After the German artillery bombardment of the factory area stopped, the infantry, under the cover of tanks, launched an attack towards the Soviet positions where smoke was still billowing. Among the troops attacking the Red October Tractor Factory, there was one tank battalion and two infantry battalions.
Guarding the Red October Tractor Factory is Guryev's 39th Guards Division, which consists of the 112th, 117th, and 120th Guards Infantry Regiments and the 87th Guards Artillery Regiment, with a total of more than 10,000 people. The First Guards Army, which was affiliated with Moskalenko, was placed under the command of Chuikov from the base camp because the defense of the factory area needed to be strengthened.
The German commander was very cunning. While sending people to feign a frontal attack, he also sent troops to bypass the family area heavily guarded by the Soviet army and detour back to the side of the factory where the defense was weak. Since the Soviet army placed its defense center in the family area outside the factory and in the direction of the main entrance, no one noticed that about a company of German troops was rushing towards the wall of the factory area under the cover of three tanks.
When the German tanks at full power crashed down the wall and broke into the factory area, they were discovered by more than a dozen workers who were carrying supplies nearby. Seeing the sudden appearance of German tanks, some workers stood in a daze, staring stupidly at the approaching tanks; some workers took off their rifles and fired in vain at the approaching tanks. There were also one or two clever workers who immediately jumped into the nearby traffic ditch and ran towards the factory building without looking back. They were preparing to report the news of the enemy breaking into the factory area to their superiors.
The soldiers who rushed in behind the tank saw workers with weapons appearing in front of them, and immediately opened fire without hesitation. The dense bullets knocked down all the workers blocking the tank in an instant. After eliminating the workers who appeared in their field of vision, the Germans did not continue to rush into the factory area, but quickly occupied the position beside the wall to prevent possible Soviet attacks and prepared to hold on until the large forces arrived.
Factory director Peter was shocked when he learned that the German troops had rushed in from the wall on the north side of the factory. He quickly picked up the phone, dialed a number, and said loudly into the phone: "Hello, I'm Peter, the factory director. Call me now." Take over the annihilation battalion!”
The call was quickly connected. The factory director announced his name and said to the commander of the annihilation battalion: "Major Bolschak, the Germans used tanks to collapse the wall on the north side of the factory. About a company of German troops came from People are pouring in through the gap. I order you now to lead your men and rush over immediately to eliminate the enemies who rush in through the gap in the wall."
"Understood, Comrade Factory Director. I will lead people over immediately." According to the plan, the militia annihilation battalion led by Bolshak was preparing to support the defenders in front of the factory. At this moment, they learned that the German army actually collapsed from the north of the factory. After breaking through the wall and breaking in, they decided to temporarily change the direction of action. First, they would drive the enemy out of the factory area, and then it would not be too late to reinforce the Guards Division.
According to Borschak's thinking, he has more than 400 annihilation battalions, and it shouldn't be much of a problem to eliminate a company of Germans. Unexpectedly, after they launched the attack, the militiamen who charged in a dense formation suffered heavy casualties in an instant under the fire of German tanks and machine guns.
It seemed that his troops were easily repelled by the German army. Borschak could not help but feel angry. He waved his pistol and tried to stop the soldiers who fled back from the front. However, he could not stop them at all. The panicked soldiers , running backwards like an ebbing tide.
Bolshak withdrew from his temporary command post, called the factory director Peter, and said with a sad face: "Comrade factory director, the enemy's defense is too tight. Our first attack has been repulsed."
Such a result seemed to have been expected by Peter. He waited for Bolshak to finish speaking, and then continued into the microphone: "Major Bolshak, the attack must be continuous, and the attack must be continuous." Drive the enemy out. If the enemy is allowed to gain a foothold in the factory area, they will use it as the starting point for their attack. At that time, the Guards Division standing firm in the family area and the front of the factory will be faced with being attacked from both sides."
"Understood, Comrade Director." Bolshak replied with a grimace: "I will organize another attack as soon as possible." After putting down the phone, he called a company commander and told the other party, "Captain, immediately Organize your company's soldiers and we will prepare to attack again."
