Sokov received a telegram from Rokosovsky and was stunned: "What, his troops killed the commander of the Skeleton Division in battle? But why didn't Papchinko report this important news to him?"
In order to figure out what happened, he personally called the 122nd Regiment headquarters and asked Papchinko: "Comrade Colonel, are there any senior commanders who have killed the enemy in the battle?"
"Senior Commander?" Papuqinko shook his head and replied, "Comrade Commander, you also know that the enemy commanders are cowards. Even their regiment-level commands are usually located more than ten kilometers away from the front, let alone their senior commanders."
"Are you really sure that you didn't kill the senior German generals in the battle?"
When he heard Sokov actually said the word general, Papchenko immediately realized that the other party might know something that he didn't know, and asked tentatively: "Comrade, what's going on, can you say it more clearly?"
"That's right, comrade Colonel," Sokov said to the microphone: "According to the superior's notice, there seems to be some confusion in the command system of the Skeleton Division. The superior analyzed that it may be that something unexpected happened to the commander of the division, Eke. Therefore, I will ask you whether there are any important figures who killed the German army during the battle."
"Comrade Commander, the enemy commanders who were shot dead by us, except for one major, are all lieutenant-level officers, and there are no general-level commanders at all."
Sokov thought about it and felt that since Papchinko and the others did not kill Ike, and the only possible way to die was to be killed by a rocket, so he ordered Papchinko: "Comrade Colonel, please order people to search in the ruins of your occupied area to see if there are any commanders who died inside."
"I understand, comrade of the teacher."
When Sokov put down the phone, Cidolin asked tentatively: "Comrade Commander, do you think it's because of the superiors who made a mistake?"
"No." Sokov immediately denied Sidolin's question, "I think the analysis of the superiors makes sense. If nothing happened to Ike, the Germans would not have changed the division commander at this time. I think Ike may be very dead, but we have not found his body for the time being."
"If Ike dies, it will be a good thing for us," said Cydollin. "It will take some time to get to know the troops if another division commander, that is, the Skeleton Division will not be able to fully utilize their original combat power for a considerable period of time."
Rokosovsky sent Sokov a phone call to ask about Ike's life and death. Not long after, Zhukov also sent the same telegram to understand Ike's life and death situation. After Sokov received this telegram, he learned that Zhukov is now serving as the commander of the Southwest Front.
After learning the news, Sokov was overjoyed. He knew very well. If someone else was the commander of the Southwest Front, he would definitely not care about the plans he proposed. But Zhukov was different. Once he understood his intentions, he would definitely make enough noise in the northeast of Ijum to attract more German troops and reduce the pressure for himself who was dealing with the enemy's heavy army.
Taking advantage of Papchinko's chance to verify Eke's life and death, Sokov turned his attention to the southwest, because the German flag guard division was heading towards Balvinkovo. Moreover, their vanguard troops had already connected with the 125th Regiment.
The bomber formation sent by Rokosovsky carried out air strikes at the German troops heading towards Balvinkovo, destroying a considerable number of tanks, armored vehicles and trucks, causing considerable casualties to the German army. It was precisely because of the Soviet air strike that the rapidly advancing flag guard division had to stop on the spot to avoid the air strikes, and the battalion that went forward to Balvinkovo ​​became an isolated army.
When he learned that there was only one battalion of the German army that had exchanged fire with him, Yershakov immediately ordered the third battalion to detour from the flank and launch a sudden attack from the side of the German army. As the German tanks, armored vehicles and trucks were destroyed one by one by one by one by the rocket launcher, the German army fell into chaos.
Seeing the enemy on the front began to retreat, Yershakov issued a timely order to attack, and the entire regiment launched a comprehensive counterattack. The battle lasted only half an hour. Except for more than 40 soldiers who escaped, the vanguard of the Flag Guard Division was completely destroyed.
At the same time, Papchinko took advantage of the enemy's lack of attack and was organizing people to search for the ruins to see if he could find what Sokov wanted.
During the search, the soldiers gained a lot. Some found ammunition, food and medicines stockpiled by the German army, while others found the bodies of some German officers who were killed by rockets.
But unfortunately, after searching for a long time, Ike's body was not found among the hundreds of bodies found. After learning about the report from his subordinates, Papuchinko secretly doubted: "Is it really the division commander who made a mistake? Ike was not dead at all, but continued to stay in his command center?"
Just as he was about to give up, the first battalion commander Major Vasily called: "Comrade Commander, we found a crushed bucket truck in a collapsed house in the defense zone."
When he heard that he had discovered the bucket cart, Pupchinko's eyes lit up. He knew very well that those who were qualified to ride the bucket cart in the German army would definitely not be some grassroots officers. He hurriedly ordered Vasily: "Comrade Major, please stop the people from digging out the cart immediately and see who they are inside."
"Comrade Commander, I have organized people to dig." Vasily replied: "I guess it will take as soon as twenty minutes to figure out who is in the bucket."
"Major, order the soldiers to speed up." According to Sokov's instructions, before Ike's body was discovered, there was no news. He could only urge the other party: "You must find out who is sitting in the bucket in the shortest time."
More than twenty minutes later, he received a call from Vasily again. The major said excitedly on the phone: "Comrade Commander, you may not have imagined what we found in the bucket cart?"
"Major, stop going around in circles, tell me quickly what you have discovered."
"Although the head of the corpse was smashed by bricks and stones, he could not tell his appearance." Vasily reported: "But the officer's uniform was wearing the rank of SS."
