Chapter 702: Persevere (in)

  Chapter 702 Persevere (Part 2)

The German army's two offensives ended in failure, and they lost more than a dozen tanks and more than 300 soldiers. After learning of this result, the commander of the 24th Armored Division, von Lensky, sent the commander of the battle group, Edels Baron Heim cursed for a while. He called the other party's title of nobility and said: "Mr. Imperial Baron, according to the attack plan, your troops should capture the Russian Red October Workers' New Village before ten o'clock in the morning, and then turn around and head north to assist Combat group 'Winterfield' captures the new village of barricade workers.

   But it is already noon now, and your troops are still staying near the Red October Workers' New Village. I ask you to answer me, when will you be able to complete the battle plan that you have formulated long ago? "

Edelsheim raised his hand to wipe the sweat off his brow, and replied in embarrassment: "Your Excellency, I did not expect that the Russians standing in the workers' new village were so tenacious in their defense that they repelled our two attacks in a row. It also caused us a huge loss.”

"Mr. Baron Reich," Lensky said, looking at Edelsheim with a heartbroken expression, "we have been in the city for almost two months, don't you know that tanks are not suitable for street fighting Is it right? If you don’t change your attack method, I’m afraid you won’t be able to take down the Workers’ New Village no matter how much you pay.”

  Lensky's statement made Edelsheim's eyes light up, and he asked quickly: "Your Excellency, what new tactics should we adopt?"

"Mr. Imperial Baron, now you have two fully formed grenadier regiments and three battalion-level units of different arms in your hands. In terms of numbers and equipment, you are far more than the Russians in the workers' new village. "Lensky said slowly: "You can make full use of the advantages of artillery fire and knock down the Russian fire support points little by little. If the Russians lose these positions, they will not be able to gain a foothold in the new workers' village and can only retreat to the factory area. "

After hearing Lensky's statement, Edelsheim hesitated for a long time before hesitatingly said: "Mr. Commander, if this is really done, the Russian Red October Workers' New Village will be turned into ruins. Even if we occupy there, it doesn't make much sense."

"Mr. Baron Reich, I think it is necessary to remind you that our task is to advance to the Volga River as soon as possible and drive all the Russians into the Volga River. As for this city," Lensky said about the city that made him The city that has suffered a lot has an expression of disgust on its face: "The head of state once said that once Stalingrad is captured, the embankment will be dug and the city will be flooded with the Volga River, turning it into a piece of land. Mosquito-infested swamps."

   "I understand, sir." Edelsheim waited for Lensky to finish speaking, then nodded vigorously, and said, "I will use artillery fire to turn this new workers' village into ruins."

  In this way, the German army launched a third attack on the new village of workers held by the 122nd Guards Regiment. Due to Edelsheim's change of tactics, the Germans no longer bombarded buildings that might have Soviet firepower like the previous two times, but used large-caliber rockets to indiscriminately bombard the buildings in the workers' new village.

  Seeing buildings collapsing under shelling from time to time, Sokov hurriedly gave an order to Papchenko over the phone: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, the enemy's shelling is very violent. Immediately order all soldiers to evacuate to the sewer."

   "Do you need to leave an observation post?"

"No need." Sokov knew very well in his heart that under such violent shelling, the observation post staying in the building was either killed by the bomb or crushed to death by the collapsed building, so he said decisively: "I repeat Once the order is issued, everyone immediately retreats into the sewer to hide. If the enemy wants to attack, the shelling will definitely stop. Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, you can wait until the shelling is over before sending soldiers out to check the situation outside."

  As soon as Sokov put down the phone, Samoilov stepped forward and grabbed his arm, dragged him out, and said, "Comrade commander, this place is too dangerous. You'd better go to the sewer as soon as possible."

"Wait a minute," Sokov pointed to the communications soldier sitting by the telephone, and told the other party: "Comrade communications soldier, take the time to dismantle the phone, maybe this building will soon be destroyed by the Germans." People's shells hit." The communications soldier agreed, then took down the phone and walked outside with the phone in his arms.

  As soon as Sokov and the others entered the sewer, a rocket hit the building, and the already crumbling building collapsed. A puff of smoke and dust poured into the sewer, choking Sokov and the others who were hiding inside, coughing again and again.

  Sokov quickly raised his hand, covered his mouth and nose with his sleeve, and at the same time raised his hand to pat the shoulder of the person around him, signaling him to go deep into the sewer. After walking forward for dozens of meters, the dust-covered people finally got out of the smoke-covered area. Sokov put down his sleeves and looked around. Because it was too dark, he couldn't see who was around him, so he shouted loudly, "Second Lieutenant Samoilov, where are you?"

   "I'm here." Samoilov's voice came from not far away, "Comrade commander, what instructions do you have?"

   "Comrade Second Lieutenant, count the number of people immediately." After coughing twice, Sokov said to Samoilov: "See if everyone has come down."

  Samoilov promised, and began to count the number of people. After a few minutes, he reported to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, only two people are missing, and they may have died outside."

"Comrade Second Lieutenant, after you go out later, you should check carefully to see which two fighters are missing. Be sure to write down their names." Sokov said to Samoilov: "At the same time, we also need to Find a way to find their bodies and bury them properly..."

   Just as Sokov said this, he suddenly heard some voices from nearby, so he quickly stopped talking and listened carefully. It seemed that someone was walking towards this side, and there were quite a few of them, making the mud in the sewer creak.

  Sokov looked in the direction where the sound came from, but he couldn't see anything in the darkness. He secretly guessed in his heart that maybe the soldiers of the Guards had withdrawn from the front. He was about to ask which company the other party was from, when he suddenly heard the other party's voice speaking in a low voice, in a language he didn't understand.

"Why can't I understand what they are talking about?" Sokov just thought of this, and suddenly he was shocked and broke out in a cold sweat: "My God, they are speaking German, and the Germans touched it." down the sewer."

He hurriedly grabbed Samoilov who was beside him, and said in a low voice, "Comrade Second Lieutenant, did you hear that? The person walking towards us spoke German, and the Germans must have sneaked in." down the sewer."

"Pass it down," Samoilov is also a commander with rich combat experience. When he heard that Germans appeared in the sewer, he did not panic, but whispered to the soldiers around him: "There are Germans." People are walking towards us, get everyone ready to fight."

  The soldiers who received the order immediately aimed their guns in the direction of the German army, and were ready to fire at any time. And Samoilov leaned close to Sokov's ear and said in a low voice, "Comrade Commander, this place is too dangerous, you should move first."

  (end of this chapter)