At that time, Hewitt would never have imagined that this would be his last contact with this team. The De Bow squad has since evaporated from the battlefield, and nothing has been heard from them again. Disappearances were a common occurrence in war, as was the case with Captain Coffey and his tank.

After the end of the war, the families of the members of the De Boer team tried to find their loved ones, and when they checked the battle logs of the 3rd Battalion of the 1072nd Regiment of the 355th Division of the Russian 13th Army, which was fighting on the left side of the commercial area, they did not find any record of the battle with the De Boer team on the left side of the Robinster's business district that day. A plausible explanation is that the poor De Boer squad died in an air raid by the Russians or was wiped out by a minefield set up by the Germans themselves.

The German positions in the factory area were attacked by the enemy's superior forces, and the battle was very fierce, the commander and deputy commander of the 2nd Motorized Rifle Company were killed one after another, and the platoon officers became a rare species. Captain Carmen, an SS officer who had retreated there, now took command of the 2nd Company, described the battle to Hewitt on the phone as follows: the Russian 54th Tank Corps and the 13th Infantry Corps launched a strong assault from the left side of the commercial area, over the minefield of Kaber Square, and soon broke through the defensive line of the German factory area. On the other hand, the Russian troops on assault boats and landing hovercraft attempted to attack the flank of the defense line of the factory area from the Emistel River, but they were blocked back by the German mines.

Although there was no authorization from General Miller, considering that the Russians had used tank troops in the factory area, they would face the consequences of court-martial. Hewitt resolutely agreed to Captain Law's suggestion to use the "Destroyer 3" tank under the command of the "Black Jazz" 2nd Commando Squadron Leader in the direction of the factory area, and the psychological shock of the "Destroyer 3" tank to the Russians cannot be measured simply by the number of tanks.

Shortly after Hewitt sent out the Black Jazz Platoon. The latest news came, and the knight platoon under the command of the captain of the second class commando squadron of Wittman had also entered the battle in the factory area. Although Wittman's rank was higher than Carmen's, Carmen's specialty was infantry command, and Hewitt felt that Carmen was more professional in commanding the 2nd Company, so although Captain Carmen was seriously injured, Hewitt had no intention of replacing the acting commander of the 2nd Company.

The grenadiers of the 2nd Motorized Rifle Company were indeed using armored vehicles and assault guns, relying on the familiar and complex terrain to maneuver with the Russian tanks that rushed into the factory area. The battle in the factory area has become a new hot spot in Robinster's offensive and defensive battles. More troops were swept in, and Lieutenant Carlus, training staff officer of the 1st Armored Battalion of the brother unit, commanded a No. 4 tank platoon to reinforce it.

The situation is very critical, with the understanding of the command ability of Black Sizz, Captain of the Second Commando Squadron of Wittman, Captain of the First Commando Team of Carmen, Lieutenant Carlus, and other subordinates. Hewitt was convinced that the Germans would be able to hold their positions in the factory area.

What Hewitt wanted most about now was the loss of communications, the condition of the 1st Grenadier Company, which was still holding out on the right side of the commercial district, whose lines had long since been shattered, and who were facing the assault of the powerful Russian 13th Infantry Corps. The first grenade was more than lucky.

"Telephone soldiers! Phone soldiers! Hewitt yelled loudly outside the bunker.

A private with a rifle on his back stumbled in: "Yes. Sir! ”

"Please immediately overhaul the telephone line between the battalion headquarters and the 1st Company!"

"Yes, sir!" The privates hurried away with the same stumble.

"Boom" a cannonball hit the top of the bunker directly, and dust and stones rained down, and the map on the command platform was buried. If there is another Hewitt, the headquarters of Hewitt will collapse!

Righting the crooked cap, Hewitt was surprised to hear someone coughing, and despite the dim light and smoke in the bunker, Hewitt saw that the strange silhouette was a woman!

