setting up defenses and roughly knew the deployment of troops near the No. 1 outpost. He nodded and replied: "General Solomatin is deploying the No. 1 outpost."
A large number of troops are deployed near the position. It is basically impossible for the Germans to capture the No. 1 outpost position with just one infantry battalion."
Sokov thought to himself that the German attack on the defense area of the 21st Mechanized Brigade was just the beginning. It would not be long before they would launch a full-scale attack. He came to the map and carefully inspected the landing site on the right bank.
Based on the terrain, it was discovered that once the German attack was unfavorable, they could completely bypass the 21st Mechanized Brigade's defensive zone from the flanks, attack new targets, and isolate the outpost positions.
After figuring this out, Sokov called the communications staff officer and told him: "Comrade staff officer, please immediately send a telegram to the 73rd Infantry Brigade, saying that the enemy has launched an attack on the position adjacent to his left..."
Before Sokov could finish his analysis, Chuvashov came over and said to Sokov with a smile: "Comrade Commander, the communications corps has laid the telephone line with the 73rd Brigade overnight. What can I do?
, you can call directly without sending a telegram."
Knowing that the telephone line between here and the 73rd Infantry Brigade had been connected, Sokov couldn't help feeling ecstatic, and quickly ordered the communications staff officer: "Comrade Staff, please help me get through to the 73rd Infantry Brigade headquarters."
Only a few minutes later, Sokov heard Guchakov's voice. Because the fighting in the direction of the landing field had already broken out, he ignored the pleasantries and asked straight to the point: "The German army has begun to attack the 21st Mechanized Brigade on your left flank.
Are you ready for battle?"
"Don't worry, Comrade Commander." Guchakov replied confidently: "When the first artillery shell was left in the friendly position on the left, all my troops entered a state of first-level combat readiness and were ready to respond to the Germans at any time.
Possible attack."
"Are there any signs of enemy activity on the defensive front of your brigade?"
"That's not true."
"Since there is no sign of enemy activity, is it appropriate for you to put the troops into the first level of combat readiness at this time?" Sokov said this because he considered that in front of the 73rd Infantry Brigade position, since there was no sign of enemy activity,
, there is no need to put the troops into combat status prematurely, so as to avoid the situation of being as strong as a tiger at one go and then exhausted again. Therefore, he said to Guchakov: "Comrade Major, you immediately send out scouts and go out."
Conduct reconnaissance. In addition, except for a small number of troops left on the position for surveillance, the rest of the commanders and fighters have gone back to rest and sleep a little longer while it is still dark."
"Okay, Comrade Commander." Guchakov understood Sokov's character. Since the other party ordered him like this, there must be a certain reason. He quickly replied: "I will immediately send out scouts to conduct reconnaissance, and then order most of them to do so."
The commanders and fighters should go back to rest, and it would not be too late to enter the position after the enemy's attack begins."
Before attacking outpost No. 1, the German army plowed the hill with artillery fire, causing many casualties to the defenders on the mountain. Judging from the fact that they responded to the enemy's shelling in this way, the mechanized army and Sokov's troops
There is a huge gap between them. When Sokov's troops were holding on to the high ground, once they were shelled by the Germans, except for a few observation posts left to monitor the enemy, the rest of the commanders and fighters withdrew to the reverse slope where the artillery fire could not reach them.
Wait for the artillery fire to stop before returning to the position. In this way, the damage suffered by the troops during the artillery fire can be reduced to the minimum level.
But Solomatin's mechanized army obviously had not received training in this area. After the enemy's shelling began, all the commanders and fighters hid in the trenches on the hillside. As a result, many trenches were destroyed by enemy artillery fire.
Local commanders and fighters suffered heavy casualties.
After finally waiting for the enemy's shelling to stop, the commander, who was shaken to pieces by the shells, emerged from the floating soil, walked forward along the trenches that had been riddled with holes, and shouted at the top of his lungs to the soldiers who were still alive: "
The enemy comes up, enters the position, enters the position immediately..."
As soon as the surviving soldiers emerged from the floating soil, they hurriedly entered their respective shooting positions without shaking off the dust from their bodies. As soon as they entered their positions, they saw that the German infantry at the foot of the mountain had formed a dispersed formation.
