Sokov felt particularly angry when he thought that Uzakov still couldn't figure out what happened at the outpost. But he still suppressed the anger in his heart and asked: "Why don't you lay telephone lines to the outpost?"
"Comrade Commander," Uzakov replied in a panic: "Our brigade's communication equipment is seriously insufficient..."
"Since there is a serious shortage of communication equipment, why don't you report it to me immediately?" Sokov asked in a stern tone: "Don't you know that an outpost without communication equipment is likely to fall into a situation of fighting alone?"
"Don't say anything now. Send troops immediately to support the outpost. As soon as the enemy's shelling stops, they will immediately attack the outpost. The enemy must not be allowed to occupy the outpost. Do you understand?"
"Understood, Comrade Commander." Uzakov replied: "I will send troops for reinforcements immediately."
After Sokov put down the phone, he called the director of the communications corps in front of him and asked, "Do you have any extra communications equipment?"
"Yes, Comrade Commander." The director of the communications corps asked tentatively: "Do you want a radio, or a telephone and a telephone line?"
"Everything is needed." Sokov said without hesitation: "Immediately send people to send these things to the town of Yakovlevo. The 46th Infantry Brigade stationed there is in urgent need of these supplies."
Seeing Sokov's solemn expression when he said this, the director of the communications corps immediately realized that these communications equipment were related to the success or failure of the next battle, and quickly took the initiative to ask for help: "Comrade Commander, I will personally take someone to deliver it."
"No, you don't have to go in person." Sokov knew very well in his heart that although the town of Yakovlevo was in urgent need of various communication equipment, there was no need for his communications corps director to deliver it in person, so he ordered the other party: "Let Just send your deputy there, you have more important work to do."
After the director of the communications corps left, Sokov called Besonov, the commander of the Second Artillery Division: "Hello, comrade colonel, are you awake?"
Besonov understood that if there was nothing important, Sokov would not call him at this time, and quickly replied: "Comrade Commander, as soon as the gunfire in the distance rang, I woke up and ordered The troops are ready for battle."
It saves trouble to talk to smart people. Before Sokov could say his purpose, Bessonov guessed his intention. Sokov smiled and nodded, and then said: "The enemy is shelling our outpost south of Yakovlevo. How about it? Are you sure you can suppress the enemy's artillery fire?"
"Comrade Commander, I wouldn't have dared to make such a guarantee to you two days ago." Besonov said with a smile on the phone: "But yesterday you replenished us with so many artillery pieces, if you still can't suppress it, The enemy’s artillery is a bit unreasonable.”
After completing the pursuit of the 48th and 57th Panzer Corps, Sokov's troops captured a large number of tanks and artillery. For these captured technical equipment, Sokov did not hesitate to distribute them to the tank corps and artillery division so that they would have enough strength to participate in the next phase of the battle. No, here comes the task of the artillery division.
Sokov smiled and then asked: "Comrade Colonel, do you have enough ammunition?"
"Yes, Comrade Commander." Bessonov replied: "The German artillery currently assigned to us is of three calibers: 105, 120 and 150. Each gun is equipped with two base ammunition. Dog Germans Have a drink."
"Very good." Sokov did not ask where the other party got the German artillery shells. The artillerymen must have their own ways to get the supplies they need. He directly ordered the other party: "Comrade Colonel, I give you half an hour to silence the enemy's artillery."
"It won't take half an hour." After receiving Sokov's order, Bessonov said carelessly: "I only need a quarter of an hour to completely silence the German artillery positions."
Five minutes later, more than two hundred cannons of the Second Artillery Division fired in unison, and the dark red barrage formed by artillery flashes weaved into a spectacular spectacle in the air. From the German artillery position in the distance, thick smoke suddenly billowed, covering the sky and covering the sun. In the smoke of gunpowder, the German artillerymen were scurrying around like headless flies, running to where there were more people. As a result, more officers and soldiers were killed and injured under the Soviet artillery fire.
The German army originally wanted to launch a night attack on the Soviet outpost, but before the entire army was annihilated, the small team ambushed outside the town of Yakovlevo, the radio operator sent a last telegram to the division headquarters, saying that their The operation failed and failed to intercept the informant returning from the outpost.
