With a "bang", Han En was shot in the head as soon as he popped up. He fell back into the tank cabin without even a grunt.
Perhaps it all happened so fast that the tank crew didn't even react at that moment. They thought the commander came back because he missed a step or was avoiding bullets.
It wasn't until he noticed that the commander didn't respond for a while that the clever gunner suddenly realized what had happened.
"Close the hatch, close the hatch!" the gunner yelled, "Close the damn hatch!"
The electromechanical crew ducked into the hatch cover quickly. The tank was as familiar to them as their own home, and they could move skillfully and accurately even in the dark.
But it's too late...
Just as the electromechanical man reached out to close the hatch cover, a smoking grenade was thrown in from the outside at the right time.
The electromechanical operator still pulled the hatch cover and buckled it in his inertial thinking.
There was a muffled "boom" sound, just like the sound of firecrackers exploding in a tin can.
In fact, because the tank armor is so thick, the sound may be much quieter than a firecracker.
But that doesn't mean it's less harmful.
During subsequent inspections, it was found that most of the tank crewmen were bleeding to death from their orifices, but one survived... They did not die from grenade shrapnel, but from the sudden increase in pressure in the confined space.
At this time, Walter didn't even know what happened to car No. 7, and was still calling again and again.
However, this situation did not last long, because he soon discovered that there were several dark shadows vaguely appearing on the steel beams above.
"We should retreat, Captain!" the gunner said in a panic: "If we don't leave, it will be too late!"
"Retreat!" Walter ordered.
Walter was a mature commander, although his order seemed very unkind: the commander of the No. 7 car kept asking for a retreat, but was always rejected. However, after the No. 7 car was blown up, Walter himself chose to escape.
This is indeed inappropriate from a moral and courage perspective, but this is how it should be done on the battlefield.
Excluding all other rational analysis, if Car No. 6 remains here at this time, there is only one end: it will be blown up like Car No. 7 and will be unable to play any role.
Judging from this reality, no rational commander would choose to stay.
But God was not in his favor. The tank did not move forward after starting, no matter how hard the driver stepped on the accelerator.
So Walter and others knew what was waiting for them.
The two tanks were eliminated by the Soviet army without much effort. The second one was detonated by a naval soldier with an explosive pack... The naval soldiers jumped over the tank from the steel beam, then jumped to the other end of the tank and tied the explosive pack to the tank.
Explosions were carried out on the tank.
Just hearing a "boom", the entire tank was blown into a ball of fire.
The next thing is easy. The naval infantry tied the ropes to the steel beams, then lifted the prepared bags of explosives to the bridge piers, tied them in a circle, tied the wires, and detonated them immediately.
With a loud bang, the railway bridge was blown into the sky.
"retreat!"
"retreat!"
…
Because they were driving amphibious landing craft, the Soviet troops retreated without a trace in just a moment.
At this time, the German artillery was still struggling to cope with the sneak attack of the Soviet assault company.
Captain Hatuchev did not report to the division headquarters immediately after crossing the Tsaritsa River. He waited on the river bank for a long time.
"I told them to retreat when they see an explosion in the direction of the railway bridge!" Captain Hatuchev said.
Shulka nodded in understanding.
Khatuchev hopes that some members of the commando team can come back...but this is obviously a wishful thinking. As soon as the battle begins, this company must penetrate into enemy-occupied areas as quickly as possible and attack everywhere, hoping to make a successful retreat.
Still difficult.
Sure enough, after waiting for a long time, no amphibious landing ship returned.
However, Shulka later learned that there were indeed survivors in this commando team. Several of them had been hiding in the buildings and ruins after completing their mission. With the secret help of the Soviet people, they persisted until the Soviet counterattack.
These are all things for later.
Shulka handed Khatuchev a cigarette and said: "Comrade Captain, Batrakov is waiting for our news!"
Captain Hatuchev nodded, and after taking one last look towards the river, he reluctantly boarded the amphibious landing ship with Shulka.
In fact, Batrakov had already received the news. When Shulka and Captain Hatuchev walked into the headquarters, Batrakov was on the phone with the army headquarters.
"Yes, Comrade Golikov!" Batrakov said excitedly: "We have blown up the railway bridge, and a division of the enemy's men and equipment are trapped on the north bank of the Tsaritsa River!"
"Yes, I promise to complete the task!"
"clear!"
…
When Batrakov put down the phone, he gave Shulka and Captain Hatuchev a warm hug, then shook hands and said with a happy smile: "Thank you, Comrade Shulka, Comrade Hatuchev! You guys
Your heroic act changed the situation and you saved everyone! Now..."
As he spoke, Batrakov pulled the two of them to the map and said: "Our superiors asked us to surround and destroy the enemy. How do you think we should fight this battle?"
Shulka couldn't help being shocked when he heard this.
He glanced at Batrakov and asked: "Is this an order from Comrade Golikov?"
"You can say that!" Batrakov replied: "But of course, Comrade Golikov's order is for us to seize this opportunity to teach these enemies a lesson!"
Shulka breathed a sigh of relief after hearing this.
He actually knew that Golikov was unlikely to issue such an order. The reason was that Stalingrad at this time was not strong enough and should focus on defense. What Batrakov said was too radical.
Commanders who are inexperienced on the battlefield often make such mistakes. They easily go to extremes. Just as they will be dejected and at a loss when the situation is unfavorable, and they will be overly optimistic when the situation improves.
"I think this is unrealistic, Comrade Batrakov!" Shulka said: "Although we blew up the railway bridge, it does not mean that we can surround and annihilate them! First of all, they have backed up on the north bank.
The river has built a complete fortification. Secondly, they still maintain artillery fire and air superiority. Thirdly, with artillery fire and air superiority, they can even easily use fishing boats to provide supplies and even build pontoons!"
After a pause, Shulka added: "Of course, it is difficult to sustain their attack with supplies from fishing boats and pontoons, but the defense is still more than enough!"
"We have reinforcements, Comrade Shulka!" Batrakov said: "Comrade Golikov will send us two divisions of reinforcements, as well as an artillery regiment and two rocket launcher battalions... These troops were originally
They are used to reinforce us to recapture the railway bridge!" (To be continued)