Chapter 1323 Difficult Trek (Part 1)

The German officers and soldiers who were fleeing south did not know that their commander, Hoth, had abandoned them and fled from another place where no Soviet troops were stationed. They were still retreating southward along the road to Biel according to the original order. Gorod.

  The commanders and fighters of the 27th Army, under the cover of artillery fire and tanks, launched an attack on the fleeing enemy.

  If the Soviet army had a blocking position in front, more and more enemies would be blocked from retreating. In order to escape, these enemies would jump over the wall in a hurry, causing heavy casualties to the troops responsible for the blocking task.

   But now, Sokov is implementing pursuit tactics and has not set up any blocking positions in front. In this way, the fleeing enemies saw a glimmer of hope. They didn't even have the intention to stop and fight. They just wanted to run faster and escape from this **** area as soon as possible.

The enemy who retreated to Yakovlevo first wanted to follow Holt's order to establish a defensive position here, but as soon as they entered the town, the artillery fire of the Soviet army came one after another, killing the officers and soldiers who were preparing to repair the fortifications. It was so loud that it exploded. Seeing that there was no way to fortify and garrison here, the German officers and soldiers could only continue to flee south.

  Although there are still some brave German officers and soldiers, the Soviet commanders and fighters who stayed behind and tried to pursue them, in order to exchange their robes for time to escape. However, the Guards Tank Army, which led the attack in front, used tank guns to shell the temporary blocking positions constructed by the Germans.

  Often as soon as the bombardment ended, hordes of Soviet soldiers rushed up, and the rising tide generally submerged the remaining German officers and soldiers.

Several of the most powerful armored divisions and infantry divisions of the German army could not establish defensive positions at all in the face of this Soviet offensive. , can escape the fate of being killed or captured.

Sokov, who was staying at the headquarters, learned from the battle report from the battlefield that the German army that is currently fleeing has two armored divisions and three infantry divisions, and the 11th and 17th armored divisions are still using alternate cover. Gradually withdraw from the Oboyan area.

After reading the battle report, Sameko asked Sokov: "Comrade Commander, the 11th and 17th Armored Divisions of the German Army have lost touch with their main forces. Look, can we find a way to bring these two Are the armored divisions staying too?"

"Comrade Chief of Staff, you can eat as much as you have a stomach." Unexpectedly, after hearing this, Sokov waved his hands and said, "We have put all our strength into the pursuit of the fleeing enemy, and we can't spare any extra energy." In my opinion, it is better to leave the task of destroying these two German armored divisions to the friendly forces."

  Seeing that Sokov did not plan to deploy troops to deal with the 11th and 17th Armored Divisions, Sameko didn't say anything more. He knew very well that Sokov's decision was completely correct. If troops were to be deployed to stop the two German armored divisions, the troops that were conducting the pursuit operations would be weakened, which might affect the subsequent operations.

"By the way, Comrade Chief of Staff." Sukov suddenly thought of a key question: "Where are Holt and his Chief of Staff Merinjin located? Are they following the main force in the southward retreat, or are they with the two armored divisions?" ?”

   "I don't know." Sameko shook his head and replied, "So far, we haven't got any news about Huot. I guess he may be in the troops on the south side."

"Comrade Chief of Staff," Lunev couldn't help interjecting after hearing what Sameko said, "If Huot is really in the troops retreating south, after the battle is over, let the commanders and fighters properly identify the corpses on the battlefield, see Was he killed by our army during the retreat?"

   "Okay, Comrade Military Commissioner." Sameko readily agreed to Lunev's proposal: "I will notify all participating troops to let them carefully observe the corpses on the battlefield to see if Huot is among them."

Just as several people were discussing whether Huott escaped or died in the chaos, a combat staff officer came over with a telegram and reported to Sameko: "Comrade Chief of Staff, I just received a message from the commander of the 384th Division." incoming telegram."

   "A telegram from Major General Gritsenko?" Hearing what the staff officer said, Sameko had a surprised expression on his face: "Could it be that their division's strength is insufficient, so they sent a special telegram requesting us to replenish their strength?"

