After destroying Hornadorf's tank, the anti-tank crews deployed in the crater in front of the position used rocket launchers to destroy four or five tanks in a row.
According to Guchakov's idea, once the remaining German tanks are killed by the anti-tank fighters deployed in front of the position, the infantry without tank cover will fall into chaos. At that time, he can order the troops to charge. .
But then a scene that surprised him happened. The remaining tanks quickly reversed and retreated to a position more than 300 meters away from the position. After stopping, they used tank guns to shell the trenches. The one after another explosions forced the soldiers to continue lying in the fortifications, not daring to straighten up easily.
The German infantry in the distance accelerated their charge. The machine gunner dragged the machine gun and the gunner carried the mortar. After reaching the ideal shooting position, he immediately looked for a suitable place to establish a shooting position. He used artillery fire and machine gun firepower to match the tank's artillery fire, and covered the remaining infantry to occupy the favorable terrain.
"What the hell, what's going on?" Guchakov couldn't help but frowned when he saw this scene. After the tanks covering the infantry charge were destroyed by anti-tank fighters, shouldn't the infantry who lost the cover of the tanks retreat? Unexpectedly, not only did the enemy show no signs of retreat, but on the contrary, the offensive became more fierce: "Are the Germans crazy?"
Sokov, who was in the observation post in the distance, also saw this strange scene. He felt that the enemies at this moment were like a group of wasps that had been stabbed in their nest. He turned to look at Koida and asked in confusion: " Comrade Colonel, tell me what's going on. After the enemy's attack was thwarted, not only did they not retreat, but they intensified their attack. Are they crazy?"
Koida didn't know the answer. He shrugged his shoulders, curled his lips and said, "Could it be that Manstein gave them a death order, asking them to seize our army's position within the specified time?"
After a while, the German offensive still did not weaken. Instead, new armored units and infantry entered the battle. Sokov realized the seriousness of the problem and quickly picked up the phone and called Malankin's division headquarters: "General Malankin, this is Sokov."
When he heard that the person calling him was Sokov, Malankin asked excitedly: "General Sokov, is there any news about General Lukin?"
"Well," Sokov didn't expect that the other person's first thought was this matter. He replied with some embarrassment: "My investigation about General Lukin's matter has not made any progress yet. When there is news, I will report it later." I informed you immediately. I called you today for other reasons."
"Other things?" Malankin said: "Excuse me, General Sokov, what do you want to know?"
"How is the German offensive in your sector?"
Malankin hesitated for a moment, and then said: "Just ten minutes ago, about a battalion of German infantry, under the cover of a dozen tanks, launched a strong attack on the 233rd Regiment's position. Due to the fierce enemy offensive, the defenders were a little I could no longer hold on, and when I was about to throw the 235th Regiment into battle, the enemy stopped the attack without warning and withdrew from the battlefield."
Sokov was shocked: "What, the enemy suddenly withdrew from the battle when they had the advantage?"
"Yes, General Sokov." Malankin replied truthfully: "If I don't send additional reinforcements to the position, they can only hold on for another half hour or even less. At that time, I was thinking whether to The second line of defense should be used to continue to block the enemy's attack. But suddenly, the enemy with the advantage retreated without warning."
After Sokov put down the phone, he stared at the map on the table in a daze. He was also confused at the moment. Why did the enemy attacking the Guards Division suddenly choose to retreat when they had an advantage? Could something unexpected have happened? Something?
"Comrade Commander," just when Sokov was puzzled, Koida, who was standing at the lookout to observe the battlefield situation, came to Sokov's side and said anxiously: "Now there are at least 100 people on the battlefield. Forty tanks, they all parked outside the range of our rocket launchers and bombarded our defensive positions with artillery fire."
"What are the casualties?"
"Captain Guchakov reported to me that in order to defend the position, he has put the company as a reserve into the battle." Koida asked Sokov for instructions: "Now the enemy is attacking like crazy. , the casualties of our unit are also rising sharply."
When the defense was deployed, although the entire 52nd Regiment was on the front line, only Guchakov's battalion was now engaged in the battle. Seeing that the situation was dangerous, Sokov quickly ordered Koida: "Call the commander of the 562nd Regiment immediately and order him to put the other two battalions into battle."
Seeing Koida pick up the phone and prepare to call the 562nd Regiment, Sokov added: "Order the 654th Regiment to prepare for combat, and if necessary, they need to be mobilized to the front line."
"What about the 568th Regiment and the Artillery Regiment?" Koida asked.
"The 568th Regiment continues to serve as a security guard on the right wing and must not be used lightly. As for the artillery regiment," Sokov began to think in his mind. The 188th Division's blocking battle was only the first day. Is it necessary to put the artillery into the battle? After some thought, he told Koida: "The artillery regiment is ready for all battles. Once it discovers that the position is in danger of being lost, it will immediately bombard the attacking enemy."
Sokov stood in front of the lookout, looking into the distance with his binoculars, and saw that the attacking German officers and soldiers were fighting extremely tenaciously. Some even rushed to a place only ten meters away from the trenches, only one step away from rushing into the Soviet trenches. The Soviet commanders and fighters who stood firm in their positions also fought extremely bravely. When they saw the enemy approaching their position, from time to time soldiers holding grenades bravely rushed towards the enemy. After a loud "boom", and rushed up. enemies perished together.
In order to find out what happened, which caused the German officers and soldiers to rush forward bravely and bravely in a hail of bullets, Sokov called the division chief of staff again and ordered him: "Staff Comrade Chang, please inform the front-line commanders and soldiers that they must capture a few prisoners and find out why the enemy's attack is so abnormal."
As the order was issued, the commanders and soldiers who stood firm no longer killed all the enemies who rushed into the trenches, but tried every means to capture prisoners. In a short time, they captured five prisoners. Except for one private, the rest were all non-commissioned officers, and one was even a second lieutenant.
The prisoners were brought to Guchakov's command post by the soldiers. He glanced at the prisoners in front of him and felt that if he wanted to find out why the German attack was abnormal, he could definitely ask the German second lieutenant for the reason. So he called Sergeant Copetuo and said to him: "Sergeant Copetuo, take your squad and take these prisoners to the division headquarters. Remember, no matter what happens on the road, you You must use your lives to guarantee that this German second lieutenant will reach the division headquarters alive."
"Comrade Battalion Commander, please rest assured." Copetuo understood the importance of this task in his heart, and quickly straightened his body and replied: "I will definitely bring the living German second lieutenant to the commander."
