Red Moscow

  Chapter 600 Death Hillside

  After the battle, Sokov and Gurdiyev came to the newly occupied position together.

Bely got out of the tank, came to Sokov, and said happily: "Comrade Brigadier, this battle was really enjoyable. More than 300 defenders on the position were wiped out by us, and We only suffered around 30 casualties, and not a single tank was lost.”

"Colonel Gurdiyev, contact the second echelon immediately." Seeing that the troops had taken control of the positions that belonged to the German army, Sokov said to Gurdiyev, "Let Major Yakov take all the The wounded come here as soon as possible, and we must join our friendly forces north to the north before the Germans come to their senses."

   "Comrade Brigadier," Bely asked Sokov in a low voice while Gurdiyev was looking for the radio operator, "Are you really going to blow up these tanks?"

  Sokov knew very well that today's attack, without the cooperation of the tank battalion, would have to pay a heavy price even if the terrain here is easy to attack and difficult to defend. If he really wanted to blow up all the tanks, he still felt a little bit reluctant. Before making a final decision, he jumped into the trench, came to the side of the north slope, and leaned over to look out.

   At the foot of the hillside, there is a river with a width of 50 to 60 meters. On the north bank of the river, there is a land with bomb craters within bomb craters. Countless destroyed tanks, armored vehicles and trucks are scattered in this land in a disorderly manner. Of course, there are densely packed corpses near the broken technical equipment. From the uniforms on them, Sokov can recognize that these are the remains of Soviet soldiers.

  By the river, besides the shocking pile of corpses, there are also many dilapidated wooden boats. It seems that the Soviet commanders and fighters were destroyed by German mortar fire when they were preparing to cross the river. From the south bank of the river to the hillside of the position, countless corpses were also covered. All this made Sokov understand how heavy losses Rokossovsky's troops suffered here.

After watching the battlefield, Sokov turned his head and said to Bely who followed him: "Colonel Bely, look at the terrain here. The terrain in the south is gentle, which is good for tanks; while the hillside in the north is too steep, and there are ravines. Not to mention driving the tank down, I'm afraid it will be very difficult to climb the **** with bare hands."

After Bely waited for Sokov to finish speaking, he also nodded and said: "Comrade Brigadier, you are right. Our tanks can't drive down such a steep terrain. Even if we barely drive down, we should How to cross the river that is tens of meters wide?"

"Colonel Bely," although Sokov has been yelling that after breaking through the enemy's defense, he will blow up the tank and break through lightly, but now that he has really occupied the German position, he has become hesitant: " How much ammo do your tanks have?"

"Each tank still has seven or eight rounds of grenade and two or three rounds of armor-piercing rounds." Bely turned his attention to an MG34 in the fortification, and then said: "As for the machine gun, if you use the German MG34, the ammunition should not be a problem. "

   "If I'm not mistaken," Sokov waited for Bely to finish speaking, looked at him and said, "You want to fight a blocking battle here and consume more of the enemy's vital strength."

"That's right, that's what I think." Bely nodded and said, "We carry a large number of wounded, and it will take a very long time to take them safely across the river down the hillside. I think the enemy will soon know that we have broken through their defenses, and then they will come towards us, and there will definitely be a bad battle, and without the cooperation of tanks, we will not last long."

"Second Lieutenant Samoilov!" After breaking through the German defenses, Sokov didn't know where to find friendly troops, so it was absolutely necessary to stay here for a while, so that he would have enough time to send He called Samoilov and told him: "Take five soldiers and a radio, and immediately cross the river to the opposite bank, and find a way to find the defensive position of the friendly army."

   Shortly after Samoilov and his men left, Yakov hurried over with a few soldiers. Seeing that the position had been occupied, he couldn't help asking Sokov curiously: "Misha, since you have already broken through the German defense line, why don't you continue to move forward, and what are you doing here?"

   "Yakov, we don't know where Rokossovsky's troops are." Sokov replied, "I have already sent someone to look for it, and I believe we will get an answer soon."

Yakov found a mound and sat down, looked at Sokov and asked curiously: "Misha, I think it's easy for you to take down the position, but why does Rokossovsky's troops always use several divisions? Can't break through the defense here?"

   "Yakov, come with me." Sokov didn't answer the question immediately, but took Yakov to the trench, pointed down and said to him, "Look below first."

