Red Moscow

  Chapter 514 Factory Defense Battle (10)

  According to Sokov's plan, the tanks drove out from the west side of the factory building, made a circle in the open space to the north, and then left from the east side of the factory building. Unexpectedly, when the tank drove to the open space in the north, unexpected problems appeared. There were large and small bullet craters everywhere, blocking the way of the tank.

   Seeing this situation, Sokov scratched the back of his head, and said to Guriyev in embarrassment: "Comrade General, I am really sorry to let you watch a joke."

"Lieutenant Colonel Sokov," Guriyev couldn't help but smile when he saw Sokov's deflated look, and said with a smile, "Too many bomb craters is certainly a bad thing for you, but it's also a bad thing for the Germans." Not a good thing. If the craters can stop your tanks, they can also stop the German tanks."

  Since the anti-aircraft guns on the roof were disabled, Sokov has been worrying about what weapons to use against enemy tanks? Although the new rockets are powerful, but when used to hit fast-moving tanks, the hit rate is not satisfactory. Now Guriyev’s words have reminded Sokov that there are hundreds of bomb craters distributed on the nearly one kilometer distance from the fence to the factory building. After the German tanks rushed in from outside the factory area, they were bound to be slowed down by these craters. Speed, and then use the new rockets to attack at that time, and you will be able to achieve huge results.

   "Comrade workshop director," Guriyev waved to Cousteau who was standing not far away, "Please come to me!"

   Cousteau trotted up to Guriyev, and asked respectfully, "Comrade General, what instructions do you have?"

  Guriyev pointed at the tanks blocked by the bomb crater, and said: "Comrade workshop director, your tanks have stopped, you should find a way to make them move."

   "Make them move?!" Guriyev's words made Cousteau dumbfounded, and he asked without thinking: "Comrade General, how to make them move?"

"If I remember correctly, there should be bulldozers in the workshop," Guriev reminded Cousteau, seeing that he was at a loss, "Let the bulldozers fill up the crater so that the tanks can move on. "

   "General Tong, what you said makes sense, I'll arrange it right away." Cousteau turned and left after saying this.

After Cousteau walked away, Guriyev asked Sokov with a serious expression: "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, I want to ask you, if the Germans concentrate their forces to attack here, how long can you hold on?" No After Sokov replied, he added, "I hope to hear the truth, but the kind of perfunctory rhetoric from the superior."

"It's hard to say, Comrade General." Regarding Guriyev's question, Sokov hesitated for a moment and replied: "If the enemy still maintains the scale of today's offensive, then hold on for half a month or even longer, we will I guess there should be no problem."

  Sokov's answer surprised Guriyev. According to his thinking, with the three hundred people under Sokov and the hundreds of workers in the workshop, as long as the German army's attacking force exceeds one battalion, they will be unable to resist it at all. Unexpectedly, Sokov was so confident that he could stick to it for half a month.

  The German troops Guriyev considered attacking the factory have suddenly doubled today. If they want to use this as a breakthrough, additional troops are inevitable. Thinking of this, he asked with some concern: "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, let me ask you, if the enemy doubles the attacking force, how long do you think you can hold out?"

  Sokov closed his eyes slightly, and silently calculated the number of German troops that the new rockets could destroy. Then he opened his eyes and said, "Comrade General, I can't guarantee more, but if you stick to it for three to five days, there should be no problem."

  Guriyev came to the assembly workshop today, just to know how long Sokov and the others can last in the face of the ferocious fortifications of the German army? According to his estimation, being able to hold out for 48 hours is already very remarkable. After all, the only troops that are truly capable of fighting are the more than 300 people that Sokov brought from Mamayev Hill. Unexpectedly, Sokov's answer exceeded his expectations. He smiled a little awkwardly and said, "Really? Can you survive the onslaught of the German army for such a long time?"

Seeing that Guriyev was skeptical of his statement, Sokov did not defend himself. He thought to himself: tactics like "crossing the sky and the sea" must be impossible to think of with your IQ, so naturally you can't understand this. The power of the scheme. But now that Guriyev's question has been asked, he can only reply tactfully: "Don't worry, Comrade General, we have the confidence to stick to this place."

