Chapter 1108 Lag forward

  When the German army learned that their last stronghold near the Red Army Village had fallen, they immediately dispatched bombers to bomb the Red Army Village. However, when these bombers passed the defense zone of the 125th regiment, Yershakov would not easily let them go, and immediately ordered the newly established air defense positions to open fire and intercept them.

   Following Yershakov's order, twelve quadruple 14.5mm anti-aircraft machine guns fired simultaneously. Since Sokov once taught the air-to-air combat tactics of focusing fire, the anti-aircraft machine guns did not fight independently as before, but locked on a target and fired at the same time.

  In less than five minutes, four JU-88 bombers were shot down and two more were injured.

  The remaining pilots saw their own planes falling down one after another, wondering what new weapons the Soviet army was equipped with. They were worried that if they continued to bomb the Red Army Village according to the original plan, they might suffer greater losses, so they threw away the bombs they were carrying and turned back.

Seeing the umbrella flowers blooming in the sky, Sokov quickly gave Samoilov an order: "Comrade Lieutenant, have you seen those parachuting pilots? Take someone to catch them immediately. If you can't capture them alive, you can choose to kill them on the spot." .”

"Comrade commander, you are right." Samoilov said to Sokov: "It is not easy to train pilots. If we kill or capture one, their pilots will be one less. If it is not high, the threat to us can be greatly reduced."

   "Okay, don't talk nonsense, hurry up and catch the pilot." Sokov urged the other party: "If the enemy finds a place to hide, it will not be easy to catch them again."

  After Samoilov left, Sokov called and asked Ershakov: "Comrade Colonel, how are you doing? Have the results of your regiment been counted?"

"Yes, Comrade Commander." Ershakov said quite proudly: "We shot down four enemy planes and damaged two. The rest of the enemy fled after hastily dropping their bombs. The report is over. "

   "Is this the end of the report?"

   "Yes, Comrade Commander, the reports are all over."

   "What about your losses?" Sokov asked into the microphone: "For example, how many people were killed or injured by the enemy's bombing, and how many weapons and equipment were lost?"

Hearing the question asked by Sokov, Ershakov was silent for a long time, and then replied embarrassingly: "Report to Comrade Commander, our regiment lost three anti-aircraft machine guns in the bombing just now, and sacrificed 120 More than a dozen soldiers were injured, and more than 200 people were injured, one-third of the casualties were soldiers from the anti-aircraft machine gun company."

"Comrade Colonel, immediately mobilize forces to supplement the anti-aircraft machine gun company." Sokov reminded Ershakov, "Through today's battle, we can understand that troops equipped with anti-aircraft machine guns play a role on the battlefield. stronger."

   "Understood, I will supplement them immediately."

"Wait a minute, Comrade Colonel." When Sokov was about to hang up the phone, he suddenly remembered another matter, and asked quickly, "By the way, did your regiment really evacuate all the anti-aircraft machine guns in the warehouse? "

"Of course, Comrade Commander, we have taken out all the anti-aircraft machine guns." Ershakov explained to Sokov: "Today, the enemy's aircraft are all artillery of various calibers, and anti-aircraft machine guns are very useful. Less, otherwise we would not have found this stock in the warehouse."

   "The bombing just now, the loss of your fortifications should not be small. Immediately hurry up and repair it, and make sure to establish a complete defense system before the enemy arrives."

After Vitkov arrived at the Red Army Village with the headquarters of the 41st Guards Division, he immediately found Sokov and asked him for instructions: "Comrade Commander, where do you plan to put Colonel Sivakov's 71st Guards Division?" ?”

   "I think it will be deployed in the south." Sokov said carelessly.

"But the southeast of the Red Army Village is Donetsk, where we have one of our guards divisions. If we put another division in the south of the city, would it be a bit wasteful? In my opinion, it is better to put them in the north of the city Better."

