When Chuikov learned that the Central Railway Station was lost, he became furious. He roared at Krylov: "Comrade Chief of Staff, the Central Railway Station, as the city's transportation hub, is undoubtedly the main channel leading to the Volga River. As long as the enemy is there Once we gain a foothold there, we will not only split our defense line in two, but we can also rush to the Volga River at any time, control the ferry there, and cut off our connection with the other side."
Krylov waited for Chuikov to get angry before he said: "Comrade Commander, in order to launch a counterattack against the German army, we have put all mobile units into battle, and now we have no reserve units in our hands."
"Don't we still have a reserve team, which is ready to be transferred to the river to defend the ferry." Chuikov frowned and said: "Anyway, Lieutenant Colonel Sokov's 73rd Infantry Brigade is guarding Mamayev Heights, so let this team The troops go and take back the train station for me."
Krylov nodded, walked to the table, picked up the phone, and said into the receiver: "Get me the 37th Tank Brigade and ask for the brigade commander, Major Hopka. ...Major, this is Kreylov, chief of staff of the group army. Love. The commander ordered your brigade to attack the station and be sure to eliminate the enemies entrenched in the station."
After Krylov put down the phone, he continued to Chuikov: "Comrade Commander, this tank brigade still has five T34 tanks and more than 400 soldiers. It should not be a big problem to retake the station."
Half an hour later, the 37th Tank Brigade launched an attack on the station building of the central railway station where the Germans were entrenched. Major Hopka, who was in charge of the command, thought of the mission very simply, thinking that under the cover of tanks, his troops could easily attack the station. So he sent only one company and two tanks to attack the station occupied by the Germans.
The two tanks carefully circled around the craters in the square and rushed towards the entrance of the station building, followed by more than fifty soldiers. When they were still more than thirty meters away from the door of the building, an anti-tank gun hidden behind the sandbag fortifications opened fire first, destroying the tank leading the charge of the soldiers. Before the other tank could react, the German artillery fired again, destroying this tank as well. The infantrymen who lost the cover of the tanks were immediately attacked by fierce German fire. They fell into a pool of blood one after another before they even had time to fire a shot.
Seeing that one of his companies rushed forward and was completely wiped out by the enemy in less than five minutes, Major Hopka felt that something was wrong with the situation, so he quickly adjusted his attack method. He realized that the Germans not only occupied the station building, but also the houses on both sides. If he continued to attack from the front, he would pay a heavy price.
This time he ordered the remaining three tanks to park on the other side of the station square and bombard the exposed fire points in the station with artillery fire. At the same time, he ordered the infantry to move back to the station building from both wings in platoon units with the help of the cover of the ruined walls. rear.
As soon as the offensive battle here at the station started, Sokov received a report from the scout. When he heard that the leading troops of the attack were completely wiped out by the Germans in just a few minutes, and two tanks were lost, he couldn't help but sighed secretly, thinking that the Soviet commander's tactics were so dull. If he followed them, With this style of play, before the station is captured, there will be very few people left in the army.
Sokov knew very well the importance of the Central Railway Station. If the enemy really gained a foothold here, it would not only split the 62nd Army's defense line into two disconnected parts, but also Threaten the safety of Mamayev Heights. Thinking of this, he decided to go out to see the situation, and then decide whether to send troops to cooperate with friendly forces in fighting and jointly retake the Central Railway Station.
When he came to the observation post on the top of the hill again, he unexpectedly found that the reconnaissance company commander Christopher was also there. Seeing Christopher raise his hand to salute him, he nodded at him, and then asked: "Comrade Lieutenant, how is the situation? Have our friendly forces launched another attack?"
Christopher nodded and replied: "Comrade Brigadier, they launched another attack, but the commander who led the team seems to have adjusted his tactics..."
"Adjusted tactics?!" Christopher's words aroused Sokov's curiosity. He raised his telescope and asked curiously: "How did you adjust it?"
