At dawn, Alitai rushed to the basement of the assembly workshop with more than 40 soldiers from the original tank company at noon. When he saw Sokov, he first saluted, and then explained: "I'm sorry, Comrade Brigade Commander,
We arrived late. The soldiers of the tank company were scattered in various battalions, and it took a lot of time to gather them."
Sokov knew that while he was recuperating, due to Vitkov's improper command, the troops suffered heavy casualties. Therefore, many special companies were broken up and assigned to various battalions. This was the case with Lieutenant Alitai's tank company. He
He nodded to Alitai, then stretched out his hand and said: "It's not too late, it's not too late. Our newly formed tank battalion may not go into battle until noon. During this period, you can take your comrades with you."
Let’s go get familiar with the equipment.”
"Tank battalion?!" Hearing what Sokov said, Alitai couldn't help being stunned, and then asked: "Comrade Brigade Commander, didn't you say to form a tank company, why did it become a tank battalion?"
Sokov guessed that Vitkov might have conveyed this to him, so he explained to him: "When the deputy brigade commander returned to Mamayev Heights, we did not have enough manpower to drive these tanks, so we could only consider organizing them.
A company. The number of tank troops now far exceeds our imagination, so after approval from superiors, it was organized into a tank battalion."
After figuring out what was going on, a relieved smile appeared on Alitai's face. With more tanks, it would be much easier to fight the Germans in the future. He respectfully asked Sokov: "Comrade Brigadier, I don't know.
Where is the commander of the tank battalion? I want to report to him first."
"Colonel Bely." When Sokov heard Aritai say that he wanted to see the commander of the tank battalion, he shouted to Bely who was sleeping on a bench in the corner: "The commander of the third tank company is here, and he wants to see you!"
When Bely heard Sokov's shout, he sat up from the bench, stretched his muscles, got up and walked towards Alitai. He pointed at Alitai with his hand and asked Sokov: "Comrade Brigadier
, is this what you call the third company commander?"
"Yes, Comrade Colonel." Sokov nodded and said, "He is Lieutenant Alitai, commander of the third tank company."
"Hello, Comrade Lieutenant." Bely took the initiative to extend his hand to the other party and said with a smile: "I am Colonel Bely, acting commander of the tank battalion. Welcome to join my team."
When Aritai learned that the colonel in front of him was actually the commander of the tank battalion, he was so surprised that his jaw almost dropped to the ground. He looked at Sokov and asked in a panic: "Comrade Brigade Commander, why is the battalion commander a colonel?" His
The implication is that you are just a lieutenant colonel, how can you command a colonel?
Sokov saw Aritai's confusion, smiled slightly, and then said: "Comrade Lieutenant, there is nothing surprising. In addition to Colonel Bely, the tank battalion commander under my command, there is also the deputy brigade commander Colonel Vitkov.
Colonel Khostnikov of the Air Force is also under my command. This is all for the sake of victory, do you understand?"
"Understood!" Alitai nodded, then tidied up his military appearance, stood up and saluted Bely: "Comrade Battalion Commander, Lieutenant Alitai, commander of the third tank company, is reporting to you. I follow your orders, please give instructions!"
"Comrade Lieutenant," Bely said, holding the opponent's hand, "the tank soldiers of the first and second companies are all affiliated with my tank brigade. They are already familiar with the newly received technical equipment. Therefore, when the battle begins, the first and second companies will
The company will attack the enemy first, while your company will stay as a reserve."
Hearing that he was asked to serve as a reserve team, Alitai felt very uncomfortable, but then he thought about it. Neither he nor his subordinates had driven a tank for several months. As soon as they received the tank, they immediately went into battle. Their cooperation was definitely not as professional as others.
It's not a bad thing to be a tank soldier. Being in the reserve team is not a bad thing. At least you can have more time to get familiar with the equipment. So he nodded and replied: "Comrade Colonel, I will resolutely obey your order."
…………
After daybreak, the German troops stationed in the factory area once again launched a new round of attacks in various areas. However, there was no movement in the section controlled by Sokov, as if it had long been forgotten by the Germans.