  The two were talking when they suddenly saw a three-wheeled motorcycle approaching from a distance. Sokov saw clearly that an officer wearing a big-brimmed hat was sitting on the sidecar, and couldn't help but said curiously: "Comrade General, look, a motorcycle is coming over there, and it seems to be delivering a letter somewhere."

  Guriyev heard Sokov say this, and couldn't help turning his head to look. When he saw the motorcycle passing by, his face suddenly turned livid. Not long after, the motorcycle stopped in front of the factory building. The officer jumped out of the sidecar and trotted to Guriyev. He pulled out the folder under his arm and took out a piece of paper. Handed it to Guriyev, and said in his mouth: "Comrade commander, this is a call from our army headquarters."

   "A telegram sent to us by the Army Group Command?" When Guriyev took the telegram, he couldn't help asking, "Did something happen?"

   After Guriyev read the contents of the telegram, his face became even uglier. He folded the telegram and stuffed it into his briefcase, then tried to squeeze a smile on his face, and said to Sokov: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, something urgent happened here, and I need to return to the division headquarters immediately. Please take care of everything here.”

   After saying this, Guriyev took the accompanying guards and followed the motorcycle that reported the news to the division headquarters. Guriyev looked at the fading assembly workshop and thought to himself: If the information given to us by the superior is true, then we should re-adjust the deployment and prolong the time of holding the defense zone as much as possible.

  As soon as Guriyev returned to the headquarters, he couldn't wait to ask Zalijuk: "Comrade Chief of Staff, is the information you sent just now true?"

"Yes, Comrade Division Commander." Zalijuk nodded vigorously, and said in an affirmative tone: "According to the information sent back by the scouts of the group army, the German 24th Armored Division is heading north, and it seems that it is also here to attack. From the Red October factory."

   "Damn, what a hell." Guriyev said angrily: "Our troops lack all kinds of anti-tank weapons. If the Germans use armored forces to carry out assaults, we will not be able to stop them at all."

  Zaljuk reported to Guriyev: "Comrade Commander, if the 24th Armored Division wants to go north, it will definitely pass Mamayev Post, and the infantry brigade standing there will give them a head-on blow."

"Comrade Chief of Staff, you are really too optimistic." Guriyev poured cold water on Zalijuk without hesitation: "Do you think the troops standing on Mamayev Post will have anti-tank weapons? ? I just came back from the assembly workshop, at least there, I didn't see what kind of weapons the soldiers of the infantry brigade were equipped with."

Guriyev's words silenced Zalijuk. He knew very well that once the German armored divisions were put into battle, it would be the last straw that broke the camel's back. The German army collapsed under the fierce attack, and his own army, which was placed high hopes by its superiors, was in danger of being wiped out.

  Thinking of this, Guriyev asked Zalidyuk: "Comrade Chief of Staff, according to the normal speed, how long will it take for the German army to reach the Red October factory?"

Zalijuk did not answer this question, but picked up a telegram on the table and looked down. The content of the telegram was the same as the telegram he sent to Guriyev. It was a reconnaissance forwarded by the Army Group Command. The soldiers reported that the 24th Armored Division of the German Army was moving north, and it seemed that it was preparing to cooperate with the 295th Infantry Division and the 100th Jager Division to jointly capture the Red October Factory.

"Comrade Commander," Zalijuk said to Guriyev when he raised his head again, "If the Germans use their armored divisions to attack residential areas where the terrain is not conducive to the deployment of armored troops, we can still find ways to block them." What I am worried about now is that the enemy will choose the breakthrough point in the north of the factory area. The terrain there is very suitable for the assault of the armored troops. In addition, the defenders in that direction have no anti-tank weapons. Facing the torrent of steel rushing up, they must It is irresistible. As long as the enemy occupies the factory building of the assembly workshop, he will use it as the starting point of the attack to launch an assault to our rear, and then we will be surrounded by the enemy."