"Comrade Brigadier, look, there are three tanks parked south of the station square, shelling the German fortifications in front of the station building." Christopher pointed to the smoke-filled station in the distance and said to Sokov: " Their infantry used the cover of the ruined walls to circle back to both sides of the station building from the left and right sides. When they approached the enemy's firepower point, they made a surprise attack and used grenades to eliminate the enemies hiding in the building. …”
"Interesting, a bit interesting." Sokov looked at the three tanks that were still firing and said with interest: "It seems that the commander of this unit is really not simple. He ordered the tanks to move towards the enemy's position Open fire to attract the enemy's attention, and then send troops to circle back to both sides of the station to strike the enemy by surprise. It seems that it shouldn't be a problem for them to recapture the station building."
Thanks to Major Hopka's readjustment of strategy, the commanders and fighters of the tank brigade successfully occupied the station building after a fierce battle. The German troops in the station could not figure out the reality of the Soviet army. In order to avoid being annihilated, the remaining troops withdrew from the station in a hurry.
After the tank brigade troops occupied the station, Hopka ordered the people to rearrange the defenses, and at the same time ordered the communication soldiers to set up the telephone and personally report the news of the capture of the station to Chuikov.
When Chuikov learned that the Central Station had been recaptured, he couldn't help but be overjoyed: "That's great, Major Hopka. You are so great that you took the station back so easily. I congratulate you and please express my gratitude to you on my behalf." The soldiers express their gratitude for their meritorious service in the battle to defend Stalingrad. Do you have any difficulties?"
"Comrade Commander," Hopka replied: "Currently there are only three tanks and more than 300 soldiers left in the entire brigade. I wonder if you can send some reinforcements?"
"No, Comrade Major, I can't send reinforcements to you, so I don't have anyone on hand." Maybe he was worried about affecting Hopka's mood. After hesitating for a moment, Chuikov continued: "According to the superiors, According to the notice, a Guards Division will arrive in the city tomorrow. At that time, I will transfer troops from this division to strengthen the defense of the Central Railway Station. Comrade Major, you only need to hold on at the station for 24 hours, and the reinforcements will arrive. arrive."
Knowing that reinforcements would arrive within a day, Hopka felt as if he had taken a reassurance and felt much more at ease. He said into the microphone: "Comrade Commander, please rest assured that we will definitely hold our position until friendly forces arrive tomorrow."
Sokov, who was standing in the Mamayev Heights observation post, gave up his plan to send troops after seeing the red flag planted in the station building again. Since the friendly forces have already captured the station, if I send troops at this time, it will be a bit of a competition for credit. He only said to Christopher: "Continue to have people observe the movement in the direction of the station." Then he returned to his headquarters unsteadily.
When Sidorin saw Sokov coming in from the outside with a smile on his face, he asked tentatively: "Comrade Brigade Commander, it seems that you are very happy. Do you have any good news to tell us?"
"Yes, I have good news to tell you." Sokov walked to the table, sat down, and said to Sidorin and Belkin: "Our troops have recaptured the Central Railway Station from the enemy's hands. ”
"What, the Central Railway Station has been retaken?" When Sidorin heard the news, a surprised expression appeared on his face: "But not long ago, the attack launched by the friendly forces was repelled by the Germans." Not only was the attacking force completely destroyed, but it also lost two tanks.”
"Chief of Staff, you are right. The first wave of attacks by friendly forces did end in failure." Regarding the failure of the tank brigade's first attack, Sokov did not deny: "But in the subsequent attacks, they , adjusted the strategy in time, and used the remaining three tanks to bombard the station building occupied by the enemy to attract the attention of the defenders. At the same time, the infantry used the cover of the ruined walls to approach the station building from both sides and used grenades. The enemy's firepower was eliminated, and after a fierce battle, the station building was successfully occupied. However, the enemies in other parts of the station, because they could not figure out the strength of our army, saw that the station building was lost, and fled the station in a hurry."
After confirming the news that the Central Railway Station had been recaptured, Sidorin also breathed a sigh of relief. In this way, the enemy would not be able to threaten Mamayev Heights from the flanks, so that he could use all his strength to deal with the German 295th Infantry Division, which was attacking frontally.