Sokov stood on a section of the carriageway in the factory that had not yet collapsed. He raised his telescope and looked into the distance. He could clearly see the German regiment headquarters and the simple defensive positions on the periphery.
When Bely saw Sokov observing the enemy's situation, he climbed up the ladder. When he came to his side, he asked curiously: "Comrade Brigadier, what did you see?"
Sokov handed the binoculars to Bely, pointed with his hand in the direction of the German Army Headquarters, and said to him: "Comrade Colonel, you see, the German Army Headquarters only has simple field fortifications, let alone a tank assault.
A pure infantry charge can also take it down."
After Bely carefully inspected the defense situation of the German headquarters, he put down his telescope and said to Sokov: "Comrade Brigadier, you said that using infantry to attack can capture the enemy's regiment headquarters. I don't deny this.
.But have you ever thought that as long as the Germans set up a few machine guns in the trenches outside the regiment headquarters, they can stop your attack for a long time."
Having said this, Belei drew a big circle in the air with his hand and continued: "Fighting is going on all around the Red October Tractor Factory. As long as the enemy finds out that their regiment headquarters is being attacked, they will definitely come from all directions."
Came to rescue them. In this way, the infantrymen you attack the German regiment headquarters may fall into the enemy's encirclement."
Sokov originally just said it casually, but he didn't expect Belly to take it seriously. He laughed twice, and then said: "Comrade Colonel, I was just joking. When there are enemies on all sides, I am going to
Their command must launch an attack quickly, and to achieve this, they can only rely on your tank troops."
Bely raised his hand to look at his watch, and then said to Sokov: "Comrade Brigade Commander, according to your original plan, we should launch an attack on the enemy at noon. But the enemy opposite us has no intention of attacking at all.
How about we launch an attack in advance?"
The reason why Sokov chose the attack time at noon was because he was worried that the fuel and ammunition needed for the tanks would not be available in time. Seeing that Belly was so eager to join the battle, he asked tentatively: "Are the ammunition and fuel ready?"
"The ammunition and fuel for the first and second companies were prepared for us by the comrades in the factory before dawn." Bely said: "The ammunition and fuel required by the third company may not be ready until the evening. But they are
The reserve team does not need to participate in today's attack, so it does not matter whether they have ammunition and fuel."
Sokov calculated silently in his mind. There were 36 T-34 tanks in the two tank companies. To them, the defense at the German command headquarters was like paper. It only took a light poke to break it.
Whether Alitai's third company participated in the battle or not is really irrelevant.
He looked up at the clear sky and said to Bely: "Comrade Colonel, it is very easy for you to eliminate the German command. The only thing I worry about is that you will be attacked when you retreat after completing the mission.
German planes are bombing, so before you dispatch, I want to contact Colonel Khostnikov of the Air Force and ask him to send planes here to support you."
"Comrade Brigade Commander, can you really mobilize the air force?" Bely asked in surprise: "When I heard you say that last night, I thought you were bragging?"
Sokov replied with a bit of laughter and tears: "Comrade Colonel, you can make other jokes, but when it comes to the issue that determines our life and death, you must not joke around. Yes, there is indeed a flying group under my command. I immediately and
Get in touch with their regiment leader and ask him to send planes for support. You can prepare now, your attack will begin at ten o'clock sharp."
"I have another question." Before leaving, Belly asked Sokov: "Which troops do you plan to send to cooperate with us in the battle? I have carefully looked at the regular troops defending the factory, only more than a hundred people.
If you let them accompany us in the attack, your defense here will become empty."
"It doesn't matter." Sokov replied: "We have dozens of tanks attacking the enemy. The enemy has to consider not how to attack, but how to defend. I will let Captain Brisky lead his men
As you move along, as for the defense of the factory, I will leave it to the militiamen in the assembly workshop for the time being."
After Bely left, Sokov called Yakov who was staying in the basement: "Yakov, you immediately ask my telegraph operator to send a telegram to Colonel Khostnikov of the Air Force to inform him of the attack.