"The rank of SS?" Papuchinko heard this and felt his breathing rapid and his heartbeat accelerated without competing. He asked quickly: "Are you sure?"
"It's totally certain."
"Comrade Major, I now order you to find the right thing to restrain the body immediately and send him to the command center of the division commander. Do you understand?"
"I understand, Comrade Commander, I will execute your order immediately."
After finishing the call with Vasily, Papuchenko felt that he should report such important news to Sokov as soon as possible. He ordered the communications troop to answer the phone number of the division headquarters: "Hey, comrade in the division command, I am Colonel Papuchenko."
"Comrade Colonel," there was no sound of gunfire in the city. Sokov knew that there was no battle there. If there was anything, it was worth calling him by Pupchinko, it must be related to Ike, so he asked directly: "Have Ike's body been found?"
"Comrade Commander, I'm not sure whether the corpse we found was the commander of the Skeleton Division, Ike." Colonel Papuchinko said: "But Major Vasily reported to me that the uniform on the body, the rank of the SS, was worn."
"Ike's rank is SS General." From Pupchinko's report, Sokov had basically determined that the body was Ike, and he quickly ordered the other party: "Arranging people immediately and sending his body over."
"I have ordered Major Vasily to converge the body and send it to your command."
"Good job, comrade Colonel," Sokov said with relief: "I believe that just by killing Ike is enough to award you the medal."
"Comrade Commander, you've been too awarded." Papchinko felt ecstatic when he learned that he might get the medal, but he still said in a steady tone: "This is what I should do."
Not long after, Major Vasily personally took a truck and escorted the coffin containing Ike's body to Sokov's command center. After investigation by everyone, it was decided that the deceased was Ike. Sokov quickly ordered Sidolin to send a telegram to Rokosovsky and Zhukov, informing the two of them of Ike's true death.
When Rokosovsky learned that Ike was really dead, he was overjoyed. He quickly said to Malining: "Comrade Chief of Staff, report this major result to the General Staff immediately. They need such a victory at this moment."
Regarding Rokosovsky's instructions, Malining did not dare to neglect, so he immediately connected to the General Staff on a high-frequency phone and reported to the Operations Minister Szetemenko, who answered the phone: "Comrade Minister of Operations, I am Malining, I have good news to tell you."
Szemenko has been tortured by a series of bad news recently. When he heard Malining say this, his eyes suddenly lit up: "Comrade Malining, what good news is?"
"Major General Sokov's 41st Guard Division just killed the commander of the German Skeleton Division, SS General Theodore Ike, not long ago."
"What, Ike was shot dead?" Szetemenko felt a little unbelievable about what Malinin said, "Is this true?"
"Of course it's true, Comrade Minister of Operations." Malining said confidently: "This is a telegram that Major General Sokov just sent us. He himself saw Eke's body with his own eyes. It's absolutely impossible to be wrong."
"That was a great victory, Comrade Malinin." Szetemenko said excitedly: "If I report this good news to the Supreme Commander himself, he would be very happy."
"Comrade Minister of Operations, please report this good news to the Supreme Commander himself immediately." Malining also smiled and said, "I think he is very happy to hear such good news."
Yelemenko said he wanted to report to Stalin himself, but according to the procedures, he had to want to report to Antonov, and then the other party reported to Stalin. He picked up the inside phone, dialed a number, and said to the microphone: "Comrade Deputy Chief of Staff, can you come to the Operations Department immediately? I have important things that need to be reported to you in person."
Antonov soon came to the Operations Department, looked at Yeliaumko and asked, "Comrade Minister of Operations, what important things are there?"
"That's right, Comrade General Chief of Staff." Yelemenko said with a smile: "I received a call from General Malining not long ago, saying that Major General Sokov's 41st Guard Division successfully killed Ike, the commander of the German Skeleton Division, not long ago."
"Oh, Ike was shot dead." Antonov also had a look of surprise on his face when he heard this: "This is really exciting good news. I wonder if it has been verified?"
"It has been verified." Yelemenko nodded and said, "It is beyond doubt that Major General Sokov saw Eke's body with his own eyes."
Antonov knew very well that as long as Sokov was involved, there would be no mistake in such a result. He said to Yelemenko: "That's great. Such good news needs to be reported to Comrade Stalin immediately. Comrade Minister of Operations, please go with me."
…………
After taking over Ike's command, Colonel Ximeng made some adjustments to the deployment of the troops, and then ordered the troops to attack the Soviet army that controlled the south direction of the city.
Fortunately, Sokov had long guessed that the enemy had the intention of counterattacking, so he ordered the anti-tank hand to carry the bazooka and hide in the buildings on both sides of the street. When the enemy's tanks entered the range, they would immediately use the bazooka to destroy them. Then he used machine guns to shoot the soldiers who followed the tanks, killing the enemy so much that they cried and howled.
In this way, Sokov relied on such tactics to smash several German counterattacks. Burning German tanks and German corpses sank on the ground and dead in various postures could be seen everywhere on the streets.
The battle continued until dark. The counterattack carried out by the Skeleton Division in the city did not make any progress, but instead suffered losses. However, the Flag Guard Division in the southwest and the Imperial Division in the south had already awakened from the Soviet raid. After they readjusted the deployment, they rushed towards Balvinkovo ​​in a fierce manner, trying to cooperate with the Skeleton Division in the city to complete the encirclement operation of the 41st Guard Division.
After Sokov learned of the news, he ordered extremely calmly: "The 124th and 125th Regiments each left a battalion to block the German imperial division and the flag guard division, the rest of the troops would move to the suburbs."
Chapter completed!