Red Moscow

The Germans who attacked Liumian Street did not know the information about the adjustment of the Liumian Street defenders. They thought it was the 109th Guards Regiment who were holding on. Therefore, after the attempted attack was repelled, they quickly launched a new attack. This time the enemy dispatched two Panzer IV tanks, two assault guns, and more than two hundred soldiers, trying to rush into Liumian Street in one fell swoop.

In the last round of battle, Porochenko felt that three anti-tank guns were too few to destroy the enemy's tanks, so he took advantage of the interval between the enemy's attacks and asked the communications soldiers to connect a telephone line to each artillery position, and They are numbered sequentially so that he can better command artillery operations in the next battle.

Seeing the German tanks in sight, he quickly contacted the No. 2 artillery position by phone, and he told the gunner who answered the phone: "Comrade gunner, your mission is to destroy the two German assault guns. Wait." As soon as they come within range, they fire, understand?"

"Understood, Comrade Company Commander." The senior gunner quickly stated: "We will definitely wipe out all the enemy's assault guns."

Seeing that the No. 2 artillery position had clarified its mission, he called the three artillery positions No. 3 to No. 5 respectively, ordering them to use high-explosive grenades to kill and injure as many German infantry as possible behind the tanks and assault guns. Kill the enemy's vital force.

When the German tank was still three hundred meters away from the No. 1 artillery position where Porochenko was located, he decisively gave the order to fire. After the battle just now, the artillerymen have been able to master these 75mm anti-tank guns proficiently, so they accurately hit one of the tanks in the first round of shooting.

Two armor-piercing projectiles penetrated the frontal armor of the tank, causing the ammunition inside the vehicle to explode. The air wave of the explosion lifted the hatch of the turret, and a flame shot up into the air. Porochenko held up the binoculars and carefully observed the burning tank. He never found any tank soldiers escaping from it. They should all be killed in the car when the ammunition exploded.

"Good job, brothers, well done!" Porochenko was very satisfied with the performance of his subordinates, and he shouted loudly: "As long as the second tank is killed again, the enemy's attack will fail." .”

At the same time that the first tank was destroyed, the three artillery batteries responsible for attacking the infantry also opened fire. The high-explosive grenade fell on the infantry line and exploded. The German soldiers near the explosion point were either blown to pieces on the spot or blown away by the explosion. Just a minute or two later, the infantry attacking behind the tanks and assault guns fell into chaos.

The German driver driving the assault gun noticed that the infantry behind him was being hit by Soviet artillery fire, so he accelerated his march, trying to find the Soviet artillery position and destroy it, so as to reduce the casualties of the infantry. They managed to find an artillery emplacement, stopped beside a piece of ruins, and turned their cannons to destroy it.

Unexpectedly, when the German assault guns were adjusting their positions, the No. 2 artillery position, which had been silent, opened fire. The buildings where they are located are only 150 meters away from the assault guns, but they are still hitting stationary targets, so the hit rate can be imagined. After three cannon blasts, the assault guns that were adjusting their direction and preparing to shoot all emitted billowing smoke and began to burn blazingly.

The infantry in the building, whether they were in the Marine Battalion or the Guards Company, found the fighting so boring. Except for the occasional machine gun fire, most of the commanders and fighters didn't even have the chance to shoot. They saw the attacking enemy retreating hastily under the attack of artillery fire.

A sailor soldier complained: "When I was flushing the ditch, I fired five shots, and I missed the enemy. I didn't see it. I thought that if I came to Liumian Street for reinforcements, I would get some battles. Knowing that our artillery repelled two enemy attacks in a row. If this continues, I am afraid that by the time we evacuate here, we will not have the opportunity to destroy the enemy with our own hands."

Company Commander Agranov happened to pass by here, and when he heard the soldier's complaints, he couldn't help laughing and said, "Why, aren't you used to this kind of fighting without any casualties?"

This soldier fought a bayonet fight with Romanian soldiers in Beigang a few days ago, and stabbed two enemies to death with his own hands. I'm really not used to this kind of situation of sitting on the battlefield and watching other people fight. Hearing the company commander asking himself, he quickly stood up and said, "Comrade company commander, look, the enemy has launched two attacks in a row. But apart from the artillery fighting, only the machine gun upstairs fired twice. , and we, because the range is not enough, the rifle can't hit the enemy, so we can only stay here and watch the fun."

