Red Moscow

   Chapter 344 Armored Train No. 74

  As soon as Sokov returned to his headquarters, he was welcomed by everyone. Belgin shook his hand and said excitedly: "Comrade brigade commander, you are back. The commanders and fighters of the whole brigade have been thinking about you."

   "Comrade Commissar," Sokov said excitedly, holding Belkin's hand, "I've been thinking about you too. How is it, the enemy hasn't moved?"

   "No, Comrade Brigadier Commander." It was Chief of Staff Sidolin who answered Sokov's question. After a period of running-in, he has fully adapted to the working environment here in the 73rd Infantry Brigade. "The vicinity of Mamayev Hill is very calm, neither traces of the enemy have been found, nor has it been shelled or bombed by the enemy."

   "Has the third battalion returned?" Although the third battalion led by Andre had left the Aksay River defense line a day ago, Sukov worried that they would be absorbed by other troops on the way, so he asked a special question.

"I'm back!" Hearing Sokov's question, Belkin replied happily: "When the whole battalion left, there were only more than 800 people, and when they came back, there were more than 1,200 people. With six 76.2mm cannons, our chances of holding Mamayev Post will be even greater."

   Just when Sokov was about to call Andre over to ask about Jiulian's supplementary situation, the phone on the desk rang. Sidolin picked up the phone and listened for a while, then held the receiver and said to Sokov: "Comrade Brigadier, the first battalion reported that a German tank was found in the northwest direction of the railway."

"German tanks?!" Sidolin's news surprised Sokov. Although the German army is approaching Stalingrad step by step, Mamayev Hill belongs to the depth of the Soviet army's defense after all. Rushing here means that they have successfully broken through a series of Soviet defense lines. He quickly asked, "How many tanks does the enemy have?"

Sidolin quickly asked into the microphone: "The brigade commander asked, how many tanks does the enemy have?" After a while, his brows frowned, "What, I don't know? What are you doing for food? Even the number of enemy tanks is out of control." I don't know..."

   "Comrade Chief of Staff," Sokov interrupted Sidolin and asked with a serious expression, "Who is calling?"

"It's the first battalion commander, Captain Vanya." Sidolin quickly covered the microphone and reported to Sokov: "He said that he was close to the checkpoint on the railway and found enemy tanks in the distance. Report and call."

"Give me the phone." Sokov walked over, took the phone and put it in his ear: "Hello, Captain Vanya? I'm Sokov, tell me the situation in your place in detail, what's going on?" What's going on?"

   "Comrade Brigadier, are you back?" Vanya asked in surprise.

   "Just came back. Comrade Captain, now is not the time to reminisce about the past. Please report to me the situation in your place in detail."

"That's right, Comrade Brigadier." Vanya replied quickly and respectfully: "A few minutes ago, the sentry reported to me that he saw dust flying in the distance, and it seemed that a tank force was heading towards us. Come here."

   "Can you confirm that these tanks belong to the enemy?" Sokov said coldly: "Even if they are enemy tanks, you should find out how many there are and what type they are."

   "Comrade Brigadier, I was wrong." Vanya quickly stated to Sokov, "I will send someone to make it clear immediately."

   "I'll give you five minutes." Sokov said in an unquestionable tone: "After five minutes, tell me the details of the enemy." After finishing speaking, he hung up the phone without waiting for the other party to speak.

   "Comrade Brigadier," Sidolin asked cautiously, "Will five minutes be too little?"

"A lot, Comrade Chief of Staff." Sokov stared at Sidolin and said: "If it is really a German tank unit, five minutes is enough for them to cross the railway line and rush to the vicinity of Mamayev Post. Ender Where are the six cannons Lie brought back?"

  Sidorin was stunned by Sokov's leaping thinking. He hesitated for a moment, and then said, "It's hidden behind the Mamayev Hill."