Hewitt slammed the smoke away with his hand, and the red cross on her helmet indicated that the graceful female soldier was a medic, her eyes as penetrating as the autumn waters of the two lakes gleamed with commotion and confusion. After the rain, his face was as bright as the sun, and he was wearing a gray military uniform because the two buttons on it were not fastened. The edge of the yellow bra is faintly visible, and the dirty and slightly torn short military skirt makes the white lotus-like calves look more soft and full, this is a brilliant and mellow woman. Hewitt's breathing seemed to stop for a moment.

"Sir, Hoffman has completed the organization and placement of the field hospital and is ordered to return." From behind her appeared the figure of Adjutant Hoffman. Sensing that Hewitt's gaze was still on the medics, Hoffman duly introduced: "Sir, this is Miss Nala, the Russian-speaking translator from the field hospital. ”

"Very well, welcome, Miss Nala!" Hewitt smiled and said, "I heard that you are good at Russian?" ”

"Not good at it, sir! It's just that I can read a Russian novel like "Anna Karanina". Miss Nala put her feet together and lifted her towering breasts forward.

Feeling his heart pounding, feeling that he was being seen through, Hewitt's face turned red.

"Boom—" The explosion of another cannonball at close range brought Hewitt back to his wonderful senses. After a pause, Hewitt took out the captured Russian military folder from the command platform buried in the dust, handed it to Miss Nala, and said politely: "Please study these materials as soon as possible and translate them." ”

"Yes, sir!"

The orderlies brought a steaming breakfast, although it was just some burnt bread, coffee and potatoes and other foods, and it smelled! An indescribable aroma, Hewitt, who had not eaten for a long time, was hungry and had a great appetite.

"Miss Nala, please come and have breakfast with me. I know that you have been marching all day to Robinster's with little pause, and you must have not had time to eat. ”

"Yes, sir." Nala replied in the affirmative.

"Hoffman, please prepare a clean set of utensils."

Hoffmann and Rouse began to sweep the dust from the podium, and there was a beautiful young lady here. More efficient in command posts.

The heavy Russian shelling outside the bunker continued, and amid the rumbling of artillery, Hewitt began to eat breakfast. Miss Nala's movements are elegant, and at first glance she looks like a well-educated lady.

Sergeant Heinze's figure dangled in front of the bunker, and it seemed that Hewitt's car had returned to headquarters.

Everyone was vying to talk to Nala. Nala is very well-behaved and always has a charming smile on her face. Coming from a wealthy middle-class family in Munich, she graduated from the University of Mainz with a degree in foreign languages and taught Russian at the University of Leipzig, and came here as a volunteer.

"Sir. Phones have been answered at positions in the business district. ”

The warm breakfast was interrupted by the emergency military situation.

The Hewitt Army position in the commercial area on the right side of the strategic highway has been occupied by Russian troops, Captain Dickman's whereabouts are unknown, and the Hausser and Gutmann platoons are fighting and retreating towards their positions in residential areas.

"What do you think?" Hewitt asked Captain Law.

"I can't see any reason to abandon the business district. The offensive is the best defense, and I propose to immediately throw in reserves, carry out a counter-charge, restore the lost positions; Or at least stabilize the line in the area of the second minefield in Cap Square. ”

Huittsa looked at the map. Robinstall Square's former position is still struggling to support it except for part of the position on the right side of the business district. Having all fallen, Hewitt had only one engineer company and a reserve of a supplementary platoon, and it seemed that it was already a luxury to support Robinsteral until dark. "How much more support can the brother forces give Hewitt?"

"The only support the reconnaissance battalion gave us was the strength of a Gutman platoon; The radio station of their battalion headquarters has not been contacted, and it is likely that it has long been defeated by the Russian army; The 1st Armored Battalion was also in intermittent contact with us, with one company of the 1st Battalion having lost all of its positions in the commercial area, and the other platoon under the command of Lieutenant Carjus, an operational staff officer, was still fighting in the factory area. We couldn't have hoped for more. ”

It was then that Hewitt noticed that Miss Nala had left the dining table at some point. As she got to work in earnest, she read aloud intently. Occasionally, Adjutant Hoffman was asked for some military terminology.