  For the vast number of Soviet commanders and fighters, being encircled means that this unit is facing the end of being wiped out at any time. Regarding this situation, neither Guriyev nor Zalijuk wanted to see it.

"Comrade Chief of Staff." Seeing that Zalityuk did not answer the question he was most anxious to know, Guriyev took the trouble to ask the question again: "I want to know how long the 24th Panzer Division of the German Army has, and how long will it be able to do so?" reach us?"

   "I estimate that they only need two hours to reach the residential area." Zalijuk said: "If they want to reach the north of the factory area, it may take another hour."

"So, if the 24th Armored Division of the German army wants to attack the north of the factory area, it will have to wait three hours at the earliest?" Guriyev paused intentionally after asking this question, waiting for Zalijuk to give himself an accurate answer. .

"That's right, Comrade Division Commander." Zalijuk nodded and said, "If the Germans really regard the north of the factory area as a breakthrough, then it only takes three hours or less for their armored division to move towards the assembly line." The workshop attacks."

   "The 120th Guards Regiment left one battalion," Guriyev stared at the map for a while, and then decisively issued an order: "The other two battalions immediately rushed to the assembly workshop to strengthen the defense there."

Guriyev's words startled Zalijuk, and he quickly reminded the other party: "Comrade commander, the 120th Guards Regiment cannot be transferred away. The mission of this regiment is not only to guard the main entrance of the factory, but also to fight against the enemy in critical situations." Always go to reinforce the 112th and 117th regiments who are sticking to the residential areas. If they are transferred away, what can we use to support the troops who are sticking to the residential areas?"

"Didn't I leave a battalion behind?" Guriyev said impatiently, seeing Zalijuk pushing back and forth, "If the defenders in the residential area need support, just transfer this battalion. But if not Strengthen the defense of the assembly workshop, once the German army breaks into the factory area, we will not be able to escape the fate of being surrounded."

Seeing that Guriyev was so stubborn, Zalityuk knew that there would be no results if he continued to persuade him, so he could only bite the bullet and say: "Okay, Comrade Commander, since you have made a decision, I will immediately arrange for the troops to be dispatched." transfer."

Before Zalijuk could arrange the mobilization of troops, a distress call came in. The head of the 112th regiment said anxiously: "Comrade commander, the situation here is very bad. The German army has occupied seven or eight buildings in a row. If you don't send reinforcements to us and drive the enemy out of these buildings, they'll gain a foothold there."

   Regarding the request of the head of the 112th Regiment, Zalijuk did not dare to make decisions without authorization. He could only look to Guriyev for help, hoping to get useful information from him. Fortunately, Guriyev also knew that if the residential area fell, the enemy would be able to drive straight to the gate of the factory, and a fierce battle would be inevitable. He thought for a while and said, "Comrade Chief of Staff, the residential area is currently in an emergency, and the matter of strengthening the defense of the assembly workshop can be put aside for a while. You can first transfer a battalion from the 120th Regiment to support the 112th Regiment."

"Okay!" Seeing that Guriyev agreed to send reinforcements to the 112th regiment, Zalijuk agreed loudly, and then said into the microphone: "Comrade colonel, don't worry, the division commander will send troops to reinforce you immediately, you must keep an eye on the troops." Stop, the Germans must not be allowed to go any further."

Putting down the phone, Zalijuk was going to discuss with Guriyev again to see if not to send so many troops to strengthen the assembly workshop. In any case, there are nearly a thousand armed personnel there. As long as the factory building is used reasonably as a fortification, Still have great confidence to block the enemy's attack.

   Just as Zalijuk was about to start speaking, a communications staff officer came over and handed a newly received telegram to Zalijuk. After reading it, Zalijuk had an unbelievable expression on his face. Seeing his expression, Guriyev asked curiously, "Chief of Staff, what's the matter?"

"Comrade commander, this is really rare good news." Zalijuk passed the message in his hand to Guriyev, and said excitedly: "The 24th Armored Division of the German Army was hit by heavy artillery fire while moving north. , many tanks were destroyed, and they are unable to continue northward in the short term."

  (end of this chapter)