   "Chief of Staff, immediately call the Third Battalion Commander, Captain Andrei, and the Artillery Company Commander, Lieutenant Porochenko, here." Sokov said in an orderly tone: "Hurry up, I will assign combat missions to them."

   Five minutes later, Sokov dialed the number of the headquarters of the first battalion, and asked straight to the point: "Captain Vanya, have you figured everything out? What kind of troops does the enemy have?"

"Yes, Comrade Brigadier, everything is clear." Vanya replied on the phone: "This may be a fast column of the German army. In addition to one Panzer IV, there are five 35t and 38t models. Light tanks, plus an equal number of armored personnel carriers."

   "I see." After figuring out the enemy's strength, Sokov continued: "Let your soldiers prepare for battle immediately. You must not let the enemy's tanks cross your line of defense, understand?"

   "However, Comrade Brigadier Commander, our battalion does not have anti-tank weapons." Vanya said awkwardly: "It is very difficult to block the enemy's tanks. Look, is the dog company brought up?"

   "No, Comrade Captain, this is absolutely not possible." Sokov knew very well that good steel was used on the blade. How could the dog company responsible for bombing German tanks be used to deal with German light tanks? So he said simply: "Since the enemy is all light tanks, you can blow them up with cluster grenades. Don't worry, I won't let you fight alone. You will be supported by artillery fire."

  As soon as the phone was put down here, Andrei and Porochenko walked into the tent. Sokov turned to Porochenko and said: "Comrade Lieutenant, I got six 76.2mm cannons from other places, and from now on, they will be officially equipped for your company."

  Porochenko, who has been an infantry soldier for a long time, was overjoyed when he heard Sokov say this, and quickly said: "Great, this is really great. But comrade brigade commander, where are these cannons now?"

  Sokov pointed at Andrei: "You have to ask Captain Andrei about this, because he brought these artillery back with people."

   "Lieutenant Porochenko," Andrei smiled at Porochenko and said, "I will take you to receive these artillery later."

"Don't wait, go now." Sokov said to the two: "A fast column of the German army is coming towards our Mamayev hill. Lieutenant Porochenko, I now order you , Immediately set up an artillery position on the hillside and bombard the German fast column. And you, Captain Andrei, mobilize some soldiers to help the artillery company push the artillery up the hillside."

   Pushing the cannon up the hillside is quite simple to say, but it is not so easy to implement it. After all, the cannons were so heavy, and there was no decent way uphill. Even with the help of the soldiers from the third battalion, it would not be possible to pull all the cannons up the mountain in a short while.

  Sokov and Belkin passed through the tunnel and came to the observation post on the hillside. When he raised his binoculars and looked into the distance, he saw enemy tanks parked about 300 meters away from the front position of the first battalion, bombarding the firing points of the machine guns with artillery fire, covering the soldiers behind and jumping off the armored vehicles. Quickly seize favorable terrain.

   "Comrade Brigadier," seeing his troops being crushed and beaten by German tanks, Belkin seemed a little anxious: "The first battalion has no anti-tank weapons. They will suffer a lot in such a battle."

"We are at a disadvantage in terms of equipment, and there are still many such battles to be fought in the future." Seeing Belkin's worried expression, Sokov comforted him and said, "But don't worry, the enemies are all light tanks. They can't break through to a battalion. As soon as they get close to our trenches, Vanya will arrange for soldiers to blow up these tanks with cluster grenades."

  What happened next surprised Sokov. From the factory area in the north, an armored train with only one carriage suddenly drove up. Since this armored train had to go back and forth twice a day, Sokov also recognized that it was armored train No. 74. Its armored car adopts a unique three-turret structure. The front and rear two large turrets are each equipped with a M1902/30 76.2mm gun, and the small turret in the middle uses the turret of a T-26 light tank.

  The armored train drove to the middle of the two armies and stopped, and the three turrets on the roof fired at the enemy not far away at the same time. The armored train fired at such a short distance, and the shells easily tore through the thin armor on the front of the German light tank. After the violent explosion, the turret was blown up.