   "I don't think so." Sokov, who was looking at the map, raised his head and said to Sameko, "Comrade Chief of Staff, don't make wild guesses. Just read the contents of the telegram."

  Sameko agreed, brought the telegram to his eyes, and browsed it carefully. After he read the contents of the telegram, he couldn't help but turn pale with shock: "Comrade Commander, Huot has escaped!"

   "Holt ran away?"

"Ran!"

   "How did you run?" Sokov asked a little unhappy.

"After our general attack began, a regiment of the 384th Division suffered heavy casualties in the early blocking battle. There were less than 300 people left in the regiment, and they were unable to participate in the attack on the enemy." Sameko reported to Sokov Said: "So the head of the regiment took his subordinates to search nearby, and found a large number of discarded tanks, armored vehicles and barrel cars in a forest, as well as a group of wounded. After interrogation, it was found that Huot had two hundred Many officers and soldiers fled westward through forests and swamps."

   "What, Huot escaped?" Lunev became anxious after hearing Sameko's words, and hurriedly said to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, I think we should send troops to pursue and capture Huot alive."

"Comrade Military Commissar, it's too late to go after him now." Sokov shook his head and said, "And the forest is so big, how do we know where Huot is now? There are fewer people going, and there may be losses; go If there are too many people, it will affect the general attack we are launching at the moment."

   "Are you going to let Holt escape like this?" Sameko asked unwillingly.

   "No way." Sokov shrugged, spread his hands, and said helplessly: "It can only be said that Huo Te deserves to die, since he can escape from a direction where our army is not defending."

   "Then if the superior asks, how should we answer?"

  Sometimes the more you worry about something, something happens. Sameko was worried about being held accountable by his superiors when the phone on the desk rang. Sokov picked up the microphone and heard Zhukov's voice coming from inside: "Misha, how is your battle going?"

Hearing that it was Zhukov's call, Sokov quickly stood up, straightened his back and replied: "Report to Comrade Marshal, our attack has completely disrupted the retreating German troops. Now their three infantry divisions and two An armored division has fallen into complete chaos and is fleeing southward along the road in embarrassment under the pursuit of our army."

   "Good job!" After Zhukov praised Sokov, he asked the question he was most concerned about: "Is there any hope of living Hult?"

"I'm sorry, Comrade Marshal, I can't." Sokov knew that if he wanted to prevent his superiors from holding him accountable after the battle, he had to tell Zhukov the truth: "According to the information we just obtained, Holt has already brought a Small force, fled westward through forest and swamp."

   "Huh?! Holt escaped?"

   "Yes, escaped!"

   "How did he escape?" Zhukov asked dissatisfiedly when he learned that the cooked duck had flown.

"According to our interrogation of the prisoners," Sokov knew that if he didn't make it clear to Zhukov, he might cause the other party to be furious, so he quickly explained: "When Holt and the members of the headquarters were retreating, they saw the troops ahead. After being attacked by us, he knew that if he continued to move forward, he would either be captured or die in the chaos, so he threw away the accompanying tanks, armored vehicles and barrel cars, as well as a group of wounded, with more than 200 officers and soldiers, Fleeing westward through the forest."

   "Then did you send someone to chase after it?"

   "No." Sokov replied simply, "I don't think it's necessary."

   "Why?" Zhukov gritted his molars and asked, "Are you going to watch him flee back to Belgorod like this?"

"Comrade Marshal, I have no choice." Sokov said helplessly: "You also know that to search such a large forest and swamp must require a lot of troops. And now all the troops in my hand are Putting it into the attack on the German army fleeing south, it is really impossible to draw troops."

  Sokov's explanation, although still unable to satisfy Zhukov, he knew very well that what Sokov said was true. If the 27th Army hadn't participated in so many battles and hadn't lost a large number of soldiers, then it is possible to deploy troops to search for Huot at this moment. But in the current state, Holt can only be allowed to escape.

   Not only Zhukov and others are concerned about Holt's whereabouts, but even Manstein is also worried about his safety. When he learned that Huot's armored army was retreating and was attacked by the Soviet army and was defeated, he immediately ordered his subordinates to send a telegram to Huot to learn about his latest movements.