After receiving this telegram, the German division commander was worried that the Soviet army was already prepared, so he temporarily changed his mind and changed from a sneak attack to a strong attack. In order to successfully seize the Soviet position, the German division commander requested the artillery assistance from the rear to carry out fierce shelling against the Soviet army.
After the bombardment began, the German division commander found a commanding height to observe the effect of the bombardment. I saw that the entire position was filled with gunpowder smoke. Through the thick smoke, I could see flashes of explosive fireballs from time to time. Trenches and fortifications were collapsing and burning, and body fragments were scattered by the blast. .
Seeing this scene, the German division commander showed a proud expression on his face. He did not believe that anyone in the simple position in the distance could survive under such intensive artillery fire. He proudly ordered his chief of staff: "Chief of Staff, as soon as the bombardment stops, order the troops to attack immediately. Be sure to completely occupy the position before the Russian reinforcements arrive."
"Don't worry, your Excellency, division commander." The chief of staff said confidently: "Our vanguard is no more than 800 meters away from the Russian position. Just wait for the artillery fire to stop, and you can rush up immediately. Wait for our soldiers to rush in. When we reached the Russian position, those poor survivors probably had not yet woken up from our shelling, and they would either be killed or become our prisoners."
But they were happy too early. The half-hour artillery bombardment, which was originally scheduled to end, was hit by powerful Soviet artillery fire just a few minutes before it ended. The German artillery position, which was originally arrogant, turned into a sea of chaos in an instant. Sea of fire. The surviving artillerymen fled in all directions. They only wanted to save their lives and could not bother to continue bombarding the Soviet positions.
When the German division commander discovered that his artillery position had turned into a sea of flames under the attack of Soviet artillery fire, he couldn't help but be stunned. He did not expect that the Soviet army responded so quickly. The shelling of the outpost had not even started for half a month. At a few hours, the opponent was actually able to counterattack with such powerful artillery fire.
However, the offensive force had already reached the attack position, and the original offensive plan could not be terminated just because the artillery position was shelled by the Soviet army. Therefore, the German division commander decisively ordered the chief of staff: "Chief of Staff, call the forward commander immediately and order them to launch an attack in advance."
After the order was issued, the German division commander saw his men trotting towards the Soviet position through the telescope.
Eight hundred meters...
Six hundred meters...,
Five hundred meters...
Seeing the troops getting closer and closer to the Soviet position, the German division commander's heart was in his throat. He was worried that if the Soviet army fired with machine guns at this moment, it would cause certain casualties to his troops.
But soon the soldiers at the front were already close to 400 meters away, but they still didn't notice any movement on the Soviet position.
Seeing that there was no movement except for green smoke and fire on the Soviet position, the German Chief of Staff was also a little puzzled: "Your Excellency, Division Commander, why is there no movement on the Russian position? Could it be that they were all wiped out by our artillery fire?"
On the Soviet position, Paul climbed out of the collapsed command post.
He didn't shout "battle alert" at the top of his lungs, because after the shelling just now, most people's ears were deafened. Even if he shouted louder, they might not be able to hear it, but it would expose his target. .
Paul bent down and walked through the trenches that were filled with floating soil. When he saw the soldiers who were still mobile, he pulled them up, pointed at the approaching enemy in the distance, and motioned the soldiers to enter their respective combat positions.
In this way, after Paul walked back and forth in the trench twice, he allowed more than 60 commanders and fighters to enter combat positions.
In order to prevent early firing and expose the problem of insufficient troops on the position, Paul used hand signals to tell the commanders and soldiers to wait until the enemy entered a range of 100 meters before opening fire.
But after the previous round of shelling, many soldiers had become panicked. When they saw the German troops entering within three hundred meters, they fired at the black figures appearing in the night. Some soldiers even roared loudly from time to time while shooting to embolden themselves and drive away the fear in their hearts.
Facing the German infantry approaching in the darkness in the distance, Paul also felt an obvious panic. He turned around and asked the second platoon commander next to him: "Is there any news from the deputy company commander?"