  The artillery on the train continued to fire, and the German tanks were beaten terribly. The turrets flew into the sky with the sound of explosions, and they were blown open and turned into flaming torches.

Seeing this, Sokov said with emotion: "The German light tanks are simply vulnerable to our armored trains. Comrade political commissar, you see, the German infantry has begun to retreat. If Vanya is smarter, he will We should command the troops to launch a charge, and maybe we can wipe out this group of enemies."

   As soon as Sokov finished speaking, he saw countless soldiers jumping out of the trenches, holding weapons and rushing towards the fleeing German soldiers. If there were no armored trains, these German soldiers would still have a chance to escape after the attack failed. But now they are within the firing range of the armored train. If they run to the left, the shells will fall on the left; Commanders surrendered.

   This battle, due to the participation of Soviet armored trains, ended in only ten minutes. At this time, the artillery company and the soldiers of the third battalion were still on the hillside, pulling the artillery to climb the mountain.

"It's great, Comrade Brigadier Commander, this is simply great." After witnessing the whole battle process with his own eyes, Belkin said with some excitement: "If we can have a few more armored trains like this, then no matter how many come enemies, we smashed their attacks."

"Comrade Commissar, you are too optimistic." Seeing that Belkin was a little carried away, Sokov quickly reminded him: "Don't look at the armored train with its strong mobility and powerful firepower. It can withstand the attack of small-caliber artillery and has certain capabilities. Its air defense capability can even be used as a means of carrying infantry to assist friendly forces in rapid maneuvers when necessary.

   However, its shortcomings are also obvious. For example, it completely relies on a sound railway network. Once the enemy destroys the railway in the direction of the armored train during the battle, it will stop on the rails and become a target for enemy artillery or aircraft attacks. Therefore, for armored trains, an intact railway line is more important than the guns on the train. Also, the operation of trains requires sufficient water and coal, and the dependence on logistics is very serious. "

Regarding Sokov's statement, Belgin pondered for a long time, finally nodded, and said: "Comrade Brigadier, you are right, although the power of the armored train is not small, but if the railway line it depends on for survival If it is destroyed, it can only stop there and move, and in the end, it will either be blown up by German artillery or planes, or it will be captured by the Germans, and then turn their guns to hit us."

Sokov watched the soldiers cleaning the battlefield in the distance with a telescope, and couldn't help but said to himself: "Those armored vehicles seem to be intact. Someone should drive them back and hide them. Maybe someday It will come in handy."

Fortunately, there was a phone in the observation station. Sokov picked up the phone on the table and dialed the tank company. The company commander Ali Tai who answered the phone said loudly: "Lieutenant Ali Tai, I am Sokov. Let me tell you something. The good news is that the 1st Battalion captured several German armored vehicles in the just-concluded battle, you immediately take people to drive them back, and then find a place to hide."

   "Only armored vehicles, what about tanks?" Alitai asked with a hint of luck: "Hasn't a single tank been captured?"

   "No, Comrade Lieutenant, the German tanks have been destroyed by our armored trains." Sokov urged: "Don't dawdle, hurry up and take someone to bring the armored vehicles back."

"Comrade Brigadier," Alitai asked Sokov before he was about to put down the phone: "After bringing the armored vehicle back, do we need to paint it again, paint out the white cross on it, and replace it with our five-star one?" ?”

"No, everything remains the same." Sukov suddenly had a new idea in his heart. He felt that when the battle broke out near Mamayev Gang, these armored vehicles might be of great use, so he specially told Ali Tai : "Remember, after the armored vehicle comes back, it must be well concealed, and it must not be blown up by the German planes."

"Don't worry, Comrade Brigadier Commander." Although Alitai didn't understand why Sokov asked him to bring someone back to bring the armored vehicles back without making any changes, he still replied respectfully, "Wait until these armored vehicles drive back." When I come back, I will definitely let someone take good care of it.”

  (end of this chapter)