"It's not a waste at all," Sokov said to Vitkov, pointing to the map: "Chief of Staff, look, there are no strong troops between the Red Army Village and Donetsk. If the enemy finds out that this is our Weaknesses in the defense, if we directly send troops to attack, then our troops in the Red Army Village will be in danger of being cut off. The reason why I put the Sivakov Division here is to avoid similar situations.”

"Okay, Comrade Commander." Witkov felt that what Sokov said made sense, so he didn't object any more. Instead, he said along with him: "Then, according to your wishes, put Sivakov's division away." On the south side of the Red Army Village, to protect our flank."

  Since the division headquarters of the Guards Division has been moved to the Red Army Village, it only took a lot of time to complete the installation of radio stations and telephones to communicate with the outside world.

  As soon as the phone was set up, Sokov received a call from Rokossovsky. Rokossovsky asked in surprise on the phone: "Misha, did your troops really occupy the Red Army Village?"

   "Yes, Comrade Front Army Commander, we have indeed occupied the Red Army Village." Sokov didn't know the reason for Rokossovsky's question, so he asked, "Is there something wrong?"

  "You just took Donetsk before dawn; before dawn, you liberated the Red Army Village. The time interval between the two victories is too short, and it is normal for some people to question it."

   "Comrade Commander of the Front Army," Sokov couldn't help breaking out in a cold sweat when he heard Rokossovsky say this: "Is there anyone who suspects that we have falsely reported the results of the battle?"

"It is true that some people have raised such doubts, but the base camp has already figured out the results you have achieved through its own channels, which are completely true." Rokossovsky said into the microphone: "What is your next step?" Intend?"

"Kharkov is too far away from us." Sokov said to Rokossovsky: "Even if we want to help the troops there, we are powerless. Before we get there, the enemy may have taken Kharkov."

   "So what are you going to do?" Rokossovsky asked.

   "Wait, wait here." Sokov replied: "Wait for the enemy to launch a counterattack against us, and we will use the existing fortifications to repel their attack."

"Your idea is good, but the enemy's strength is not weak." Rokossovsky reminded Sokov: "The imperial division that fought with our army during the day has withdrawn from the battle on its own initiative. According to the analysis of intelligence, They should be heading for you."

Hearing that the Imperial Division was coming towards his defense zone, Sokov couldn't help but trembled, but he quickly stabilized his emotions and asked tentatively: "I wonder how long the enemy will have before they can reach us? "

"According to the report of the Air Force, a fast column of more than 100 armored vehicles and more than 20 tanks is heading towards you. Judging from the distance and the enemy's marching speed, they will reach you by noon tomorrow at the latest The defense zone. How about, confident to block them?"

  "As long as my troops can arrive on time, I must have the confidence to stop the enemy."

"But what if the other two Guards divisions can't arrive on time?" But Rokossovsky was obviously not satisfied with his answer, so he went on to ask: "With your current strength, can you hold the Red Army Village? "

"It's very difficult," Sokov didn't give any vague answers when he heard Rokossovsky's question, but said truthfully: "But we will do our best." In order to delay the march of the German army Speed, Sokov asked Rokossovsky again, "I wonder if the air force can be dispatched to carry out air strikes on the advancing German fast columns. Doing so can effectively slow down the enemy's advance speed."

   "Okay, I will immediately send air force to carry out air strikes on the advancing German columns and slow down their progress."

As soon as Sokov put down the phone, he immediately said to Vitkov: "Chief of Staff, the situation is not good. A German fast column consisting of more than 100 armored vehicles and more than 20 tanks is heading towards our defense zone." Come, you can reach us at noon tomorrow at the latest. Ask the troops who are still marching when they will reach the designated area. "

However, he gave another order to the division chief of staff, Sidolin: "Comrade Colonel, although Commander Rokossovsky promised to send planes to attack the enemy columns, to be on the safe side, we should still send a small unit. , to carry out layer-by-layer resistance along the way to slow down the enemy's advancing speed."

