After the artillery lieutenant left, Sokov turned to Sidorin and said: "Chief of Staff, inform the battalion commanders that the superiors have sent us artillery observers to establish observation points on the hills and water towers to provide a clear guide for the east bank." The artillerymen instructed the shooting targets. Let them send manpower to protect the safety of these artillery observers. If anything happens, I will only ask them."
There are many reasons why Sokov issued this order. First of all, the terrain of Mamayev Hill is that the west side facing the direction of the German attack is flat and easy to attack and difficult to defend; while the east side on the other side of the hill is steep and easy to defend but difficult to attack. Once the Germans captured the high ground, the troops would inevitably pay a heavy price to regain their positions.
Secondly, regardless of the fact that the infantry brigade has built numerous tunnels and fortifications on the highlands as a precaution, without the support of artillery or air force, if they want to defend Mamayev Heights, they can only rely on human lives to fill them in.
Under the current circumstances, the Air Force has no hope and can only rely on the artillery of the Army Group deployed on the east coast. Therefore, ensuring the personal safety of these artillery observers is an urgent matter.
Sidorin obviously understood this. As soon as Sokov finished speaking, he immediately called the commanders of each battalion, informed them of the group army's artillery observers entering the position, and ordered them Send out capable subordinates to protect the safety of these personnel.
After putting down the phone, Sidorin suddenly remembered something and asked Sokov tentatively: "Comrade Brigadier, I have an idea. Can the sniper team of the guard company be placed on the position to assist the troops in defense?" ?With their marksmanship, I believe they can destroy more enemies."
"No, absolutely not." When Sidorin said that he was going to put all the snipers on the battlefield to assist the troops in positional warfare, Sokov immediately vetoed it: "How can we use snipers as ordinary soldiers? ? If we put them on the position to assist the troops in defense, a single bombardment from the enemy may lead to their loss. We cannot do such a loss-making business. "
"So, they are only suitable for street fighting in the city." Although his suggestion was rejected by Sokov, Sidorin was not discouraged at all, but asked the other party for instructions: "Then when I arrange combat missions in the future, Just arrange them in a city area that is occupied or about to be occupied by the enemy?"
"Yes, snipers can only play a limited role on the battlefield. Arrange them all in the urban area." Sokov reminded Sidorin: "Currently we only have one sniper team, and the number is too small. You have to find a way Deploy some more sharpshooters from the brigade to form a new sniper team."
"Deploy sharpshooters from each battalion to form a new sniper team?" Sidorin originally wanted to place snipers on the battlefield and participate in positional warfare. Who knows that this plan did not pass, and more manpower had to be mobilized to go Establishing a new sniper team: "Comrade Brigadier, if we deploy sharpshooters to form a new sniper team, will it have an impact on the combat effectiveness of the army?"
Sokov came from a later generation and naturally knew what was going on in the sniper battle in Stalingrad in the following days. Therefore, he did not explain it to Sidorin, but said bluntly: "Chief of Staff, deploy some sharpshooters. "The formation of a new sniper team will not only not have a negative impact on the combat effectiveness of our troops, but on the contrary, it can achieve greater results."
"If the battalions have objections to the brigade headquarters' arrangements," Sidorin asked cautiously, "then what should we do?"
"What else can we do, my comrade chief of staff?" Sokov asked displeasedly: "Should the brigade command the battalion, or the battalion command the brigade? They have not been in the army for a short time. Don't they understand what their superiors do? Do you have to obey orders?"
Hearing Sokov's order without bargaining, Sidorin quickly replied: "Understood, comrade brigade commander, at dawn tomorrow, I will ask each battalion to select a group of sharpshooters and come to the brigade headquarters. Report.”
…………
Although the German attack on Mamayev Hill ended in failure, those who were not willing to fail launched a violent shelling of the hill early the next morning.
Sokov was surprised by the rumble of artillery coming from outside. He quickly left the rest room and went straight to the headquarters. He asked Sidorin who was busy inside: "Where is the artillery observer?"
He originally asked casually, but Sidorin immediately replied: "They are all observing in the observation post on the top of the hill."
"Nonsense, absolutely nonsense." Sokov waited for Sidorin to finish speaking, then said angrily: "The enemy is shelling our position. If we let the artillery observers stay on the top of the hill at this time, wouldn't we let them die? Chief of Staff, call them immediately and ask them to withdraw."