The enemies who occupied the station were driven out of the station by the Soviet troops. Major von Hayden, the German battalion commander, returned to the regiment headquarters in despair and reported the news of the lost station to the regiment commander. Naturally, the regiment leader did not dare to hide such important information, and quickly called the division commander.
"Take it back, take back Stalingrad's Central Railway Station to me immediately." After hearing the news, the German division commander dropped the tea cup in his hand and ordered angrily: "As long as there is still one person in your Grenadier Regiment. We must not stop attacking the station as long as we are alive. Do you understand?"
"Understood, Your Excellency, Division Commander." After hearing the division commander's order, the regiment commander replied respectfully: "I will immediately organize my troops and launch an attack on the station."
Although it was getting late, the German army launched an attack on the station overnight in order to reoccupy the station. For a moment, intensive gunshots and explosions rang out inside and outside the station.
Even though Hopka still has more than 300 men under his command, but he has to be responsible for the defense of so many locations in the station, his strength seems a bit weak. The cunning Germans took advantage of the weak enemy with dispersed Soviet troops to conduct feint attacks in several places to contain the Soviet troops, and then concentrated their troops to rush directly along the railway towards the station building.
The commanders and fighters who stayed in the station building shot at the enemy from the windows. The tanks parked outside the building also opened fire at the location where the enemies were gathered. Pukhov looked out from the window and saw enemies everywhere. He was worried that with his existing troops, he would not be able to defend the station building. He quickly called Chuikov and asked him for help: "Comrade Commander, the enemy is approaching We are launching a fierce attack on the station. Our troops are too few and we are almost unable to withstand it. Please send reinforcements immediately. Please send reinforcements immediately!"
"Major Hopka," Chuikov said angrily after hearing the call from Hopka: "Didn't you promise me that you could stay at the station for 24 hours? Now only seven hours have passed, you You actually told me that you couldn't hold your position..."
"Comrade Commander," Hopka said with a sad face: "The enemy launched attacks from several directions at the same time and pinned down our troops. Now they have arrived outside the station building and are trying to seize the building?"
"Comrade Major, are your tanks still there?" Chuikov asked coldly after Hopka finished speaking.
"Yes, yes." Hopka quickly replied: "The remaining three tanks are parked outside the station building, using artillery fire and machine guns to prevent the enemy from approaching our building."
"Since the tank is still there, listen carefully to the order I gave you." Chuikov said loudly on the phone: "You immediately lead all the soldiers in the building to surround the tank and guard the entrance of the building. If you guard If you don't stop, I don't care whether you are a brigade commander or a division commander, I will shoot you personally."
Hearing Chuikov giving himself an order in such a stern tone, Hopka could only bite the bullet and reply: "Understood, Comrade Commander, I will immediately organize people to guard the entrance of the station building and never let a German rush in." Come into the building.”
After putting down the phone, Hopka called over two communication soldiers and ordered them loudly: "You immediately summon people from other places to the station building. We are going to fight them to the death here. Do you understand?"
"Understood, comrade brigade commander." The two communications soldiers quickly agreed loudly, turned and ran out of the room, went to every corner of the station, and notified the defenders to retreat to the entrance of the station building.
The battle continued until dawn. The Germans, who suffered heavy casualties, saw that they could not capture the station and had to withdraw in despair. The commanders and fighters of the tank brigade who stood in front of the station building also suffered heavy casualties. Even the brigade commander, Major Hopka, was unfortunately shot and died. There was only one tank and 25 commanders and fighters left in the brigade.
Chuikov learned that the station was defended, so he hurried to the station with a few soldiers in person, preparing to praise Hopka in person. However, when he arrived outside the station building, he saw hundreds of corpses of fallen commanders and soldiers neatly placed on the ground. Seeing this situation, he couldn't help but feel a thump in his heart. He quickly grabbed a passing soldier and asked, "Where is your brigade commander, Major Hopka?"
The soldier glanced at Chuikov and replied with dull eyes: "Sacrificed. Comrade Brigade Commander died in the battle."