The time was advanced from noon to 10 a.m., so that he must send at least one squadron of fighter jets to provide air support for the attacking tank troops."
"Don't worry, Misha." Yakov assured Sokov: "I will definitely handle your affairs properly."
As soon as the time came for the attack, the thirty-six tanks of the tank battalion were divided into six rows, with six tanks in each row, and rushed towards the enemy's regiment headquarters. The tanks bypassed the factory building and moved cautiously in the open space full of bomb craters.
They circled around to avoid falling into the pit. As soon as they left the factory area, they began to accelerate and rushed towards the German headquarters.
Yakov was eager to know how the battle was going, so he left the basement and came to Sokov's observation point. He asked curiously: "Misha, how is the situation?"
"The tank has just left the factory area and is launching an attack on the enemy's regiment headquarters." After saying this, Sokov pointed forward with his hand and said excitedly: "The enemy has discovered our tank and is making defense preparations."
Yakov raised his telescope and looked in the direction Sokov was pointing. He saw German soldiers in the German command headquarters jumping into the trenches one after another and placing their guns on the edge of the trenches, preparing to block the Soviet attack.
Behind the trenches, there were even soldiers launching several anti-tank guns.
Seeing the appearance of tank guns, Yakov was shocked at first, but soon calmed down. He was also an artilleryman, so he naturally recognized the anti-tank guns introduced by the Germans, which were known as "stepping stones" 37
mm anti-tank gun, knowing that this kind of artillery could not penetrate the frontal armor of the Soviet T-34 tank, he smiled and said to Sokov: "Misha, did you see it? The Germans actually pushed back their stepping stone.
Coming out and trying to stop our tank attack is simply a daydream."
Sokov also saw the German anti-tank gun. He was a little worried at first, but when he heard Yakov said that it was an anti-tank gun known as a "stepping stone", he felt much relieved. He knew that the T-34 tank
At such a speed, the Germans would not be able to fire more than two shots before they would be crushed to pieces by the tracks. What he was worried about now was that the infantry led by Briskey was too slow and the distance between them and the tanks had been widened.
"Misha," Yakov apparently noticed what Sokov was worried about. He turned to ask Sokov: "Why don't you let the infantry charge in tanks?"
Sokov said with a wry smile: "I originally wanted to put all the infantry on tanks, but Colonel Bely said that if we were shelled and machine-gunned by the Germans during the attack, our infantry would suffer heavy losses. Therefore,
The tanks will rush ahead, while the infantry lags far behind. It seems that we can only wait for the tanks to break through the enemy's defense line, and then the infantry will come up to clean up the mess."
When the Soviet tanks were still 800 meters away from the German trenches, the German anti-tank guns opened fire. The shells fired by the five anti-tank guns all hit the open space, raising clouds of mud into the sky. German artillery
The quality was very good. Only ten seconds later, a second round of artillery shells was fired. This time, one of the shells finally hit the front of a tank.
Seeing a tank being hit, the German artillerymen immediately cheered, but they soon discovered that they were happy too early. The tank that was hit still rushed forward without hesitation, except for one on the front armor.
Other than the white dent, the base was not damaged.
Although they knew that their anti-tank guns could not cause any damage to Soviet tanks, the artillerymen kept loading, firing, loading, and firing, trying to prevent the Soviet tanks from approaching their trenches.
When they were still 800 meters away from the trench, the Soviet tanks stopped one after another, and they bombarded the German position with tank artillery. The German army only had a simple trench, and if it could withstand the tank bombardment, it would be beaten soon.
The bodies of soldiers hiding in the trenches were constantly being lifted up into the sky by the air waves from the explosions, and then scattered down in pieces.
The infantry was badly beaten, and the artillery was not much better. The anti-tank gun that was directly hit by the tank gun was blown into parts. Even if there was no direct hit, the shell landed next to the anti-tank gun and exploded, flying everywhere.
Shrapnel will also cut down German artillery.
However, the tenacious German artillerymen did not abandon their artillery and run away. Instead, they continued to stick to their posts and kept shooting at Soviet tanks, trying to destroy one or two by chance.
