As usual, the German attack consisted of aircraft and artillery bombardments.
However, the intensity of the bombing was not great. This was not only because the German army knew that there were not many Soviet troops on the defense line, but also because the German army was at the end of its logistical struggle and could not use artillery shells as extravagantly as at the beginning of the war.
However, Colonel Jonas did not stop the attack. He asked the German infantry to clear obstacles in front of the tanks...cut the barbed wire, blow up the roadblocks, clear mines, and fill in the anti-tank trenches and the mud that the tanks might sink into.
land.
The German infantry and tanks attacked each other while covering each other, and at the same time they also pushed forward with difficulty.
Through the telescope, Colonel Jonas could see the tired eyes of the German soldiers and their lips that were blue from the cold in the muddy water.
What pleased Colonel Jonas was that despite this, the soldiers continued to attack around the tanks with their guns drawn, moving forward fearlessly and fearlessly.
Finally, the tank troops cleared the roadblocks and "rumbled" to attack the Russian trenches.
Colonel Jonas ordered: "Order the troops to maintain formation and beware of enemy anti-tank guns and T34 tanks!"
"Yes, Colonel!"
"Did the Air Force find anything?" Colonel Jonas asked.
"No, nothing!" the signal soldier replied.
Then, the adjutant reported: "Colonel, the enemy has retreated!"
Colonel Jonas nodded, and everything on the battlefield seemed to confirm his idea... The enemy planned to withdraw to the Istria Reservoir for defense.
The following battle seemed to further illustrate this point. Throughout the whole day, the German armored division's attack was not effectively blocked. The bigger difficulty the German army faced seemed not to be the enemy, but how to keep the tanks in the mines in this severe cold weather.
They had to advance through areas and mud, and sometimes their engineers had to brave artillery fire to repair bridges.
During this period, Colonel Jonas called the Fourth Army Commander Kruger.
"Your Excellency Marshal!" Colonel Jonas said: "I believe that the Russians are ready to blow up the Istria Reservoir. If we do not have airborne troops or Brandenburg troops to raid... in this direction
There is no point in attacking!"
"Even so, we have to force them to blow up the reservoir!" Marshal Kruger replied: "In this way, their troops attacking Tver will fall into our encirclement. Continue the attack!"
"Yes, Your Excellency Marshal!" Colonel Jonas replied.
In the evening, the German attack finally came to an end. The soldiers dragged their tired bodies to build trenches and laid mines outside the trenches... This was the German army's procedure before it got dark. They called it a "blockade position".
I am worried that the enemy will launch a surprise attack at night.
After doing this, they dared to set up their tent and enjoy their dinner.
Dinner was a piece of cold, hard bread, and they did not dare to light a fire in the dark for fear that the enemy on the other side would shoot at them.
As usual, Colonel Jonas took his adjutant to the front line for inspection at this time. He thought this was a good opportunity to boost the morale of the troops.
"Well done!" Colonel Jonas patted the soldier on the shoulder from time to time and shook hands with the soldier.
"Colonel!" a soldier asked Jonas while chewing bread: "I want to know when our coats will arrive? So far, each squad has only got one, and we don't know who should wear it!"
Colonel Jonas stopped and then replied: "Are you still worried about this, Second Lieutenant? Do you know how far we will advance today? 16 kilometers! At this speed, we can reach Moscow in just 5 days.
!”
The soldiers laughed loudly and then discussed:
"Yes, you will have everything when you arrive in Moscow!"
"There is a warm stove and a dry quilt!"
"And Moscow women!"
…
Then the German soldiers laughed.
There are always a few dirty jokes in the army, which is a way for them to relieve loneliness and stress.
But at this moment, the whistling sound of artillery shells was heard in the sky.
"Hidden!" Colonel Jonas shouted, turned over and hid in the trench.
There was a burst of "boom", and several artillery shells exploded near the trench, kicking up balls of mud and gravel and falling "swish" from the sky.
Colonel Jonas thought these were just a few stray bullets, the kind that the enemy would casually fire in the direction of the enemy when he was interested.
But he soon realized that was not the case.
Because more artillery shells followed immediately, Colonel Jonas could tell from the sound that they were howitzers and mortars...
Mortar?!
This shocked Colonel Jonas. He knew that the Soviet 82mm caliber mortar had a range of only 3 kilometers, which meant that the enemy was very close to the German defense line. Then Colonel Jonas immediately realized that this
It was a Russian attack.
"Get ready to fight!" Colonel Jonas shouted: "The enemy attacks!"
"Ready to fight!"
"Ready to fight!"
…
The order was passed down one after another, and the German soldiers emerged from the trenches one by one and set up rifles and machine guns on the trenches.
The adjutant shouted a message through the walkie-talkie, ordering the tank crew and artillery to get ready.
There is no need for the Air Force to notify them, and even if they did, they would not be able to help at this night.
In fact, the tank crew only asked them to start the tank in case they were unprepared, and it was difficult for them to help at night.
"They are crazy!" Colonel Jonas complained: "They launched an attack at night. We will give them a lesson!"
It is not surprising that Colonel Jonas would have such an idea, because the terrain nearby is empty, and launching an attack without tank cover is almost courting death.
However, when several rounds of illumination bombs were fired into the air to illuminate the front of the position, Colonel Jonas could not help but be stunned... He saw the Russian army attacking under the cover of tanks.
"T34, t34 is everywhere!"
"How did they get here?"
…
Colonel Jonas heard the panicked shouts of the soldiers.
This is also what Colonel Jonas wants to know, how did these T34s get here?
There is a river two hundred meters in front of the German defense line. The bridge on the river has been blown up when the Russians retreated. At the same time, Colonel Jonas did not see or hear any pontoon bridges... Could these T34s have flown over?
?!
But no matter what, they are indeed coming, and they are right in front of you!
"Call the tanks up!" Colonel Jonas ordered loudly.
Although he knew that calling the tanks up would be useless, because the German tanks were no match for the T34, whether it was day or night.
However, apart from calling the tanks to fight for a while, what else can be done?