  Yakov looked down from the trench, couldn't help taking a breath, and said in surprise: "My God, our army paid such a heavy price in front of the German positions."

"Yakov, you are right. In order to break through the German defense line here, General Rokossovsky's troops paid a huge price." Sokov pointed down and said: "The traces left from the battlefield Judging, the friendly forces were bombed by enemy planes on the way to the river, and a large number of tanks, armored vehicles and trucks were destroyed. The commanders and fighters who finally came to the river were once again attacked when they boarded the boat. The German firepower condescended to kill. After paying huge casualties, the survivors who managed to cross the river had to brave the enemy's bullets and rush up the steep hillside, but in the end they all fell under the enemy's intensive firepower Down."

After listening to Sokov's explanation, Yakov was silent for a long time, and finally said: "Misha, I think what we have to do next is not to continue to break through, but to stay here to build a defensive position, and prepare to fight against possible German forces. launched an attack."

"Yakov, don't you know that the terrain here is easy to attack and difficult to defend?" Sokov heard Yakov's proposal, and said a little bit dumbfounded: "If we really stay and stick to it, I'm afraid we won't be able to last long. of."

"Misha, listen to me. This is how I think about it." Yakov patiently explained to Sokov: "General Rokossovsky's troops paid heavy losses in order to capture this position. But we still haven’t been able to capture this position guarded by only a few hundred German soldiers. If we give up here so easily, if we want to regain it in the future, I don’t know how many commanders and fighters will die in front of this death hill.”

Bely and Gurdiyev, who were standing next to them, heard what Yakov said, and they all echoed: "Comrade Brigadier, Major Yakov is right. If we give up here easily today, we will not be here in the future." If you want to get it back, you will definitely pay a heavier price."

   "Then tell me, what should we do next?" Sokov did not express his opinion easily, but asked instead: "Is it true that we are really defending here?"

Yakov turned his head to look at Bely and Gurdiyev. Seeing that they both nodded with serious expressions, he replied decisively: "That's right, Misha, I'm sure we should hurry up and repair the fortifications here to resist the Germans." As long as General Rokossovsky knows that we are standing here, he may soon send troops to reinforce us."

Sokov admitted that Yakov's words had some truth. The German line of defense forcibly blocked the friendly army's road to Orlovka. Now that he has occupied this place, he must not give up easily, otherwise he will have to fight again. If you want to get it back, I don't know how many commanders and fighters will have to sacrifice their lives.

Thinking of this, he turned to the radio operator and said: "Communication operator, send a report to the Army Group Command and tell Commander Chuikov that we have jumped out of the German encirclement from the north of Orlovka. We will stick to the newly occupied position Come on, ask him to get in touch with General Rokossovsky immediately so that friendly troops can come to meet us."

  Yakov and others were also worried that Sokov would go his own way, and planned to lead the troops to continue northward from here. Hearing that he decided to stay and persevere at this moment, several people couldn't help being overjoyed. Bely said first: "Comrade Brigadier, don't worry. Even if the Germans want to rush over, they will have to wait until the afternoon at least. We have enough time to strengthen the fortifications."

Yakov said even more happily: "Misha, if we stick to this place, General Rokossovsky can use this place as a starting point for attacking, and can concentrate on rushing towards Orlovka at any time, and fight with the people in the city." The troops join forces."

"Colonel Gurdiyev," Sokov directly ignored Yakov's optimistic estimate. He remembered that there were still two small troops staying in Orlovka, and quickly ordered Gurdiyev Husband: "We still have two small troops staying in Orlovka to monitor the enemy's movements. Since we have decided to stand firm here, we will order them to withdraw as soon as possible. If they are surrounded by the enemy, they will not be able to withdraw if they want to. .”

   "I see, Comrade Brigadier Commander." Gurdiyev said hastily, "I will send them a report immediately, telling them to abandon their positions immediately and move closer to us."

Sokov closed his eyes and thought for a moment, and felt that Yakov should not be allowed to stay here to accompany him to take risks, and should try to send him as far away as possible, so he said to him: "Yakov, I will send the **** to the wounded." The task is entrusted to you, and when the wounded arrive, you will take them across the river and find a way to join our friendly forces."

   "Misha, you should leave this matter to others." But Yakov didn't accept his favor, but said stubbornly, "I want to stay and fight side by side with you."

  (end of this chapter)