Going back two hours, at 4:30 in the morning, troops entered the designated positions one after another and dispatched reconnaissance detachments to the areas preparing to attack.
Before combat, sending reconnaissance teams to the combat area was a tactic commonly used by the Soviet army in the later stages of the war. The tasks of the reconnaissance unit are, firstly, to detect the enemy's deployment, and secondly, when the time is right, as the vanguard of the entire unit, be the first to attack the enemy, so that the follow-up units can gain a foothold within the enemy's defense line.
Lieutenant Bisklev was a scout of the 18th Tank Brigade. He was ordered to lead a team of forty people to conduct reconnaissance in the area about to be attacked. Before setting off, Army Commander Major General Baharov personally received him and said earnestly: "Comrade Lieutenant, due to changes in the combat plan, we know nothing about the situation in the area we are about to attack. We don't know how many troops the enemy has. "We don't know how many tanks and armored vehicles there are; we don't know how many fortifications and artillery there are. The task of your squad is to figure out the enemy's troop deployment and feedback the situation in a timely manner."
"Understood, Comrade Commander." Bisklev waited for Baharov to finish speaking, then straightened his body and replied firmly: "We will definitely understand the enemy's troop deployment in the shortest possible time. "
"Comrade Lieutenant," the Army Chief of Staff came over and said to Bisklev: "There is not much time left for you. It is now four-thirty. In two hours, our air force will be dispatched in large numbers. The enemy's positions are undergoing intensive bombing. In order to ensure your own safety, you must complete the reconnaissance mission before the bombing begins, and choose a suitable location to hide and wait for the start of the ground attack."
Even though Bisklev was only a lieutenant, due to the nature of his job, he knew very well that the troops would launch a full-scale counterattack against the German army at ten o'clock in the morning. Therefore, after hearing the words of the Army Chief of Staff, he couldn't help but asked with some confusion: "Isn't it a little too early to bomb the German positions at six-thirty? You know, our ground attack won't start until ten o'clock."
Hearing Bisklev's question, Baharov sighed softly and said: "Comrade Lieutenant, according to the original plan, the air strike should be carried out half an hour before the bombardment started. But because of the bombardment that just ended not long ago, The heavy rain made the superior leaders worry that during the daytime operations, our air force might not be able to take off for operations due to the weather, so they had to advance the air strike time."
He raised his hand to look at the time, and then waved to Bisklev: "It's getting late, let's go."
Bisklev led his men, left their own positions, and headed towards the north of October Farm. A sergeant came to Bisklev's side and asked in a low voice: "Comrade Lieutenant, this place is about five kilometers away from the enemy's defense area. It will take us almost an hour to walk there. The rest of the time , can you successfully complete the reconnaissance mission?"
"Comrade Sergeant," Bisklev turned to look at his subordinate and said angrily: "I also want to take a car there. But the rain has just stopped and the ground is still extremely muddy, and the vehicle is particularly easy to get stuck in the mud. It is estimated that half of our time will be spent pushing the cart in the quagmire. Also, the roar of a car engine can be heard far away in the dead of night. If the enemy hears it, doesn't it mean the target is exposed? "
After listening to Bisklev's words, the sergeant knew that what the other party said was the truth. The heavy rain had just stopped and the road was full of puddles. When the vehicle was driving, in order to prevent the target from being exposed, the lights must not be turned on. There is a possibility of breaking down or getting stuck in the mud. In this case, the speed of riding in the car may not be faster than walking.
Fortunately, the commanders and fighters of the reconnaissance unit all have experience in forced marches. These few kilometers are indeed nothing to them. It only took them forty minutes to reach a hill not far from the German defenses.
Bisklev lay on the top of the hill, looking at the criss-crossing trenches and traffic trenches on the farm in the distance. He couldn't help but said with some surprise: "Hell, when I came to the farm a few days ago, there were no trenches here at all."
The sergeant lying next to him took the telescope from his hand, looked there for a while, and then said: "Comrade Lieutenant, these trenches and communication trenches are very shallow, and there is no sign of being washed away by rain. They should have just been dug. not long."
