Lieutenant Colonel Edmund was resting on his bed in the rest room of the command headquarters.

The battle was completely unexpected by Lieutenant Colonel Edmond, who had thought it would be over soon from the time he attacked the hospital, then the cemetery, and then the Mamayev Heights......

In every battle, the Germans had a great advantage, such as the absolute superiority of the hospital and the cemetery, the air supremacy of the Mamayev Heights, and the superiority of artillery, tanks, etc.

The Germans often defeated the strong with the weak and the few over the many on the battlefield, so Edmund always thought that it would not take long to finish when he had the advantage, so he always wanted to rest when he won or the battle was over.

However, he seems to have fallen into a trap, one never-ending trap after another.

Finally, Lieutenant Colonel Edmund couldn't take it anymore, and after several days of almost sleepless command, he went into the lounge and lay down on the bed without even taking off his military uniform.

Lieutenant Colonel Edmund slept so deeply that when the adjutant reported to him that the enemy was attacking, he merely asked.

"Attacking the hilltop position?" Lieutenant Colonel Edmond sat up and asked vaguely.

"Yes!" The adjutant replied.

"Handled by Lieutenant Colonel Bauer at full discretion!" Lieutenant Colonel Edmond ordered.

"Yes, Lieutenant Colonel!" The adjutant answered and went out.

Lieutenant Colonel Edmund lay back in bed and went back to sleep, even though the sound of artillery was already loud in the other direction.

This was because Lieutenant Colonel Edmond was very reassured about the defensive line at the top of the hill, and he had seen the deployment map sent back by Major Colein beforehand, and there was nothing missing.

This is especially the use of assault gun wreckage, which can be regarded as a stroke of genius.

Lieutenant Colonel Edmond commented on this: "If the Russians really attack our line and intend to take Mamayev Hill back by night, then they will be disappointed!" ”

This was the reason why Lieutenant Colonel Edmund was relieved to lie back and continue to rest, hoping to take advantage of this time to replenish some strength and energy for the next day's final battle...... If nothing else, they will be able to completely occupy Mamayev Hill as soon as it gets dark, and block Stalingrad's supply lines accordingly.

But before Lieutenant Colonel Edmund could sleep, he was woken up by the adjutant again.

"I said it!" Lieutenant Colonel Edmond, who was woken up, yelled at the adjutant: "Let Lieutenant Colonel Bauer take full command!" ”

"But, Lieutenant Colonel!" The adjutant replied in silence: "It was Lieutenant Colonel Bauer who asked me to wake you up!" ”

Lieutenant Colonel Edmond was stunned when he heard this, then he rolled over and sat up, took his hat from the table next to him, put it on, and strode towards the headquarters.

Lieutenant Colonel Edmund knew that if Lieutenant Colonel Ball woke him up, it would mean that there was a change in the battlefield or some accident that required him to make a decision.

However, Lieutenant Colonel Edmond did not expect that Lieutenant Colonel Ball did not need him to make a decision, because it was too late to make any decisions at this time, and everything happened too quickly.

"What's the situation?" After walking into the headquarters, Lieutenant Colonel Edmund asked.

"We failed!" Lieutenant Colonel Bauer replied: "They broke through our lines!" ”

Lieutenant Colonel Edmund was stunned on the spot, and then he laughed: "This can't be, Bauer...... Could it be that I overslept and lost track of time? ”

Lieutenant Colonel Edmund looked at his watch, and then became even more puzzled: "If I'm not mistaken, it's been less than an hour since they launched their attack, and it only took them an hour to break through our defenses?" ”

"Yes!" Lieutenant Colonel Bauer replied with a pale face: "They are attacking not from the front, but from the flank......"

Saying that, Lieutenant Colonel Bauer pointed to the map and said: "From here, they broke through our defense line in only ten minutes under the cover of artillery, and our arrangement near the hilltop position did not work at all!" ”

"Quick!" Lieutenant Colonel Edmond ordered: "Reinforcements for the positive slope immediately!" At the same time, order Major Colein to flank the enemy! ”

"We've done it!" Lieutenant Colonel Bauer replied: "But I think it's too late!" ”

Lieutenant Colonel Edmond looked at Lieutenant Colonel Bauer in a daze, speechless for a moment.

"We need to be ready for complete defeat!" Lieutenant Colonel Bauer said, "I mean Mamayev Heights. That is, we should build a line of defense at the foot of the mountain, otherwise it will ......"

Lieutenant Colonel Edmund knew what Lieutenant Colonel Ball meant.

If a defensive line had not been formed at the foot of the mountain, it is likely that the Russians would have occupied more than just Mamayev Hills.

Lieutenant Colonel Edmond nodded helplessly and ordered to organize a defense at the foot of the mountain.

Lieutenant Colonel Edmund and Lieutenant Colonel Bauer proved to be the right choice.

Because when the 82nd Infantry Regiment broke through the German defenses from the flank and entered the positive slope, the encirclement of Mamayev Hill had already been completed.

And Major Colein, who was in the position at this time, did not even know about these ...... The Russian Guards Infantry Regiment was launching a fierce assault on his defensive line.

You must know that this is the Russian Guards Infantry Regiment, and at the same time it is still at night.

Therefore, although Major Colein was fully prepared, he still did not dare to slack off.

Then, the communication between the front command and the rear regimental command was suddenly severed.

"What's going on?" Major Collène had a hint of foreboding.

"The Russians bombarded my rear with intensive artillery fire!" The adjutant reported: "Maybe these shells blew up the telephone lines!" ”

Major Colein nodded.

He was not surprised that the Russians bombed the rear, because this was a common tactic on the battlefield...... Prevent enemy reinforcements and supplies from reaching the front line with artillery fire.

"Fix these phone lines right now!" Major Colein ordered.

Although there are radios, due to signal interference and other reasons, short-distance communication or telephone is faster and more economical.

"Yes, Major!" The adjutant replied, and immediately drilled out of the anti-artillery hole to convey the order.

But after only two minutes he ran back, and his face changed dramatically: "Major, I don't think it's just a matter of the artillery fire breaking the telephone line, the positive slope seems to have been infiltrated by the enemy!" ”

"What did you say?" Major Colein's eyes widened: "There is an enemy on the positive slope?" ”

"Yes!" The adjutant replied: "I heard shouting in that direction, and gunshots!" ”

It's normal to have explosions, if there are gunshots...... That means that there is a fight in that direction.

Without saying a word, Major Colein burst out of the bomb hole, and then poked his head out slightly to look behind him.

Sure enough, there were bursts of fierce gunfire in the direction of the positive slope.

"No, Hans!" Major Colein said: "It is not the enemy infiltration, it is the enemy who has entered the front slope and surrounded us!" ”