"I understand how you feel. It's really embarrassing to watch others destroy the enemy while you do nothing." Agranov raised his hand and patted the soldier's shoulder, comforting him and said, "But Don't worry, the artillery shells of the artillery company are not unlimited. Once their shells are exhausted, we can only rely on our infantry to block the enemy's attack."

With the destruction of tanks and assault guns, the second German offensive ended in failure again. In this attack, they lost two Panzer IVs and two assault guns, as well as more than a hundred soldiers.

Just when Sokov was going to report the results of the battle to Chuikov by telegram, the operator handed him a telegram from Sidolin. The content of the telegram is simple: "In the battle that just ended, a Tiger tank was captured."

Seeing this telegram, Sokov was stunned. He clearly remembered that because the German tank soldiers strictly carried out Hitler's orders, all abandoned Tiger tanks were blown up, so that until the beginning of February 43, with the German army The British army fighting in Tunisia captured a German Tiger tank only by accident. Therefore, he doubted the authenticity of Sidolin's telegram.

He looked at the operator and asked: "Comrade operator, are you sure that the telegram came from Mamayev Post?"

"Yes, Comrade Commander." Although the operator did not understand why Sokov asked such a question, he replied truthfully: "I can confirm that the telegram was indeed sent from Mamayev Post."

Since the operator said so, Sokov knew that he would not be mistaken. If an operator often receives telegrams from a fixed operator, he must know the style of the other party's telegrams very well. No one can pretend this. In order to find out the ins and outs of the capture of the Tiger tank, he asked the radio operator to call back Sidolin. The above content was very simple: "Please report the details of the capture of the Tiger tank."

After waiting for five or six minutes, Sidolin's call back came, which said: "The German army dispatched a Tiger tank and two Panzer IV tanks to cover their infantry attacking Mamayev Gang. After being attacked by our army The enemy with heavy casualties had to withdraw from the battle after being attacked by the flying mine cannon. The Tiger tanks left on the battlefield were inspected and found that although the appearance of the tank was intact, the tank crew inside had been shocked to death. .”

Sokov remembered that some time ago, in order to form a tank battalion to defend the Red October factory, he had handed over all the tank soldiers in the brigade to Bely's command. Now that Belyi has been transferred to another area by Cuikov, it may be unrealistic for his tank soldiers to return to the construction.

Without the tank crew, no one would be able to drive this captured Tiger tank. But just letting it stop in front of the Mamayev Post, Sokov was not reconciled. He picked up the phone on the table and asked the communications soldier to connect him to the headquarters of the Army Group, preparing to let Chuikov handle the tank matters.

Hearing Krylov's voice coming from the receiver, Sokov hurriedly said, "Hello, Comrade Chief of Staff, I have something to report to you."

"Tell me something quickly." Krylov said impatiently: "I'm very busy."

"That's right, Comrade Chief of Staff." Sokov originally planned to go to Chuikov directly, but after hearing what Krylov said, he felt that it would be the same to tell him the matter, so he continued: "The people stationed in Mamayev The defenders of the post captured a Tiger tank in the battle that just ended. You know, I don’t have any tank soldiers..."

Krylov, who was dizzy with his work, obviously didn't realize what the seizure of a Tiger tank represented, but said displeasedly: "Colonel Sokov, you called me just to seize a what Tiger tank thing? If nothing else, I'll hang up."

After finishing speaking, without waiting for Sokov to say anything, Krylov hung up the phone directly. Holding the microphone with a blind tone, Sokov really couldn't laugh or cry. He didn't expect that Krylov didn't care about such an important matter as the capture of the Tiger tank. If no one drives the Tiger tank away, there are only two fates waiting for it. One is that the Germans directly use long-range artillery to destroy it in order to prevent the Soviet army from capturing this tank; To regain the Tiger tank, we can only blow it up with our own hands.