The second platoon leader quickly replied: "Comrade company commander, not only is there no news about the deputy company commander, but even the squad I sent to cover the deputy company commander has not returned to work yet."
When he learned that there was no news about the deputy company commander, Paul couldn't help but sigh secretly. He knew that reinforcements must not be counted on, and he could only use the existing troops to withstand the enemy's attack.
"Signal Corps!" Anyway, the target has been exposed, and the next thing to consider is how to eliminate the enemy. Paul looked left and right and shouted loudly: "Come to me!"
Paul's words quickly spread throughout the trenches through the soldiers on the left and right. Upon hearing the call, the signal soldier bent down and ran all the way to Paul. He asked breathlessly: "Comrade company commander, what are your instructions?"
"Immediately launch flares into the air to indicate shooting targets for our warriors."
The communications soldier responded resoundingly, took out his flare gun, loaded it with flares, and fired two shots into the air. With the sound of gunfire, two pale white flares rose into the air, clearly illuminating the German officers and soldiers who were rushing over.
Seeing that the enemy's whereabouts had been exposed to the light of the flares, the originally nervous commanders and fighters calmed down a lot. They no longer shot blindly, but after locking a target, they pulled the trigger without hesitation and shot another target. One enemy fell to the ground.
"Comrade Company Commander," seeing the densely packed enemies in the distance, the second platoon commander lost his composure. He shouted loudly to Paul: "There are too many enemies. With our small strength, we can't survive." You can’t stop them.”
"Second Platoon Commander," Paul was very angry when he heard that the Second Platoon Commander said something that could shake the morale of the army at such a critical moment. He said loudly to the other party: "Unless we are wiped out, otherwise We cannot let even one enemy pass through our position."
Just as the second platoon leader was shooting at the charging enemy with a frown on his face, the whistling sound of artillery shells was heard in the air. Soon, the artillery shell landed two hundred meters in front of the position and exploded, creating a wall of fire that enveloped countless German soldiers.
The artillery fire interception implemented by the Second Artillery Division built a wall of fire in front of the Ninth Company's position. Any German officers and soldiers who tried to pass through this wall of fire would be blown to pieces.
The Soviet commanders and fighters on the position couldn't help but cheer when they saw that the attacking enemy was stopped 200 meters away by artillery fire.
When Paul saw the artillery interception carried out by friendly forces, he was happy at first, but soon a trace of melancholy appeared on his face. Artillery fire interception can only stop the German army for a while. After all, artillery ammunition is not unlimited. Once the artillery has no shells and can no longer intercept artillery fire against the enemy, the company will still have to face the fierce German attack.
"Communications soldier!" Paul shouted again, but his voice was covered by the explosion not far away. Not to mention the communication soldiers in the distance, not even the second platoon leader beside him heard his shout. Voice.
Paul had no choice but to quickly take out a pen and paper from his pocket, and with the help of the firelight caused by the explosion, he quickly wrote a few lines on it, then tore off the page, folded it carefully, and bent down towards where the communications soldier was. Location ran.
Paul came to the communication soldier, raised his hand and patted the other party on the shoulder. When he turned around, he handed him the note in his hand, and told the communication soldier through gestures, ordering him to rush back to Yaco immediately. In the town of Vlevo, give the note to the battalion commander.
The signal soldier understood Paul's meaning through his gesture, quickly took the note in his hand, bent down and ran along the trench into the village, running towards the town.
Paul had no choice but to quickly take out a pen and paper from his pocket, and with the help of the firelight caused by the explosion, he quickly wrote a few lines on it, then tore off the page, folded it carefully, and bent down towards where the communications soldier was. Location ran.
Paul came to the communication soldier, raised his hand and patted the other party on the shoulder. When he turned around, he handed him the note in his hand, and told the communication soldier through gestures, ordering him to rush back to Yaco immediately. In the town of Vlevo, give the note to the battalion commander.
The signal soldier understood Paul's meaning through his gesture, quickly took the note in his hand, bent down and ran along the trench into the village, running towards the town.