"Comrade commander, I understand what you mean." Sidolin had not been with Sukov for a day or two, so he naturally understood what he meant, and quickly replied: "I will immediately send an anti-tank team to set up defenses along the way. The advancing German fast columns were intercepting."

  Witkov just heard the words behind, and he couldn't help but ask: "Sending a small force to stop the robbery, will it be effective?"

"If it is an ordinary German army that is marching, I send an anti-tank team, which is tantamount to letting the soldiers go to death." Sokov explained to Witkov: "But now the enemy who is coming to us, riding They are all armored vehicles, and the rockets that our division equips with priority are the most effective against enemy tanks and armored vehicles."

  ...

  The marching speed of the Imperial Division is still very amazing.

  A fast column consisting of more than 100 armored vehicles and more than 20 tanks is only more than 80 kilometers away from the Red Army Village at this moment. If the armored vehicle is allowed to drive forward at full power, it will be able to rush into the Russian defensive position for up to two hours. However, the existence of tanks slowed down the progress of the entire army.

   Originally, the road was not easy to walk, but on the way, this unit was actually attacked by the Soviet army. Although the armored vehicles and tanks on the road were evaded in time. However, under the fierce attack of the Soviet army, three tanks and more than 20 armored vehicles were still blown up, and more than 120 soldiers were killed or injured.

  In order to rush to the Red Army Village as soon as possible, as soon as the Soviet planes left, the German commander left a small unit to treat the wounded, and the rest of the armored vehicles and tanks continued to move forward.

   But not far away, the armored vehicle that was driving was destroyed by a rocket that flew out of the forest. The soldiers on the vehicle turned into a group of burning men in an instant, and they all jumped out of the armored vehicle. Some ran around aimlessly, fell down repeatedly, and got up again, until finally exhausted, fell to the ground and began to burn. And some soldiers, after their bodies caught fire, threw themselves directly into the nearby snowdrifts in order to extinguish the flames on their bodies.

   Noticing that there was a small group of Soviet troops in the forest, the German commander immediately ordered the troops to search the forest, but found nothing but a few footprints.

  Now that the Soviets had left, the Germans withdrew the troops searching the forest and continued to advance towards the Red Army Village.

   But not long after they walked, they were attacked by the Soviet bazooka again. This time it was a tank that opened the way. The tank was surrounded by flames in an instant, and none of the crew inside could escape.

  The German army had no choice but to send troops into the forest to search again. But the members of the anti-tank team all have rich experience in guerrilla warfare. They did not stand still in one place, but after a successful blow, they quickly moved their positions and waited for the enemy's arrival in a new position.

   In this way, the German rapid defense force will be attacked by nearby rocket launchers every few hundred meters, and the number of destroyed tanks and armored vehicles will increase. As it was getting late and Soviet attacks were becoming more frequent, the German commander decided to change his original plan and camp in place, planning to wait until dawn before moving on too late.

   Sokov, who was staying in the Red Army village, learned that the German fast column had already camped at the enemy 60 to 70 kilometers away from the city after being attacked. He said to Sidolin: "Comrade Colonel, I don't know when the other Guards divisions will arrive here. Therefore, the defense of the Red Army Village can only be completed by our 41st Guards Division."

   "Comrade Commander, although this city is not big, the front of the defense is too wide." Sidolin said with some embarrassment: "If we stick to the existing forces and defend, I'm afraid..."

"There is nothing to worry about." Sokov didn't wait for him to finish, and interrupted him: "We can use the key defense. Since the enemy is coming from mechanized troops, it means that they cannot pass through those small roads. Therefore, we only need to deploy defenses on the main arterial roads, which is enough to block their progress."

Hearing what Sokov said, Sidolin quickly checked the map, and then nodded: "Comrade commander, you are right. From the direction the enemy came from, there are only two roads for them to enter the Red Army Village, the west and the northwest. We can stop their progress simply by laying minefields on the roads in both directions."

  (end of this chapter)