"So, the enemy guessed that we might launch an attack on them in this direction?" Bisklev said thoughtfully: "I need to report this situation to the brigade commander immediately."
"Wait a minute, Comrade Lieutenant." The sergeant quickly stopped Bisklev. "This is just our guess. We cannot report it in a hurry, lest it affect the judgment of the superior commander."
"Then tell me, what should we do?"
The sergeant thought for a moment and replied, "How about I take a few people over to do some reconnaissance?"
Bisklev knew that the sergeant spoke German well, so he agreed with him: "Okay, you try to capture a prisoner and find out from him the German defense situation in this area."
The sergeant called four clever soldiers and looked down the hill. While it was not too dark, they quietly made their way towards the trenches on the farm. Bisklev on the hill saw the five people getting closer and closer to the trench, but there was no movement in the trench. He didn't know whether the Germans were still sleeping or whether there was no one defending at all.
Unexpectedly, when they were still twenty or thirty meters away from the trench, there was a sudden loud bang, as if a cannonball fell from the sky and exploded right next to everyone. Two soldiers fell down in the light of the fire on the spot. .
Seeing this, Bisklev couldn't help but be shocked. What was going on? Could it be that the enemy had discovered their traces long ago and deliberately waited for them to approach the trench before firing. But then I thought about it, if they were shelled by the Germans, why didn't they hear the sound of shells flying in the air? He must have accidentally stepped on a landmine.
At this time, there was movement in the trench in the distance, and several German helmets emerged. Then whistles and shouts were heard. It should be the sentries giving the alarm. Bisklev hurriedly said to the soldiers next to him: "Get ready to fight and cover the retreat of the sergeant and others."
When the sergeant saw his comrade step on a landmine and fall to the ground due to the explosion, he quickly ordered the uninjured soldiers to carry the wounded on their backs and move toward the hill, while he stayed behind to provide cover. In a short time, more than 20 German soldiers jumped out of the trench and rushed over shouting with guns in hand. The sergeant fired several bursts, knocking down the two German soldiers at the front. The German soldiers quickly lay down on the spot, looking for a suitable hiding place, and shot at the sergeant.
The sergeant finished shooting a magazine in one go. Seeing that the Germans were lying on the ground and not daring to move, he turned his head and glanced behind him, and saw that the soldiers carrying the wounded on their backs had climbed up the hill. He hurriedly changed a magazine and shot two more bursts at the German soldiers lying motionless on the ground, then bent down and ran towards the hills in the distance with the gun in hand.
Seeing the sergeant begin to retreat, the German soldiers who were lying on the ground got up again and chased them with their guns in hand. They kept firing their guns while chasing. When the sergeant was about to reach the top of the hill, he was hit in the leg by a bullet. His body fell backwards and rolled down the hillside.
When Bisklev saw this, he quickly shouted: "Cover me!" Then he stumbled down the hill to rescue the sergeant.
The German soldiers who were catching up never imagined that there would be so many Soviet commanders and fighters ambushed on the top of the hill. Half of them were knocked down in an instant, and the rest hurriedly retreated.
Bisklev rushed to the sergeant's side and asked loudly: "Hey, how are you?"
"Comrade Lieutenant," the sergeant grinned in pain and said, "I have a bullet in my calf. I may not be able to walk. Leave me alone and retreat with the soldiers first."
How could Bisklev abandon his comrades? He bent down and put the sergeant on his shoulders, and slid up the hillside step by step. Fortunately, the pursuing German soldiers had been repelled at this time, so he did not have to worry about being shot in the face by the Germans. Seeing Bisklev coming back with the sergeant on his shoulders, two soldiers rushed to meet him and helped him reach the top of the hill.
"Comrade Lieutenant," the sergeant asked Bisklev after reaching the top of the hill: "We have been discovered by the enemy. If we don't move as soon as possible, they will chase us soon."
Bisklev turned his head and looked at the other side of the hill. He saw a ravine under the hill and was full of water. He suddenly had a good idea in his mind. He called a sergeant and said to him: "Comrade Sergeant, take a few soldiers and move the wounded on your back to a distance. Remember, don't go too fast, but you must look particularly embarrassed. Understand ?"