  But at this moment, Huot was walking through the forest. In order to prevent the target from being exposed, he ordered the radio operator to turn off the radio at the beginning of the transfer, so that the Soviet army would not find his trace based on the radio signal.

   It was precisely because Huot and others voluntarily turned off the radio when they were marching in the forest that the radio station of the Manstein Command was unable to get in touch with them.

  Seeing that the sky was getting dark, but Huot couldn't get in touch for a long time, Manstein was a little crazy. He didn't expect that this fortress operation would end in such a fiasco. If Hult's life was really taken, he still doesn't know how to explain it to Mustache.

  After entering the forest with his subordinates, Huot relied on the guidance of the compass and headed westward. After walking for about an hour, the way was blocked by a swamp.

   Mei Linjin, who was eager to get out, immediately ordered five soldiers to go ahead to find the way. Unexpectedly, none of these soldiers had experience in crossing the swamp. After walking forward for twenty or thirty meters, they fell into the swamp. Four soldiers were swallowed by the swamp on the spot. Fortunately, the last soldier was not too far from the shore and was rescued by the soldiers on the shore in time.

  After this failed expedition, no matter how Mei Linjin gave orders to the soldiers, or even threatened them, no one was willing to explore the road again, lest they lose their lives in vain.

   Seeing that the soldiers refused to explore the way because they were afraid of death, Huot was also anxious. He asked Mei Linjin: "Chief of Staff, the soldiers refused to explore the way, what should we do?"

"Your Excellency, Commander!" Mei Linjin saw with his own eyes that several soldiers were instantly swallowed up by the swamp. He was terrified by the Russian swamp, not to mention that the road was impassable. Even if some soldiers reached the other side, he would not dare to go adventure. Hearing Holt ask himself at this moment, he could only say cautiously: "How about we go around the edge of the swamp?"

   "Go around?!" Holt glanced at the endless swamp, frowned and said, "If we make a detour, how many wrong roads will we have to take?"

  Mei Linjin calculated the road in his mind, and said hesitantly: "It will take about 20 kilometers more."

"Go more than 20 kilometers?" Holt said with a sneer: "Chief of Staff, what should we do if we are blocked by a new swamp after detouring for more than 20 kilometers? Should we still make a detour? In this case, Even if the Russians hadn't chased us, we'd probably have run out of food and water because of the detours, until we were all dead in this **** forest."

   "However, the few soldiers who just explored the road were swallowed up by the **** swamp." Mei Linjin said awkwardly: "No one wants to explore the road now."

   "No one is exploring the way, are we waiting to die here?" Holt said, and called to the side: "Adjutant!"

  Following Huot's shout, a German lieutenant colonel appeared in front of him and asked respectfully, "Your Excellency, Commander, what instructions do you have?"

"Adjutant, immediately arrange for people to re-explore the road." Holt knew that the soldiers today were frightened, and no one would submit if they did not take some coercive measures, so he ordered his adjutant, "Whoever refuses to obey Command, I authorize you to shoot him on the spot."

   The adjutant who got Shang Fang's sword immediately ran to recruit people and asked them to explore the road again.

  A German corporal who was named looked at the swamp ahead and shook his head like a rattle: "Mr. Lieutenant Colonel, I haven't lived enough. I don't want to die here."

  Seeing that the corporal refused to carry out his order, the adjutant didn't talk nonsense with him, and directly pulled out a pistol, aimed at the back of his head and shot him. The corporal fell to the ground in response, and his body fell into the water. The blood from the wound on his head immediately stained the surface of a large swamp red.

  The surrounding soldiers saw Huot's adjutant's attitude so tough, the corporal just said that he didn't want to die, and shot him without saying a word.

   I have to say that the effect of the adjutant killing chickens and monkeys is quite good. After killing the chicken of the corporal, the rest of the monkeys were old-fashioned. None of the soldiers whose names were named by the adjutant dared to say a word, obediently stood on the edge of the swamp, ready to go into the water to find the way.

  (end of this chapter)