Sidorin picked up the phone and connected to the observation post on the top of the hill. After speaking a few words into the phone, he put down the phone and said to Sokov: "Comrade Brigadier, the artillery comrade said, where they are The top of the hill is right on the ridge, so it is difficult for the enemy's long-range artillery fire to hit them. If the artillery shell hits close, it will fall on the slope to the west of the hill; if it hits far, it will fly directly over their heads. Already..."
Since the artillery observers said that they would not be in any danger, Sokov did not continue to dwell on the matter, but shifted the topic to his own troops: "The position of the 1st Battalion is located in front of Nangang. Every time the Germans They were the first to bear the brunt of the bombardment, and I wonder if Vanya was prepared for the bombardment."
"During yesterday's shelling, half of their shell-proof caverns were collapsed, causing a lot of casualties." Sidorin sighed and said: "Last night, it was said that they were repairing the fortifications overnight. Presumably the commanders and soldiers of the first battalion were hiding in the shells at this moment. In the cannon hole."
Sokov asked puzzledly: "Comrade Chief of Staff, I don't understand why the anti-gun cave built by the first battalion collapsed. Is it geological reasons?"
"I once asked Major Ozor for advice," Sidorin replied: "The shell-proof holes we built were too big and not reinforced, so they easily collapsed under the enemy's shelling. The only way is to build them That kind of small and narrow artillery-proof cave does not require any materials. Our soldiers can dig it in an hour with an engineer shovel, and its anti-artillery capability is greatly improved compared to the previous artillery caves."
Sidorin's words aroused Sokov's curiosity: "I wonder what this kind of bomb-proof hole looks like?"
Sidorin quickly picked up a piece of paper and drew a sketch on it: "... This kind of small anti-gun cave is an arched semicircular door, about one meter high, dozens of centimeters wide, and about the same depth. Wait, the small one can only accommodate one person, and the big one can't accommodate others. Its functions are mainly used to protect against artillery, hide, store ammunition, etc., and provide living space for our soldiers who hold the position."
After listening to Sidorin's introduction, a familiar picture suddenly appeared in Sokov's mind. Isn't the anti-gun hole built by a battalion of soldiers on the position the famous cat's ear hole in later generations?
After the shelling, Sokov immediately called the commander of the first battalion, Vanya, and asked directly: "Comrade Captain, how is the situation there? Are there many casualties?"
"We are counting the casualties of the troops." Vanya replied: "But since we built a new type of anti-gun bunker last night, I estimate that the casualties will not be too large. Comrade Brigade Commander, I have a request."
"Request, what request?" Sokov said into the microphone: "Comrade Captain, if you have any request, just say it."
"Comrade Brigade Commander, you also know that our battalion's position is located at the forefront of the entire brigade. Every time the enemy is about to attack, they will conduct violent shelling on our battalion's position, causing us a lot of casualties." Wanni After getting Sokov's permission, Ya said cautiously: "I would like to ask if it is possible to withdraw the main force of the battalion into the tunnel in Nangang, leaving only one company of troops in the forward position for defense."
Regarding Vanya's proposal, Sokov frowned and began to think. The reason why he wanted to set up an additional line of defense on the front of Nangang was to prevent the enemy from rushing to the foot of Mamayev Hill at once, so he deployed the first battalion there. But judging from the current situation, the decision I made at the beginning was wrong. The terrain there was easy to attack and difficult to defend. Placing so many troops there was equivalent to letting them die.
After some thought, he said into the microphone: "Comrade Captain, you leave one platoon on the position and the rest of the troops withdraw into the tunnel."
"A platoon?!" Vanya was stunned when she heard Sokov say this. He was worried that Sokov was wrong, so he quickly reminded him: "Comrade Brigadier, what you want to say is to leave one company to hold the position, right?"
"It's not a company, it's a platoon." Sokov felt that he should not waste his precious troops in such an area that was difficult to hold, so he decisively ordered Vanya, "Withdraw the main force of the first battalion into the tunnel." , assist the Second and Third Battalions in strengthening the defense of Nangang. As for your original fortifications, you can completely abandon them when necessary."
After confirming that Sokov's order was correct, Vanya quickly replied: "Understood, Comrade Brigade Commander, I will immediately withdraw the main force of the battalion into the tunnel. Only one platoon of troops will be left to hold on to the current position."
As soon as Sokov put down the phone, Sidorin asked in surprise: "Comrade Brigade Commander, why is this? Why do we want to abandon the forward position in front of Nangang?"
Not only did Sidorin not understand why Sokov would issue such an order, but even Belkin, who had never expressed his military stance, found it unacceptable: "Comrade Brigade Commander, how can we easily move our defensive positions?" What about handing it over to the enemy? I hope you can take back this wrong order."