"Comrade Major," the company commander heard Bolshak's order. His legs were weak with fear. He said repeatedly: "Many of the recruits in our company have never fought. Let them attack, not let them attack." Are you going to die?"
"Even if you risk your life, you must rush forward for me." Bolshak glared and said to the company commander: "If we don't attack, the enemy will gain a foothold in the factory. Once their main force Once the troops arrive, we won't be able to hold on to the factory any longer. Comrade Captain, do you understand?"
Half an hour later, the annihilation battalion launched a second attack. This time, Borschak learned the lesson from the last time and did not let the whole battalion attack at the same time. Instead, he sent only one company and used a sparse formation to rush towards the fortifications occupied by the enemy. In order to ensure the victory of this attack, Bolshak also deployed two heavy machine guns to provide fire support for the attacking soldiers.
These soldiers in civilian clothes or overalls, holding rifles with bayonets in their hands, bravely rushed towards the positions occupied by the enemy. Although they acted very bravely, they still fell in pieces in front of the enemy's intensive firepower. In the short distance of 300 meters, more than 100 people from the entire company fell before they could reach the enemy's position. Many of them fell into the hail of bullets. Most of the soldiers died on the spot, and the few wounded who did not die immediately fell to the cold soil and screamed.
Seeing that the attacking troops were completely wiped out in just a few minutes, Borschak couldn't help but feel like a knife was in his heart. However, in order to drive the enemy out of the factory as soon as possible, he gritted his teeth and ordered another company to do a good job. Prepared for attack. But this time, before he could give the order to attack, the deputy battalion commander grabbed him and reminded him loudly: "Comrade Major, we can't fight like this anymore. The enemy's firepower is very fierce, and with the cooperation of the tanks, even if No matter how many people are sent up, they will die in vain."
Bolshak shouted desperately at the deputy battalion commander: "No! We must capture the position on the opposite side! Don't you understand that once the enemy gains a foothold in the factory area, their large forces will continue to flow in? When the ground rushes in, the Guards Division standing firm in front of the family area and the factory area will face the danger of being attacked from both sides. Therefore, even if the entire annihilation battalion is sacrificed, we must capture this place! Do you understand?"
After saying these words, Bolshak saw that the deputy battalion commander was silent, and added again: "Pass my order, the second company is ready to attack. We will launch another attack in half an hour. If If you delay the opportunity to fight, don’t blame me for enforcing battlefield discipline on the spot.”
Less than an hour after the deputy battalion commander met, more than half of the annihilation battalion had suffered casualties, and Bolshak still insisted on going his own way, preparing to fill the entire battalion. He felt that the battle could not be fought like this, so he went outside to find a phone, called Peter, and reported the matter to him, hoping that he would come forward to stop Bolshak's impulsive behavior.
When Peter heard that it was the deputy battalion commander calling him, he thought that the annihilation battalion had driven the enemy out of the factory area. He couldn't help but asked emotionally: "Comrade deputy battalion commander, have you driven the enemy out of the factory area?"
The deputy battalion commander did not expect that Peter would ask this question when he opened his mouth. After hesitating for a moment, he replied: "No, comrade director, we have not driven the enemy out yet."
Knowing that the enemy had not been driven out of the factory, Peter's expression became serious. He asked in a stern tone: "Since the enemy has not been driven out of the factory, then why did you call?"
"Comrade Factory Director," the deputy battalion commander said anxiously: "The enemy occupied the position beside the wall, and there were three tanks to cooperate. We launched two consecutive charges, both of which ended in failure. At present, the number of casualties in the entire battalion exceeds Half of it."
"Comrade Deputy Battalion Commander," Peter interrupted impatiently before the other party could finish his words: "What did you want to say when you called me?"
"Please stop Major Bolshak," the deputy battalion commander said bravely in order to prevent the entire annihilation battalion from being destroyed: "According to his style of attack, if he attacks twice more at most, the annihilation battalion will be gone. exists. Please call him immediately to stop his wrong way of playing..."