Rush towards the position.
The commander looked at the approaching enemy and did not immediately give the order to fire. Instead, he shouted to the soldiers on the left and right: "Pass this down, no one is allowed to fire without an order."
Two hundred meters away, the position was quiet.
One hundred and fifty meters away, the position was still quiet.
One hundred meters away, there was no movement on the position.
Eighty meters, still no movement.
The German officers and soldiers who were climbing the hillside slowed down. They were even thinking in their hearts: Did the artillery fire just kill all the Russians on the position?
Soon, the German officers and soldiers arrived at a position fifty meters away from the position. From here, as long as they ran a few steps quickly, they could enter the bombing position.
But at this moment, a broken cry suddenly came from the position that had been silent for a long time: "Fire!" The sound was so loud that even German officers and soldiers dozens of meters away could hear it clearly.
After the shouting, there was the sound of pistol shooting.
Then, the shooting sounds of machine guns, submachine guns and rifles on the position rang out. The German officers and soldiers exposed in the open ground fell in pieces amidst the intensive gunfire.
But the German officers and soldiers were always well-trained. Even when faced with such intensive Soviet firepower, they did not panic. Instead, they lay down on the spot and fought back. The machine gunners, on the other hand, looked for a suitable position, set up their machine guns, and fired at them.
The Soviet troops in the position fired wildly.
Since the defenders on the position paid a huge price in the shelling that ended not long ago, their existing firepower cannot suppress the German army. Fortunately, Solomatin has already considered the possibility of outpost position No. 1.
The battle would be very fierce, so two companies of troops were deployed at the rear of the position, ready to send reinforcements immediately when the defenders on the position were insufficient in strength.
After seeing the signal soldiers on the position and sending out a signal for help with a signal flag, one of the companies immediately set off and raced against time along the north slope towards the position, preparing to take over the position of their comrades before the situation worsened.
The reinforcements arrived very timely. When they climbed to the top of the hillside, there happened to be a section that was broken through by the Germans. The commanders and fighters who stayed here were engaging in hand-to-hand combat with the enemy. Their arrival brought the balance of victory back to the Soviet side, and the new
The soldiers who came first blocked the gap opened by the Germans, and then worked with their comrades to eliminate the enemies who had rushed into the trenches.
Seeing that their attack failed, the Germans were unwilling to fight and immediately chose to withdraw from the battle.
When they had just retreated to the foot of the mountain, the German artillery in the distance opened fire again. The dense shells fell on the top of the hillside, filling the entire Soviet position with smoke and dazzling fireballs. Because the enemy's artillery fire came too suddenly, some of them were too late.
The hidden commanders and fighters were immediately blown to pieces.
After the shelling lasted for more than ten minutes, it came to an abrupt end again.
Before the smoke cleared, the German troops that had completed regrouping once again launched an attack on the outpost position.
On the high ground in the distance, the commander of the 21st Brigade, who was watching the battle through a telescope, saw the enemy launching another attack. He quickly called his chief of staff and told him: "Chief of Staff, the defenders on the outpost are under enemy bombardment."
The casualties are extremely heavy. You should immediately send communications troops to notify the company behind the position to prepare for reinforcements."
After the brigade chief of staff sent out the communications troops, he returned to the brigade commander and said tentatively: "Comrade brigade commander, the enemy's artillery fire is so fierce. I'm worried that even if this company is sent up, it won't take long for it to be beaten."
It’s all gone. How about we send another unit to stand by?”
Regarding the proposal of the brigade chief of staff, the brigade commander thought for a while, nodded and said: "Okay, comrade chief of staff, then send our guard company out and let them prepare to reinforce the outpost position."
Knowing that the brigade commander planned to send out the guard company, the brigade chief of staff couldn't help but become a little anxious: "Comrade brigade commander, if the guard company is sent out, then our guard force here will become weak. I think it is better to send out the guard company from other battalions."
Are you going to mobilize troops from here?"
"Comrade Chief of Staff," the brigade commander said helplessly, "I also want to transfer troops from other battalions, but now each battalion has its own defense zone. Transferring troops from any battalion will weaken the defense zones in those areas. The only thing
The only troops that can be used are our guard companies."