Either way, Sokov doesn't want to see it. He put down the microphone and thought to himself, if he really couldn't find the tanker, then he would go out and drive the tank to a hidden place to hide. When I have a chance in the future, I will find someone to study this new German tank.

Just when Sokov secretly made up his mind that when his superiors sent troops to take over the defense, he immediately rushed back to Mamayev Post, drove the tank to a safe place and hid it himself, and let professionals Come study. The phone on the desk rang, and he quickly picked up the receiver and whispered to his ear, "I'm Sokov, where are you?"

The reason why he asked this question was because after arriving here, he used the original telephone line of the 37th Guards Division. All battalion-level command posts are contacted, so after the phone rings, find out where the call is from.

"Hello, Colonel Sokov." A familiar voice came from the receiver: "I'm Orel."

Hearing the other party's name, Sokov only thought for a moment, then remembered that the other party was the armored director of the group army, and asked politely, "Hello, General Orel, what instructions do you have?"

"I just heard from the chief of staff," Orel asked hesitantly, "you captured a Tiger tank, is it true?"

"Of course it is, Comrade General."

"Where is the tank now?"

Sokov replied with some shame: "Since no one knows how to drive a tank, this tank is still parked at the foot of the northern hill of Mamayev Kurgan."

"Colonel Sokov, as far as I know, this new type of tank is also a strictly confidential technical equipment in the German army." Knowing that the tank was still parked at the foot of the mountain, Orel couldn't help feeling anxious: "The Germans In order to prevent this tank from falling into the hands of our army, we will definitely send troops to take it back. Even if they can’t take it back, they will find a way to blow it up. Therefore, you must send people to move it to a safe place as soon as possible.”

"Comrade General, I'm afraid I won't be able to fulfill your request." Sokov emphasized again: "There is no one who can drive a tank on Mamayev, so we can't move the tank to a safe place."

"I can provide you with a few tank drivers, and they will arrive at Mamayev Post in half an hour." Orel said on the phone: "You and your comrades on the ground say hello, so that the soldiers don't have to worry about it." Seeing them on the battlefield, beat them as enemies."

"Don't worry, Comrade General." Since Orel agreed to send someone to receive the captured Tiger tank, Sokov readily agreed, "I will greet the commanders and fighters on the ground."

After putting down the phone, Sokov said to the radio operator: "Radio operator, send a telegram to the Chief of Staff, saying that the Army Command is about to send someone to receive the tank, and ask him to send someone to help to avoid accidental injury."

While the radio operator was sending the report, a soldier from the guard company walked in from outside the house and reported to Sokov: "Comrade division commander, there is a commander outside who wants to see you."

After listening to the other party's report, Sokov couldn't help being stunned for a moment, and asked, "Is it from the Marine Battalion or the Guard Company?"

The soldier shook his head and said, "No, it's a commander from a friendly army."

"Let him in."

After a while, a captain officer entered the room under the proxy of the soldier. Seeing Sokov, he quickly stood at attention, raised his hand in salute, and said respectfully, "Hello, Comrade Colonel, I am Captain Ataman, Deputy Battalion Commander of the Second Battalion of the 768th Regiment of the 138th Infantry Division. It was ordered to take over your defense."

"138th Infantry Division?" After hearing the number of the unit, Sokov asked curiously, "Is it Colonel Lyudnikov's unit?"

"Yes, Comrade Colonel." Seeing that Sokov actually knew the name of his teacher, Ataman asked in surprise, "Do you know my teacher?"

"I have seen it several times, and I have fought side by side." Sokov nodded and replied with a smile: "Comrade Captain, can you tell me where he is now?"

"The main force of our division is now deployed to the north of the barricade factory." Ataman replied briefly: "Comrade Commander is commanding the troops and fighting tenaciously with the Germans."

Sokov knew Lyudnikov's troops, because of the heroic tenacity and sacrifice spirit shown in the battle to defend the barricade factory, not long after the end of the Battle of Stalingrad, he was awarded the first rank of the Guards Infantry. The honorary title of the 70th division. However, although he knew these things in his heart, he could not tell anyone. He looked at Ataman and asked, "Comrade Captain, when will your troops come here to take over the defense?"