Unexpectedly, before he finished speaking, he was interrupted by Peter: "Comrade Deputy Battalion Commander, the order I gave you is to drive the enemy out of the factory area. I don't want to hear your casualty figures. I just want the factory area." There is not a single German here, do you understand?" After saying this, he may still feel that he still had more to say, and he emphasized, "If you are a coward who is greedy for life and afraid of death, I can let other comrades take over your position... "
What else Peter said later, the deputy battalion commander did not hear clearly at all. He only had one thought in his mind: I am not a coward, I am not a coward! He threw down the microphone in his hand, grabbed a rifle from the hands of the soldiers standing next to him, jumped out of the traffic trench, and rushed towards the German position in the distance alone.
This behavior of the deputy battalion commander immediately alerted the commanders and fighters on standby in the traffic trench. They couldn't help but watch their deputy battalion commander, holding a rifle with a bayonet in his hand, rushing towards the enemy's position like crazy. Looking at each other.
Bolshak also saw this abnormal behavior of the deputy battalion commander. After being stunned for a moment, he shouted at the top of his lungs: "Hey, deputy battalion commander, where are you going? This madman, where are you going?" Go?" However, the deputy battalion commander seemed not to hear anything, and still charged forward without hesitation with his rifle in hand.
The officers and soldiers on the German position were also shocked when they saw a soldier rushing over with a rifle from the opposite side. They whispered: "What's wrong with this man? Is he crazy? He dares to charge at us alone?"
When the German commander saw the soldiers rushing over, he did not give an order to fire. In his mind, there was only one person on the other side. Even if he rushed to the position, he would not pose any threat. On the contrary, he could capture a prisoner. So he shouted to his subordinates on the left and right: "No one is allowed to shoot, catch them alive!"
The German commander's order quickly spread among the infantry, so no one fired, but quietly watched the Soviet soldier getting closer and closer. But the German commander forgot that in addition to the infantry under his command, there were three tanks holding on to the position.
A German tank commander was a little unhappy when he saw Soviet soldiers coming from the opposite side, but the position on his side was silent, and no one fired, as if no one saw the enemy rushing over. , thinking that if you don’t fight, then I will destroy him, so he gave the order to his gunner to fire.
The first shell landed seven or eight meters behind the deputy battalion commander and exploded, causing no harm to him. Seeing that the first shell missed, the gunner immediately loaded the second shell, took aim briefly and fired. The shell landed half a mile in front of the deputy battalion commander and exploded. The flying shrapnel shattered his chest. He suddenly froze, then spun half a circle on the spot, and then fell softly. On the land blackened by gunpowder smoke.
Seeing his deputy battalion commander fall under the enemy's gunfire, Bolshak's eyes suddenly turned red. He turned his head and shouted behind him: "Comrades of the second company, prepare to attack, and you must avenge the deputy battalion commander." !”
The officers and soldiers on the German position were also shocked when they saw a soldier rushing over with a rifle from the opposite side. They whispered: "What's wrong with this man? Is he crazy? He dares to charge at us alone?"
When the German commander saw the soldiers rushing over, he did not give an order to fire. In his mind, there was only one person on the other side. Even if he rushed to the position, he would not pose any threat. On the contrary, he could capture a prisoner. So he shouted to his subordinates on the left and right: "No one is allowed to shoot, catch them alive!"
The German commander's order quickly spread among the infantry, so no one fired, but quietly watched the Soviet soldier getting closer and closer. But the German commander forgot that in addition to the infantry under his command, there were three tanks holding on to the position.
A German tank commander was a little unhappy when he saw Soviet soldiers coming from the opposite side, but the position on his side was silent, and no one fired, as if no one saw the enemy rushing over. , thinking that if you don’t fight, then I will destroy him, so he gave the order to his gunner to fire.
The first shell landed seven or eight meters behind the deputy battalion commander and exploded, causing no harm to him. Seeing that the first shell missed, the gunner immediately loaded the second shell, took aim briefly and fired. The shell landed half a mile in front of the deputy battalion commander and exploded. The flying shrapnel shattered his chest. He suddenly froze, then spun half a circle on the spot, and then fell softly. On the land blackened by gunpowder smoke.