"It is necessary to fight to the last of the man, the last of the gun, and any form of retreat is forbidden! Reserves were immediately reinforced to the positions in the business district! Hewitt is determined, and if he doesn't succeed here, he will succeed.

Hewitt's order was tantamount to indirectly pronouncing everyone's death sentence, and the headquarters was quiet and the atmosphere was very solemn. In fact, Hewitt ordered everyone to run away together, and there may not be a way to escape. For a while, no one was willing to talk except for the heralds, who were constantly giving feedback on the latest battles on the battlefield, until Miss Nala had finished her job and walked towards Hewitt.

"Sir, the Russians' documents have been translated!" Miss Nala came over with the translation. This is the time when Hewitt desperately needs to know what his enemies are thinking in order to help him make decisions. The officers in the command post also gathered around.

According to Miss Nala's translation, these documents were issued by the command of the Russian 43rd Army on the instructions of General Chernyakhovsky to the 355th Division of the 13th Infantry Army under his command.

These documents show that the Russian army will capture the Emistre Bridge at any cost, which is also the main strategic attempt of the Russian army to gather a tank division of the 54th Army and an infantry division of the 13th Army to attack Robinster.

Also in the document is a reply to the commander of the Russian 43rd Army, Lieutenant General Beloborodov, approving the operational plan submitted by the headquarters of the 355th Infantry Division. Based on the analysis of the Russians' maps and documents, the Russian army formulated two sets of combat plans for the capture of the Amistal Bridge: the first plan was to form two special forces, one paratrooper commando team would parachute to seize the bridge, and the other would be a surprise attack by frogman and boat troops from the waterway. Capture the Emistre Bridge with lightning speed.

The second plan is for the tank divisions of the 54th Army to draw elite tank units to form an armored assault group and forcibly seize the Emistre Bridge along the strategic highway.

After listening to Miss Nala's report on the translation of the Russians' battle plan, Hewitt thought silently, stood in the lookout hole of the bunker, and used a high-powered military telescope to observe the position of the commercial district in front of him. Nothing but the sound of gunfire could be heard, and although the sun was shining in the sky, nothing could be seen from the ruins of the commercial district, shrouded in smoke and dust.

Hewitt slowly lowered the telescope......

"What's next...... What to do......" Captain Rouse was a little uncertain, the enemy's plan was too thorough. It's too vicious.

The precipitation and accumulation of military knowledge in Pinsuri helped Hewitt, and after only a moment of contemplation, Hewitt made a decision. "Order—"

The eyes widened, for the Hewitt order could very well decide whether everyone lived or died, or how they lived or died, and no one wanted to die, even though the chances of life were very slim.

"First, inform all troops who can be notified if they are still in contact with the enemy. You must hold your position and not retreat without permission. Because as soon as our troops leave the favorable terrain, they will be destroyed by the enemy's ground-to-air fire that follows them. Units that had no contact with the enemy were to immediately abandon their positions and move towards the south bank of the Emistre River. ”

Hewitt finally stopped fighting to the death. Everyone in the command post was ready to pack up as if they had been pardoned, but Adjutant Hoffman stood still.

"Hoffman, order the engineer company to guard the bridge. Once the Russians approached the bridge. You should not hesitate to blow up the bridge! ”

"Your Excellency Battalion Commander, why are we retreating?" Hoffman asked, incomprehensible.

"Because I now understand that the purpose of the Russians is not to capture the city of Robinster, but to capture the bridge of Emistre! A tactic that must defend every inch of land will not only distract our already thin forces, but it will also be meaningless. ”

"Second, all the troops in the commercial area positions immediately launched a short counter-charge against the enemy, and they must be fierce, and they must be fierce. Hit the momentum, then retreat quickly. Disengage from the enemy and retreat into residential areas. Hewitt dictated the order.