Although the sergeant did not understand Bisklev's intention, he still instinctively replied: "I understand, Comrade Lieutenant."
When the sergeant led seven or eight soldiers and carried the wounded on his back to move away, Bisklev said to the remaining soldiers: "Comrades, let's hide in the ravine first. When the enemy emerges from the hill, we will They are all hiding in the water, and when they cross the ravine and pursue the sergeant and his companions, we can catch them by surprise."
After the repelled German soldiers retreated to the trenches, they quickly gathered more people and rushed towards the hill. When they came to the hill, they did not rush towards the hill, but used mortars to bombard the top of the hill. After making sure that there was no movement from the defenders above, he rushed up the hill with his gun in hand.
The German officers and soldiers came to the top of the hill. The second lieutenant who led the team saw the Soviet commanders and soldiers escaping in the distance. He deliberately observed with a telescope for a while and found that there were several wounded among the fleeing crowd. He knew that the presence of the wounded would slow down the movement of the troops. He quickly put down his binoculars and pursued them with more than thirty of his soldiers.
The sergeant finished shooting a magazine in one go. Seeing that the Germans were lying on the ground and not daring to move, he turned his head and glanced behind him, and saw that the soldiers carrying the wounded on their backs had climbed up the hill. He hurriedly changed a magazine and shot two more bursts at the German soldiers lying motionless on the ground, then bent down and ran towards the hills in the distance with the gun in hand.
Seeing the sergeant begin to retreat, the German soldiers who were lying on the ground got up again and chased them with their guns in hand. They kept firing their guns while chasing. When the sergeant was about to reach the top of the hill, he was hit in the leg by a bullet. His body fell backwards and rolled down the hillside.
When Bisklev saw this, he quickly shouted: "Cover me!" Then he stumbled down the hill to rescue the sergeant.
The German soldiers who were catching up never imagined that there would be so many Soviet commanders and fighters ambushed on the top of the hill. Half of them were knocked down in an instant, and the rest hurriedly retreated.
Bisklev rushed to the sergeant's side and asked loudly: "Hey, how are you?"
"Comrade Lieutenant," the sergeant grinned in pain and said, "I have a bullet in my calf. I may not be able to walk. Leave me alone and retreat with the soldiers first."
How could Bisklev abandon his comrades? He bent down and put the sergeant on his shoulders, and slid up the hillside step by step. Fortunately, the pursuing German soldiers had been repelled at this time, so he did not have to worry about being shot in the face by the Germans. Seeing Bisklev coming back with the sergeant on his shoulders, two soldiers rushed to meet him and helped him reach the top of the hill.
"Comrade Lieutenant," the sergeant asked Bisklev after reaching the top of the hill: "We have been discovered by the enemy. If we don't move as soon as possible, they will chase us soon."
Bisklev turned his head and looked at the other side of the hill. He saw a ravine under the hill and was full of water. He suddenly had a good idea in his mind. He called a sergeant and said to him: "Comrade Sergeant, take a few soldiers and move the wounded on your back to a distance. Remember, don't go too fast, but you must look particularly embarrassed. Understand ?"
Although the sergeant did not understand Bisklev's intention, he still instinctively replied: "I understand, Comrade Lieutenant."
When the sergeant led seven or eight soldiers and carried the wounded on his back to move away, Bisklev said to the remaining soldiers: "Comrades, let's hide in the ravine first. When the enemy emerges from the hill, we will They are all hiding in the water, and when they cross the ravine and pursue the sergeant and his companions, we can catch them by surprise."
After the repelled German soldiers retreated to the trenches, they quickly gathered more people and rushed towards the hill. When they came to the hill, they did not rush towards the hill, but used mortars to bombard the top of the hill. After making sure that there was no movement from the defenders above, he rushed up the hill with his gun in hand.
The German officers and soldiers came to the top of the hill. The second lieutenant who led the team saw the Soviet commanders and soldiers escaping in the distance. He deliberately observed with a telescope for a while and found that there were several wounded among the fleeing crowd. He knew that the presence of the wounded would slow down the movement of the troops. He quickly put down his binoculars and pursued them with more than thirty of his soldiers.