"What do you mean, sir...... is to be carried out immediately......" Captain Rouse was obviously difficult to accept.

"Yes, it's better for you to personally inform and supervise the execution of the order!"

"But...... Now the sun is shining, Your Excellency the battalion commander, we have no air supremacy at all? Isn't this a call for troops to be sent to death? ”

Sensing that everyone at the command post had the same misgivings, Hewitt had to explain his operational thinking in order to ensure that the order was finally carried out. "You have just heard the enemy's documents translated by Nala, and the main attack in front of us is the 13th Army of the 43rd Army of the Russians, a force that is very good at night and street fighting. Don't forget, last night the Russian army took advantage of being good at night combat to capture half of Robinster's city. Even if the operation is delayed until the evening, our troops will not have any advantage at all.

"Besides, we won't be able to make it into the night! I just looked through a telescope, although the sun is shining now, and the visibility in the air is indeed good, but the effect of the Russian army's air assault has been greatly weakened by the dense smoke and dust caused by the bombing and shelling, coupled with the cover of buildings in the city, we can take advantage of Robinster's complex terrain and landform, as well as the Russians' belief that we do not have air supremacy, and the tanks dare not attack the convention, and surprise the enemy's siege troops to carry out a counter-charge against the enemy's siege troops and disrupt the enemy's offensive deployment. The goal was to disengage the troops in the commercial area from the enemy and retreat to the residential area.

And our 5th Tank Division has been blocked by the Russian 13th Army and the 36th Infantry Army, and in the case of complete loss of air supremacy, even the time-tested 5th Tank Division is unlikely to break through the enemy's premeditated superior forces interception and reach the Emistre Bridge. So the value of the existence of the Emistre Bridge for us is that if necessary, let the 1st Regiment of the Fortress withdraw through it to Königsberg, and if there is no hope, I would rather blow it up. ”

"Got it! Yes, sir! Captain Rouse accepted the order with a pause: "I will personally direct the retreat of the troops in the business district!" ”

"Of course, the enemy's air threat is always there, and all units are required to pay attention to covert air defense, and pay more attention to using terrain and buildings as cover, so that enemy planes cannot accurately dive and bomb." Hewitt gave him a few more words, and for the safety of the director of discipline, Hewitt sent his adjutant Hoffman to him.

Captain Rouse and Adjutant Hoffmann led the way with a few guards.

Hewitt decided to abandon the half-crumbling bunker and go to the all-important Emmystre Bridge to command the battle. Heinze, Heinze, the commander of Hewitt's chariot, was preparing to stand by in a nearby bunker, when Hewitt turned to Miss Nala who was standing beside him and said, "Please retreat with me to the river......

Hewitt was pleased to see his Soviet-made SS6 modified command car, which had been sprayed with new paint in German gray, but due to the rush of time or lack of paint, the painted body became colorful, the white Russian slogan was still faintly visible, and the Russian mark had been filed and replaced with the black and white cross pattern of the German army.

Upon notification of the transfer from Hewitt, the personnel of the battalion headquarters were quickly mobilized into a small convoy of about fifteen to twenty soldiers and logisticians, consisting of a tank, an armoured vehicle, a three-ton standard truck, a heavy tractor-transporter and three motorcycles.

Surprised to see Sergeant Hesky in the repair car, Hewitt was glad that he was still alive. However, he was depressed, and after questioning, he learned that two of his assistants had been killed in the battle in the factory area.

Hewitt helped Miss Nala to board the tank, and there was not much to say, Hewitt only briefly conveyed that Hewitt's destination was the Ellmystal Bridge, and then the convoy set off.

Hewitt's tank was at the forefront, and the armored car was in charge of the rear! (To be continued......)